Chunk-a-lunk

[91xlt4x4]

Hey everybody.
Edit:
I think I was unclear about something in the original post so I re-did it.

The battery in my truck keeps dying if I keep it hooked up.
When I put an ammeter between the (brand new) battery post and the cable, one of the relays pictured below clacks non-stop and I don't know why.
If I hook the battery up like it should be connected, it clacks three times then stops.
The truck starts and runs good. It just kills the battery when it sits.
If the relay weren't freaking when I try to use the meter, I would pull each fuse and see when the draw from my battery drops to an acceptable level.
That's how I've isolated shorted circuits in the past.
But so long as the relay keeps clacking, I can't get an accurate reading on the multimeter.
I've decided to pull each fuse and put the ammeter between the terminals in the fusebox.
...but the clunking coming from the relay haunts me.
Anyways, thanks for reading the post.

 

[sgtsandman]

Something is telling me that the system the relay is clicking in has the problem.

 

[91xlt4x4]

Something is telling me that the system the relay is clicking in has the problem.

That's what I was thinking, and the reason it was haunting me. ...turns out, I tried using a different meter and it only clicked 3 times like it does when I connect the battery cable. Then when I measured it, draw was .01 which is, so far as I understand, well within limits. Oh well. I'll save my draining battery problem for another day. Today when I was parking the truck after going to the lumberyard, I noticed a jet of power steering fluid being shot out from under the wheel well when I hit the steering limit. At least the leak will be easy to find. Thanks for the hunch. That relay (fuel) is still in the back of my mind.

 

[Curious Hound]

That relay (fuel) is still in the back of my mind.

Wait. You know which relay it is? If so. Then you know what circuit. You don't need to go pulling fuses. Pull that relay and leave it out and see if your battery drains.

I believe the computer grounds the fuel pump relay to turn it on. So if your fuel pump relay is always staying on, the problem may be the computer or your ignition switch isn't turing off completely.

@RonD can confirm this or tell you I'm wrong.

 

[Shran]

The black relay is the AC WOT relay, green is for the fuel pump, brown is for the ECM (think I got those right.) The green and brown ones are necessary, the black one only pertains to the AC and the truck will run without it.

 

[91xlt4x4]

Wait. You know which relay it is? If so. Then you know what circuit. You don't need to go pulling fuses. Pull that relay and leave it out and see if your battery drains.

I believe the computer grounds the fuel pump relay to turn it on. So if your fuel pump relay is always staying on, the problem may be the computer or your ignition switch isn't turing off completely.

@RonD can confirm this or tell you I'm wrong.

I'm afraid of leaving it hooked up because I spent $200 in batteries last month. Doh!
Bought a new battery for my 10 year old Sonic (30k miles) and put the ten year old working perfectly battery in my truck because truck battery was dying.
Killed the 10 year old battery in a week, 10v is all it would hold so I had to buy a new one for the Truck.

But, yeah, I'm thinking you're right.
When I connect the battery the relay clicks 3 times. So, ...it's off when it has no power, then ON-OFF-ON would mean it's staying on.
What I don't understand is why? The relay seems to be working ok because it's clicking, and it drives. ...just don't know why it would be staying on.
If it's the computer, i'll just leave the battery disconnected when it's sitting. It's a utility truck that gets used a few times a year.
Ignition switch is sketchy (often have to try twice to get it to start) but that sounds like it would be hard to change?