If you have kids take a flashlight and look inside all the power points and cigar lighters. Check the tape deck too for foreign objects as it could be stuck in eject mode.

 

if you have one of those lights that lights up when the hood is raised,thats probably what is drawing the power and you're seeing it because you have the hood raised when you have the meter on the battery...i'm not sure if there's a fuse for this light,but i doubt it...just thought i'd chime in and try to help

 

With the engine off...place the voltmeter across the battery terminals, black lead to the negative post, and red to positive. Typically, a battery will read 12.6VoltsDc, if there is more than 2 or 3 amps being drawn you may see slightly lower voltages 12.3VDC,12.4VDC.(assuming a short circuit). Start the vehicle, let it idle for a few moments and record the battery voltage again. You should see an increase of about 1 to 1.2 VDC. Next, have someone hit the gas and get the engine up to 1500 to 1800 RPMs, nothing crazy, just a smooth, steady rev. At this time the alternator voltage (again, measured at the battery posts) should be maximum output at around 13.8 to 14.2 volts DC. If all these voltages are present, then turn on all your typical loads, that is, turn on the headlights, fan, radio, hazard warning flashers,and have someone depress the brake pedal. This will be a good test for the alternator, battery and associated wiring. If you do not see any significant drop in voltage that means the alternator is probably OK and charging the battery. If you are not reaching the full voltages as specified thru the test then you may need to repair the alternator. An alternator can fool you in its last dying days, by leaving the battery undercharged intermittantly, you think that evreything is OK, the car goes down the road, you got home, and park her for the night. The only problem...the battery is pooped because the alternator wasn't doing anything the last 30 miles, and your battery produced all the energy for the ignition system, radio, and lights. The battery sits undercharged overnite, the car doesn't start and sometimes it leads people to believe they had a short circuit.

 

As soon as I took off the top connector to the Alternator the amps being drawn went from 2.45 amps to 2.* mA. Also I would like to state that when I took off the lead that connects from the Alternator to the Voltage regulator it went down even more to like 1.6 mA not like 1 mA is a big deal.

I reconnected it hoping that it was maybe just the way it was connected but it went back up to 2.45 amps. Since this is a Van, I am not sure how to take off the bottom wire on the Alternator yet because I can't even see it. What a pain in the **** these vans are to work on. I had to take off the entire air filter setup and braces, some more hoses etc. just to be able to see the Alt. I then ran out of time.

SO I guess I should get the Alternator tested? What causes the alternator to draw charge when engine is off? Or could this be the voltage regulator?

 

It's usually bad brushes, bad voltage reg, or some combo of them.

 

What do you all suggest I do at this point?

I am guessing I should get the Alternator tested. Where is the best place to go to get these tested? The reason I am asking is I have heard bad things about AutoZone Etc. Where is the best place to get one tested and or buy one?

Or should I buy a voltage regulator first and see if that works? Also where is the best place to buy these? Is NAPA bad? Should I stick to MotorCraft? It is a 1989.

 

Grease, dirt, diode ,pinched wires . Heck I've eaven seen tire changing parts like a jack or jack handles, rub in to harness ! If you end up pulling fuses make shure you pull the bulbs from above your head & there may be one in the back. That will pull your hair out ! If that is not found pull apart harness where thay plug together , & look for corision. That will another place to look !!!

Don

 

It goes down to mA when I pull the top connector off the Alternator. I started another post, because I did not know they moved it.

My new question is, If pulling the connector of the Alternator and the amps goes from 2.4amps to 2.4mA does this mean I need to get a new alternator? What on the Alternator causes draw? I know the obvious answer is yes get a new Alternator right. The connector to the Alternator looked fine. I am guessing the Alternator itself of drawing power. Does NAPA have good enough Alternators?

 

Replaced the alternator and cable that came with it. It is fixed. No Draw from the battery and it has well over 14 volts when running.

 

Great- glad to hear your up and running...keep on truckin

 

Hello, glad to hear you figured it out. The strange thing is that I started having the same problems the same day you did! I'm not sure if I solved my problem, but the guy at AutoZone told me to do exactly what you did with the multimeter. I didn't go that far. I just took the alternator in to be tested and they said it was fine, but the guy didn't like the way the brushes sounded, so he gave me a new one anyway. I changed it, but this morning I think it was still discharging when I drove. I had noticed when I was driving that my oil pressure gauge drops gradually until it appears that I have none. Then the truck will stall...the previous happened yesterday 5 times, each time I jumpstarted the truck.

 

If you have a new alternator and the connector to the alternator is fine, then I would get your battery tested and check the voltage regulator for dirtyness and coroded wires. My Van started up right away this morning no problems. Even seems to be idleing a little better, but I could be imagining it.

Sometimes the battery goes first then the Alternator right after because they were depending on each other. Or the other way around. I have also found with my 78' full size bronco with the 460 swap, the battery cable was coroded a little and so was the connections on the voltage regulator that could cause the problems that you are having.

If it starts in the morning, then I doubt you have a draw.

 

The critical question: where did you you get the alternator and have you saved the receipt? If that Alt. came from an auto parts discount store you may want to tape the receipt inside the glove box for safe keeping( warranty purposes) and make sure your auto club dues are paid in full. I hope you did not get a lemon alternator, I hope yours was built with high quality heavy duty diodes, brushes, and bearings. That is not what most places are selling these days.

 

The Alternator that I bought has a life time warranty. I bought it at Napa for like $167.00.

I do think you are correct about what RustedE150 might have bought.

My problem has been fixed, I have no problems as it fires up right away.

RustedE150, I hope you figure out what is going on with your truck.

Gus

God Bless America

 

Just to update y'all.... The van has started without problems since last Friday. The problem seems to be resolved. On a related note, the guy at AutoZone told me that if the diode inside the alternator went bad, there's no way to test it. After a bench test of my old alternator, the computer said there wasn't anything wrong..... My old alternator had a lifetime warranty, so it cost me nothing....except a few hours of the jigsaw puzzle in my engine compartment....HA HA!! Thanks alot to all who helped me!!! Peace, Joel