Electrical problem/ground fault

[Earl43P]

http://flashoffroad.com/electrical/Batteries/BatteryDrain.html

^ I'll refer to that link in this reply.

So, the dome light is on.
Roll the dash lights dimmer knob off its fully up detent and shut it off. Exercize that switch function (roll it past full bright) a few times, make sure it works.

Nothing in your symptoms makes me think your GEM is faulty.

Bumpy road, flickering lights, alternator charging issue, no GEM connections at all.

Most likely have a bad cable, one of the big ones to either the battery, alternator or ground. Is your battery properly secured to the tray?

Seriously.

The battery saver and accessory delay relays in the relay box SHOULD be hot, until they time out (that IS a GEM function) and de-energize. The interior lights relay will be the third one in that box. It'll be hot too if the dome lights are on.

So, back to the parasitic draw test.
Read that link and it explains that you have to connect the meter AFTER all those timers time out yet without letting the connection break so that they reset. IMHO, forget doing all that and do this:

Open the driver door.
Latch the door latch securely as if the door were shut (use a key or screwdriver shank).
Ensure that the Door Ajar light is now OFF.
That's the end of the door ajar and dome light problems while testing (you can do the same for the passenger door if desired. *This is the way we listen to tunes without leaving the dome light on and door dinger going off while the key is on ACC.* If the dome light is still on, I can send you schematics (MY 2000 should be close enough) to help you figure that out.

PM me your e-mail address so I can send those.

Here's what I want you to do, called a wiggle test.
Start and idle, headlights and blower on.
Wiggle Red and Black cables near Bat and along their lengths.
Bang on the Underhood Junction Box with the palm of your hand, vigorously and wiggle all the harneses in its area. Trying to simulate what your bumpy road is doing. Do the same with all the chassis grounds, head to windshield wiper motor especially.

If you keep an ear out for the speed of the blower or have the lights shining on a wall....
You'll find it.

Send me the PM, having the schematics will save you a LOT of frustration chasing your tail.

(< Click on my username, select send PM)

 

[Earl43P]

"dome light sometimes could take up to 30 minutes to go out after you shut the doors and that it was normal...(I am greatly questioning that statement now!). "

Clearly NOT normal, but that IS indicating that either:

A Door Ajar switch is stuck (instrument panel will say "Door Ajar" if that is the case).
Dimmer is rotated full up into the detent that turns on the dome light.

I've looked and looked at what could blow your fuse #26.
To me, the most likely is the 4wd shift motor, since it is outside and vulnerable to the elements. Especially if you actually USE your 4wd.

Another possibility is that the wiring at the door hinge has broken down from the door opening/closing. I suggest you do a wiggle test there too (both doors, AFTER you have latched the door latch, so the doors can stay open but are "electrically closed"). Watch for the "Door Ajar" light to come on in the dash while doing that wiggle test (key in Run position, engine can be off).

Your list of things powered by fuse #26 is correct as you will see on Page 13-20 once you get the schematics from me. They are easy to follow, even if you don't know much about electrical.

 

[gbadgley]

It is clear that there is a draw in the cab somewhere, but I would also take a close look at the alternator also. I would suspect a low output and possibly shorted diodes also (that will also cause an engine off draw). With the engine running the alternator should be able to compensate for small current draws. you may also want to do a load test on the battery also.

 

[shane96ranger]

So, back to the parasitic draw test......... connect the meter AFTER all those timers time out yet without letting the connection break so that they reset.

How can you get a reading if you don't break the connection? The current has to flow through the meter.

 

[Crossthreader]

It can be done, but it involves a bit of juggling. First, disconnect the negative battery cable, then connect a jumper wire from the cable end to the battery post. Now, you can connect your meter to the battery post and the cable. When you remove the jumper wire, the meter will be in series with the battery, and you can take the readings.

I suggest removing the negative cable to avoid working on the hot lead. Electrically it is the same as putting the meter in the positive line, just remember to connect the meter negative lead to the battery negative post and positive to the ground cable.

Paul

 

[shane96ranger]

Ah, ok. That makes sense now.

Sure would be tricky trying to keep a connection on the post if you don't have a gap under the terminal.

Sent from a Commodore 64 using a 300 baud modem

 

[Happy Camper]

Ok guys,

Test results:

As Earl mentioned, I tried latching the door latch with a screwdriver and it didn't turn off the door ajar sign (as I mentioned in my previous posts, I already tested both door switches and they are not faulty...to prove this point, I did two things:

1- I disconnected the terminal on both switches and connected my ohmmeter on the switches themselves with alligator clamps and wire to check for continuity. The results (the same on both sides): closed circuit (continuity) when the door is open and open circuit when the door is shut.

2- Even after the test I did (described above), many people (not only people on this forum) were still questioning the switches operations. So, I took both door trims off again and I disconnected both door switches at the same time (with the result of an open circuit on both switches which leads into a "both doors closed situation". Even after that, the door ajar light was still on.

