Dead battery

Tiny
JJ58551
  • MEMBER
  • 1994 FORD RANGER
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • MANUAL
  • 166,000 MILES
I have a 1994 ford ranger 4cyl 5 speed. It s draining the battery over night. There are no lights on and I cant figure out why. The battery and the altenator tested good. What could cause this?
Tuesday, June 14th, 2011 AT 11:47 AM

6 Replies

Tiny
WRENCHTECH
  • MECHANIC
  • 20,758 POSTS
There is a procedure for finding a battery draw like that.

You will need a digital ammeter and a jumper wire with clips on the ends to do this.
First rig any door switches so you can have a door open without triggering the interior lights and unplug the hood light. Remove one battery cable and attach the meter in series between the battery cable and battery post. Take the jumper wire and also attach it the same way. Leave the jumper wire on for at least 10 minutes to expire all the automatic timers. Now remove the jumper wire and read the meter. Anything over 50ma is too much draw. The way you locate this is to start removing fuses one at a time until the meter drops to normal level. This will be the circuit with something staying on. Determine what components are part of that circuit and check them individually until the problem is isolated.
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Tuesday, June 14th, 2011 AT 12:37 PM
Tiny
JJ58551
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Thanks wrenchtech. Im not sure how you use the jumper wire. Could you explain how to hook this up? Do you un hook the positive cable and hook the cable and the post sepretaly? Could you explain a little more how to do this? Thanks again wrenchtech.
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Wednesday, June 15th, 2011 AT 11:53 PM
Tiny
WRENCHTECH
  • MECHANIC
  • 20,758 POSTS
The jumper hooks up the same way as the meter. Disconnect the cable, one wire on the battery post and the other on the loose cable so both the meter and the jumper wire are in between. Remove the jumper after 10 minutes.
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Wednesday, June 15th, 2011 AT 11:57 PM
Tiny
JJ58551
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  • 33 POSTS
Ok thats what I was thinking. Thanks
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Thursday, June 16th, 2011 AT 8:19 PM
Tiny
JJ58551
  • MEMBER
  • 33 POSTS
Ok, the starter went out on the truck. That also fixed the battery draining over night. Now it has started to do it again, after 2 weeks of being fixed. Could this be the connection on the starter, or what?
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Saturday, July 9th, 2011 AT 9:15 PM
Tiny
WRENCHTECH
  • MECHANIC
  • 20,758 POSTS
I already told you how to find a battery drain. Starters don't cause parasitic drains.
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Saturday, July 9th, 2011 AT 9:45 PM

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