>The plot thickens. I installed the new battery, and the car started.
>Left it sit overnight, and it was dead in the morning with the new
>battery. I took it back to the place where I bought it, and they tested
>it. It read full voltage!! I made them give me a new one anyway, and
>the new one worked. So, I figured it was probably something "drawing"
>on the battery when it was idle. Now I disconnect the positive terminal
>after I drive it, and it seems to do fine.
>Now the question: What could be causing the draw? Nothing new has
>happened to the car. Where should I check
Full voltage doesn't tell enough of the story. You can have 12 volts, and zip
in the way of amps, and hence a dead battery. That's why many times you can't
get a car to crank over, but the radio will still play.
You have two needs at this point. You really need a multi meter to chase down
current, and you really want (almost need) a wiring diagram, so you can do this
inteligently.
Where you want to start is at the battery. With it parked, off, keys in your
pocket, you want to disconnect the postive terminal, and connect the ammeter in
line and verify there is a current flow. Then, following the wiring diagram,
you want to go down the various circuits as they branch and discover which
one(s) are improperly drawing current. Then you can go about making the fix.
But you need to discover what is drawing the current.
And as you do this, if you discover that you've most embarasingly left the
trunk light on permentently, you needn't admit it to anyone. <G> Been there,
done that, and others, more times then I care to admit.
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