Finally, I have to mention that the opening of the driver door does trigger the chime alarm that occurs if you leave the key in the ignition with the ignition to the "OFF" position.

So, according to these statements, I really don't see how the door switches could be the source of the problem. Right?


Furthermore, I tried the wiggling test (on the alternator wires, battery wires, wiper motor wires, wire harnesses, etc. In fact, I pretty much wiggled every wire you can find under the hood and even all the wires behind the radio, including all the ones going to the GEM (which I found by the way, thanks for the input...). So, nothing concluent came out of this test ( I had headlights on and heater blower to maximum output and didn't notice any dimming/rpm decrease...)

Also, I just want to re-post the fact that I did put my test light on #2 pin of each of the two relays found in auxiliary box #1 that were hot (having the ground clip on the battery positive) and the test light did light. I did that because Paul (Crossthreader) in in 12-13-2012 message suggested:

"If you unplug the relay and connect a test light ground clip to battery power then probe Pin 2 of the relay, it should not light. If it does light, the GEM is trying to turn the relay on. To prove the test light connection, touch the probe to something that is ground and the light should light.

Hope this helps.

Paul"

However, I've got something new! After the process of wiggling/knocking all the wires (and as I mentioned above the GEM and surrounding wires), I performed again the"Sasquatch_ryda" parasitic draw test. So, I drove the truck in town for 10-15 min., arrived home, let it idle while I was performing the wiggling/banging test and then stopped the engine. I connected the jumper wire, installed my meter, removed the jumper wire, let the driver door open but actuated the latch back to a door closed position with a screwdriver and then waited 45 min. before I came back to my meter and surprise: the amp draw was down to approximatly 3 mA (it was approx. 360 mA before I left for the 45 min. waiting time). After that, I used my screwdriver to simulate driver door opening and closing and the draw went back to approx. 360 mA. So, I left once again the door open with the latch in a "door closed position" (using the screwdriver) and left for awhile (30 to 45 min.). When I came back, the draw had once again decreased to 3 mA...(at this point, I turned the ignition switch to the ON position to check if the door ajar was still on and it was...).

Now, as far as I am concerned, I don't see what else than the GEM can be faulty in that story. Anyone has another opinion? Let me tell you something that, according to me, confirms that diagnosis (feel free to correct me if you believe I'm wrong...): While doing both parasitic draw test, I had a draw of approx. 360 mA mainly splited on two fuses (25 & 26).

#25 supplies GEM and instrument cluster.
#26 supplies battery saver relay, electronic shift relay, interior lamps relay, power windows relay (mines are manual), electronic shift control module, dome/map lights and GEM.

If the draw would be related to the door switches circuit itself, I would observe a significant decrease in that draw only when I pull #26 fuse, not 25. The only circuit that #25 & 26 have in common is the GEM. So, unless I have two separate problems leading to a common symptom (a draw), the GEM is the only device that can cause a draw on #25 and 26 fuse at the same time. Right?

If it wouldn't be from the fact that this part is expensive and that there is a possibility that it has to be re-programmed by the dealer when replaced, there would be a brand-new GEM in the truck already...But, I would appreciate other people's opinions on this one...What do you guys think?

Thanks again!

Let me apologize for those considerably long posts...hopefully, with your help, I'll get that fixed before Xmas and gone the long posts will be for the new year!

 

[Happy Camper]

Problem solved!

Hi everybody,

Got my problem solved!

Remember when I said: "So, unless I have two separate problems leading to a common symptom (a draw)...". Well it looks like this is the case now!

People kept telling me that the door switches were probably faulty and I kept saying they were ok...well, everybody was right! While looking in the wiring diagrams, I learned that there is on those rangers not 2 but 4 door switches. I have the extended cab and there is two extra door switches on the latches of the suicide doors. One of these switches was stuck (electrically closed), causing the GEM to continually send a signal to the relay. I may look a bit dumb on this one but I assumed that since the front door has to be opened for the suicide door to be opened as well, I don't see why Ford threw in another switch there... So, when I shut all doors, my door ajar sign is now gone and after a certain time (I still have to calculate but approx. 30 min.), my draw on the battery gets down to 3 mA (it is somewhere around 180 mA right after I shut the doors). Success!

Now for the light/blower dimming issue. I am still not 100% sure that I found the problem (will need to drive more on rough terrain) but I did find something that was leading to those symptoms. At very low engine rpms, I noticed the same issue (decrease in blower rpms and headlights dimming down) and my alternator seems fine. So, I took a look at my drive belt and noticed that the tensioner seemed seized. I replaced both the belt and the tensioner and the situations improved. Although I can still observe a dimming/decrease in blower rpm at very low engine rpm (ie.: when I partially depress the clutch when on parking brake), the situation did improve...So far so good...

I want to say thanks for everybody's help on this one and let me tell you what I will remember from this particular problem (well: these particular problems...): Always better to KISS!

Thanks!

 

[Earl43P]

Good news indeed!

Congratulations for really sticking with it.
It never occured to me that a 98 would have the rear doors!