Correct on all points. No problems with any of the lights: brake, interior, glove box, engine compartment. Don't think it came with an anti-theft system. Tape player hasn't been used in years and there's no sounds that would indicate the motor is running. No aftermarket accessories. Everything on board operates as intended when engine is started. I have completely disconnected the following: A/C clutch, alternator, starter, starter relay, solenoid, TPS, IAC, MAF with the ammeter wired in with no change in the draw. Its a trustworthy digital Fluke meter.

Any thoughts on that small squarish box (maybe 3"x 3") I found under the dash? I still have this feeling there's a relay somewhere I'm missing.

 

Ok good trouble shoot summation. Seeing as how its been raining lately & you've likely been using them, don't forget the windshield wiper motor stow & turn off & the windshield washer motor, I'd unplug them too & watch the parasitic draw. Also pull the fuel pump power relay, to make sure its not stuck on.
I'm not familiar enough with the 94 electrical wiring to be worth a flip on knowing what the box might be for, but it sure sounds like it could have some relays in it. Maybe one of the guys reading this that knows, will chime in & enlighten us.
While measuring current draw, thump the box in question & see if it has any effect.


BTW does this puppy have power door locks, windows, mirrors????


What ever it is, draws a good bit of current & those fuses you pulled are giving a clue, but looking at the limited electrical info I have on your vehicle, I'm not clear yet on how to interpret the current drop clue findings your seeing & was one of the reasons I suggested doing the ground connections voltage drop testing, in case you have some sort of ground loop problem that's confusing the trouble shoot.


I'd go back to the point you got the big drop from 3 to like 1.5 amps & continue from there, to see where the other 1 amp draw is coming from. After the cab lights go to sleep, you'll likely have something like the normal 60ma or so of draw from things like the clock, radio station memory, computer, ect.
Don't give up, you've done a lot of good trouble shooting & eliminated the usual suspects.

 

Never fear, the longer this saga continues the more determined I am to find the cause. Hard headedness is my middle name. Still too cold for anymore troubleshooting but forecast shows a warm-up next week so I'll be well armed with new ideas. It does have PW, PL and P Mirrors but all those fuses have been pulled with neg. results. Fuel pump fuse has also been pulled along with every other at least three times. My thinking is if the fuse for any accessory is pulled and the draw remains that eliminates that item. Am I correct or missing something? Thanks a lot for all your suggestions.

 

Atta boy, I too am stubborn & don't give up. Sometimes I retreat to thinks over for a while, but I don't give up & when I finally do tumble to the right conclusion, it'll sure makes you feel good to win one once in a while.
OK, more good feedback, so with you confirming it having power mirrors, windows & door locks, then you probably have a accessory relay box, so what you were looking at under the dash goes back on the look into list. Sure wish I could make better sense out of the 3 fuses, that putting any one back in, causes the drain to go back up to 3+ amps. Looking at the limited electrical info I have & its not a factory drawing set, so isn't likely complete, the only thing I can see common in those circuits, is their ground point, thus my thought about a ground loop causing confusing results!!!! So at this point I'd want to locate the in cabin ground point & have a close look at its connection for loose, corroded/rusted condition. You might do a forum, or internet search for the 94 Ranger in cabin ground point locations, maybe someone has posted a drawing set.

 

At your suggestion I did search the forum but all I turned up was the thread answered by Rockledge that you had referenced earlier.
Interestingly however that thread reminded me of something, confirmed by my better half, about some recent PW issues we'd noticed. I had forgotten but she hadn't... imagine that! Anyway, on several occasions over the past few months we've had times when the passenger window wouldn't go down. This was immediately after a start but later on during the same trip it would function normally. That thread I mentioned referenced problems with the lights and locks but I'm wondering if the windows might share a leg or two on those circuits. Or it could be wishful thinking.

 

Got a reprieve today on the temp (barely) but did manage to unplug the connector to that box under the dash. Unfortunately, it didn't effect the draw. Still have no idea what its purpose is but finding out will have to wait because of the more pressing issues. I took some photos of the box which I'll post as soon as I figure out to do it. Maybe someone will recognize it.




Just to clarify in case I didn't earlier... When I had every fuse, diode and relay out of the power distribution box except the one 20 amp. for the fuel pump the draw was reduced to 1.34 amp. It returned to the 3.4 amp level when I plugged in either the #17 (hood lamp) or #16 (alternator) fuse. I had pulled the bulb on the under hood lamp.

 

OK, go back to the all fuses & diodes removed except the 20 amp fuel pump fuse & disconnect the fuel pump at the in cabin inertia switch by disconnecting its electrical connector, or thumping to trip it to open the fuel pump circuit & see if you get a good size drop in current.

 

Paw Paw- thanks for the info. Unfortunately our temps are back in the 20s so it may be a day or two before I can get back to it. Will post update as soon as that happens.
I really appreciate your hanging in here with me, two heads are always better than one. Especially true when one is somewhat electrically challenged.

 

OK, roger on the weather, rain, sleet & snow here, so I'm hugging the furnace today!!!!

