[jimib]

Originally Posted by bill ryder

Another easy way to find SOME current draw problems is to check at night when the garage is dark. my be a light on you can't see in the daytime. I had my radio light staying on, after 65 years, and ran my battery down. Showed up in the dark. Unplugged the light for now. Battery problem solved...

"Bill"!

It's a shot in the dark, but worth a try. (-:

[jimib]

OK, so I followed the advice above by removing the fuses 1 by 1 and checking the multimeter each time (for amp drop I think?). Each time I removed a fuse, I checked the meter, and it stayed at 0.20. So this did not find the problem but eliminated potential problems.

Can anyone suggest what I should try next?

[LPete]

Try unplugging the headlight switch.

[george kujanski]

Did you convert from an external regulated alt to an internal reg alt (10SI) in the process? if you have a 10SI now, do you still have the old regulator on the firewall? is the new wiring setup for the alt that you have?

George

[Old Goat 67]

Originally Posted by tigergto

You have a draw on the battery somewhere. Remove your negative post clamp from the battery, hook up a volt meter in line with the negative post and the ground clamp. If it is showing a voltage reading, there is a draw. Pull fuses until the draw stops. That will be the circuit that’s live. Do this with the ignition key off and doors closed.

Originally Posted by tigergto

Hook up one lead to your negative cable clamp and one lead to your neg post. Doesn’t matter which lead you put where.

Originally Posted by tigergto

I’m not familiar with that meter, but u need to set it to DC volts.

Originally Posted by tigergto

If a circuit is live it will show volt draw as well as amp draw. You can even check it with a simple test light. The problem using amps is most meters can only test up to 10 amps without blowing the meters fuse.

Originally Posted by tigergto

So you’re saying what I wrote about checking for current draw is wrong? I think not.

Originally Posted by tigergto

Ok, I should have wrote, it will show voltage, instead of saying volt draw.

No, what I am saying is that you obviously should NOT be giving electrical advise!

[Old Goat 67]

Originally Posted by jimib

OK, so I followed the advice above by removing the fuses 1 by 1 and checking the multimeter each time (for amp drop I think?). Each time I removed a fuse, I checked the meter, and it stayed at 0.20. So this did not find the problem but eliminated potential problems.

Can anyone suggest what I should try next?

It does look like you have your meter in Amp draw mode. Draw of .2 Amp is what it shows.

[tigergto]

Originally Posted by Old Goat 67

No, what I am saying is that you obviously should NOT be giving electrical advise!

I’ve heard one of the symptoms of dementia, is anger and rudeness toward others.

[PunchT37]

Just for kicks, does your meter go to 0 when you remove one of your leads?

[PunchT37]

I also see what looks like 1 or 2 wires added to your pos post. Where do they go? Probably not through your fuse box? Unhook those wires and see what happens.

[jimib]

Originally Posted by Old Goat 67

It does look like you have your meter in Amp draw mode. Draw of .2 Amp is what it shows.

I think this is the correct setting and it stayed at 0.200 as I tested all of the fuses.

[jimib]

Originally Posted by PunchT37

Just for kicks, does your meter go to 0 when you remove one of your leads?

Good question Punch. I went out to the garage and brought the meter back in. The meter does in fact go back to .000 when "not" hooked to the battery and set on DC10A.

Your other question is also a good one that I did not even think of.
There is in fact a wire connected to the positive side of the battery. At this time, 7:45 EST, it's dark and the garage lighting is poor, so I am not able to trace where it goes. However; I think it may hook up to the solenoid or mini starter. It may also have something to do with the MSD coil mounted on the firewall. Whatever part it goes to, I remember having one hell of a time getting this part to work. I remember the tech support guy saying "You've got to find a 12-volt source" and the 12-volt battery post is what I used for my source.

[jimib]

Originally Posted by george kujanski

Did you convert from an external regulated alt to an internal reg alt (10SI) in the process? if you have a 10SI now, do you still have the old regulator on the firewall? is the new wiring setup for the alt that you have?

George

Yes; I upgraded to a Powermaster. The external fire-wall-mounted regulator has been gone for many years.

[Bill Hanlon]

Punch37 had a good question above. "I also see what looks like 1 or 2 wires added to your pos post. Where do they go? Probably not through your fuse box? Unhook those wires and see what happens." Whatever is connected to those two wires would not go through the fuse box. Remove them both from the positive terminal, reconnect the battery's negative cable and then put your meter between the positive battery post and each (one at a time) of the two wires you removed. See if the current draw matches your 2/10 of an amp.

[jimib]

Yeah, this could very well be the culprit. The engine won't start without the wires connected to the POS post. I think they go to the starter or solenoid. I'll have time this Thursday to look into this.
Thanks

[Geoff]

jimib.

You are going in the right direction. When I suggested to disconnect alt/reg wires, I didn't think you had an amp meter at that stage & I meant for you to leave the wires disconnected overnight to see if the battery drained. I should have been more specific.

As I said in post #7, this type of problem gets fixed by process of elimination.

Something is drawing about 1/4 amp. A 3w dash lamp draws about 1/4 amp. So check for console, glove box, radio light etc being on.

It is not a ground [ lack of ground ] problem.

I think someone suggested removing/touching the lug on one of the bat cables to the bat terminal at night. If there is current draw, you will see a spark. This is a simple & effective method of testing & might be easier than messing with a meter.

["QUICK-SILVER"]

Originally Posted by jimib

It may also have something to do with the MSD coil mounted on the firewall.

Please tell us that you meant to say 'MSD "BOX" and not MSD "coil" '.

Originally Posted by jimib

Whatever part it goes to, I remember having one hell of a time getting this part to work. I remember the tech support guy saying "You've got to find a 12-volt source" and the 12-volt battery post is what I used for my source.

MSD "BOXES" have two power wires. One to battery (+) and one to the ignition switch for on/off.

Coil only (NO BOX) uses two wires from the ignition switch; one for crank (IGN-2) and one for run (IGN-1).

The two wires for 'coil only' would go to the off/on wire on a MSD BOX.

Need more details on what you've got for ignition system
Clay

[jimib]

I intended to say "MSD Coil". Maybe I got the proper words wrong but below are pic's. More details are certainly needed which I'll provide when I have my next day off in a couple of days.
Thanks

[GTOEARL]

I’m not an expert in this area by any means but let me throw this out. If you have your harness hooked up under your dash and some of the stuff is not mounted or grounded such as the door switches, will they remain open for current.? Such as when you open the door and the light goes on.? But I suppose it must be grounded for it to work .... I don’t think I would worry about it too much until you get the harness hooked up all the way. It may be an issue of just you haven’t finished the wiring install yet... Anyway good luck I know these issues can be frustrating.

[stellar]

Can someone explain how a .20 amp draw (1/5 of an amp) will kill a battery in 24 hours? I don't see it unless the battery is bad. .20 is not a large drain so I would be looking for a memory draw, radio, or a small bulb staying on, glove box trunk hood.

[jimib]

Originally Posted by stellar

Can someone explain how a .20 amp draw (1/5 of an amp) will kill a battery in 24 hours? I don't see it unless the battery is bad. .20 is not a large drain so I would be looking for a memory draw, radio, or a small bulb staying on, glove box trunk hood.

When I initially started this thread, I was too hasty to solve my issue-problem and I made assumptions when I should have taken my time and posted actual findings and facts. Thank you “stellar” for catching my error.

The battery currently in my GTO is only a few months old. I fully charged it two days ago and the multimeter showed 12.8 volts. This afternoon (about 48 hours later) I measured the voltage and it showed 11.5 volts.