Battery drain issue

[Snal]

I've got an 01 4.0 that recently wouldn't start without a jump so I replaced the battery with a fancy optima yellow top and a few days later, same thing. Here are my symptoms:


-After jump I noticed my speedometer was bouncing between 15-20 while at a stop however while driving worked fine.

-I noticed my lights seemed to dim slightly

-I've got a double din radio that tilts out when the truck turns on then retracts back when off and it did not retract after I last parked it.

-When the key was turned off a relay under the dash began clicking which I discovered was the battery saver relay.

-When the door shuts my running lights would blink

Now I've been reading about a Parasitic drain however I don't have the tools to test nor would I know how to use them. I've read the GEM could also be a cause so I took out the radio and noticed the GEM has a black clip and a grey clip plugged into it. I don't know which clip feeds what inside the truck but when I unplug the grey clip the relay stops clicking so I'm assuming whatever that connects to is the issue. Does anyone know what this clip connects to or if it's the GEM itself? If it is the GEM does it have to be programmed to the truck or can any GEM from a similar truck work?

 

[bf750]

a bad alternator will do this

 

[Angie]

i had a prob kinda like yours on a 92,

after a bit of searching this was what i found to be easiest on the net to try.... hope this might help.....


pasted from a different place......



You either have a large draw or a short somewhere.

Turn everything off on the vehicle.
Disconnect the Negative cable.
Take a test light and hook the clamp to the Negative terminal and put the probe on the Negative battery post.
Does the light illuminate brightly?
If yes, you have something on or a draw somewhere.
If the light illuminates dimly, then you have a slight draw, but nothing that is going to drain the battery in a short time.

Next, make sure the hood light is off, the doors are closed. Check the light again. Same? Ok.
Next, pull the plug on the alternator. Not the large red wire, but the connector. Did the light go out?
If yes, pull the alternator and take to a parts store and have it tested. Have them check the regulator.

If the light stays lit, then pull fuses one by one until the light dims or goes out. Once you hit the one where the light dims, you found the circuit that has the draw.

Understand that using the test light is the primitive way of finding a draw, but works in a pinch. You can use a DVOM on Amps the same way, but more folks have test lights and you can purchase a test light for $3.99 at some parts stores.

 

[Snal]

turns out it was a bad clamp at the end of the negative lead which had rusted where the sleeve covers it and when I tightened it onto the battery it pulled and cracked just enough to barely make contact

 

[Mark_88]

glad you came back with a positive reply...thanks

 

[homey]

I' glad Snarl's problem was that easy to fix. However, some electrical problems can be a real pain to track down. I was having trouble with my '06 Ranger SC FX4 running the battery down. I'd put the charger on it and it took a charge. After a couple of times of this, I took it to the local Auto Zone. They load tested and said the battery was bad. Got the battery replaced since it was still under warranty. Auto Zone retested and said it was the alternator. I took it to the dealership where I purchased the truck, because I knew the service manager would delve into the problem and fix it right the first time. Service manager didn't feel that it was the alternator. It took 3 weeks to run down the problem - a bad starter. Just shows that electrical problems can be tricky to repair.