 

I'm not the brightest bulb in the room on electrics either, but I'll hang in there as long as you will, to see this through to a successful ending.
I don't have a factory manual for that year, so have to go on the good clues you've found on your trouble shoot, to try & understand what they're trying to tell us & to think of the right suggestions for the next trouble shooting step. The two current readings suggest you may have more than one problem & that might be confusing things some.
I feel the clues you last posted are good ones, but for some reason I'm just not thinking clear on how they're trying to steer our trouble shoot thinking. I don't believe its a complicated problem, just that we aren't interpreting correctly what the clues are trying to tell us is wrong. But I feel your close to finding the answer.

 

Thanks again for hanging in there with me. I have had the same concerns about the varying draws I've measured since the start. On one occasion early on I got it down to less than an amp. but haven't had a repeat of that since. That was when I touched the disconnected positive lead to the solenoid mounted under the hood just back of the battery. I not sure if that could be meaningful. Still bad weather but there does appear to be a break coming so stay tuned.

 

If you have a battery charger with the analog current meter, with the vehicle battery disconnected, you could use the charger with clip leads to power individual circuits from the fuse panel with the fuse for the circuit under test removed & maybe somewhat unconfused your trouble shoot.

 

To confirm, you're saying I can use my battery charger (it has an analog gauge) by connecting it to the terminals in the fuse panel with the battery disconnected? That much I get, but not clear on how that gauge reading would relate to my draw? Again... I'm electrically challenged big time, but wouldn't that just show the circuit's continuity if the gauge registers?

To clarify something else, A week or so ago I disconnected the inertia fuel cut-off with the ammeter in the circuit with no change in the draw. The fuse for the fuel pump circuit was in place however... my assumption was if I took the fuse out there wouldn't be any current flow to test in that manner.

Its 15 this AM so any further tests will have to be postponed until the next "warm" spell. By "warm" I mean above freezing. lol

 

The idea was to use the battery charger as an individual B+ power source for a individual suspect circuit, to confirm findings.
As the charger likely has an internal resettable over current device/circuit breaker, it could save your multimeter while testing, if an over current event error occurs.
If the charger is set on the lowest charge rate range, say the 2 amp charge, its current meter would still be sensitive enough to be able to indicate when you locate the circuit/s that are drawing the excess current.
So by pulling a circuits fuse, then attaching the charger B+ lead with a jumper wire to the Load side of the fuse connection, its B- lead to a good ground, like the cigar lighter chrome shell, or an unpainted screw that goes into the metal body, ect, you could power just that circuit & measure just that circuits current draw, if any, without having all of the other circuits in the vehicle being powered at the same time & confusing things.

On the fuel pump current draw test. Yes your correct to assume if you pulled the fuel pump power fuse it shouldn't have any power to the pump, IF the computer isn't messed up. The computer sends power to the fuel pump motor for a coupled of seconds at KOEO, to prime & pressurize the fuel injectors of a start, so if that computer timing circuit doesn't time out, the fuel pump could continue to run. Because of the way the computer is wired in, its after the fuel pump fuse & fuel pump power relay. SO, even though you have removed the fuel pump power fuse, if the computer timing circuit has failed & not timed out, you could still have power through that circuit to the pump motor & thus not get a current drop after removing the fuel pump fuse!!!!
So, by disconnecting, or tripping the in cabin inertia switch, you for sure have opened the fuel pump circuit to the motor, so should see a current drop if the pump is continuing to run.
If you find the pump is continuing to run then back up to the fuel pump power relay & remove it, to see if its contacts are welded closed. If it continues to run, then suspect a faulty timing circuit in the computer.

Roger on the temps. I have the mower half done, with changing its oil & filter, but not finished cleaning its engine compartment, nor swapping in new blades, lubing its chassis, ect, too danged cool in the garage, so I too am waiting on a warm spell to complete my tasks.
Anyway, using the battery charger to individually power things was just an idea I thought I'd throw out there for consideration. For instance, I used my battery charger to power up my 94 Taurus rear window that was down & wouldn't go up, for wiring, or switch reasons, don't know for sure which yet, but with jumper leads, the battery charger powered the window motor & got the window up for the winter.
If using the charger to power test an individual circuit from the fuse panel is too confusing, just set the idea aside for now & concentrate on trouble shooting steps/ideas you feel comfortable with right now.
Will be interesting to read what you finally determine the problem/s to be.

 

Okay, that clarifies my thoughts on the fuel pump. Just for assurances most of my testing has been done more than 30 minutes after the KOEO. I don't believe there is any indication of the pump remaining on as its audible each time I turn the key on, seems if was staying on that wouldn't be the case.

My battery charger doesn't have a variable setting per se. It is switchable between 6v and 12v and has a current flow meter but the only available settings are between the two voltages (yes, its ancient, circa 1973- still charges so its still on duty). Could I not accomplish the same thing with another independent power source (like the battery itself disconnected) using my meter in the circuit? Mine has a fused circuit.

Being electrically challenged does make this more difficult as I'm having a hard time figuring out what my readings are telling me. One thing seems certain, the problem doesn't appear just one issue but a combination of two... or more.

Still temps are holding me back, unfortunately I don't have any means of working on it anywhere but outside. Our high yesterday was 30.