Battery Draining

[Strawdawg]

I found the time delay relay was pulling mine down over a number of days.

[tommyg29]

What is the time delay relay? Is that plugged directly in the fuse block? I pulled my door/key buzzer thingy out of the fuse block and it definitely seems to have helped some of my electrical drain issues.

[Strawdawg]

time delay relay turns on a light over the instrument panel....and the key light for a few seconds when the door is opened.  Looks a bit like a flasher but it is not mounted on the fuse block...mine was up by the column.  Mine was draining even with the panel lite removed.

It was an option so your car may, or may not, have one.

[dodj]

funny thing happens when I use the right turn signal...the radio turns off for about 2 seconds. And now, the same happens when I put the car in reverse, when the dash backup light goes on...the radio cuts out for 2 seconds. Something strange going on down near the fuseblock cause all I have to do is move some of the steering column wires around a little and relays start clicking and things turn on and off.

I'd be afraid to take it out of the driveway!
Make sure your turn signal lights blink. If one doesn't, check it's wiring. I'd be tempted to change the flasher as well. The only relay that could be clicking I think is the horn/key buzzer, or window relay if you have pwr windows. What things turn on and off?

[tommyg29]

I removed the key buzzer, but not the power window relay.
Its the radio that turns on an off.
And my blinkers work, except the right front. I cant figure it out, but it isnt getting power from the one wire leading to it. I switched it with the wire leading to the front right side marker and it works, so I know the bulb and the unit is good.
Battery drain problems just need to be traced. I have a good electrical diagram.... I just dont have the aptitude to dog it down.

[Strawdawg]

It has been suggested, but, pull all the fuses.  Put your meter on milliamps as instructed above, remove the ground cable, put one probe on the negative terminal and the other probe on the end of the  cable you just removed.  The meter should read zero if the problem is under the dash....does it?

If it does, put one fuse in at a time, until the meter shows a  current reading.

Then you should know what circuitry is involved and we can look at the book and make some suggestions

[MEK-Dangerfield]

And my blinkers work, except the right front. I cant figure it out, but it isnt getting power from the one wire leading to it. I switched it with the wire leading to the front right side marker and it works, so I know the bulb and the unit is good.

The wiring harness for those front lights is exposed to the elements. I found my side marker wires were brittle and worked when I moved the wires a certain way. I replaced the hole front wiring harness, and all my problems went away.

[tommyg29]

I'll try removing the fuses this weekend, but I cant stand crawling on my back under the steering column. I'm not a contortionist 
As suggested by Moparal, I think that the wiring in the steering column is the main suspect for my blinker issue. His suggestion is what drew me to this topic, which I hope I havent hijacked, but I do have a battery drain. Maybe my gremlins are all from the same source.

[Strawdawg]

then unplug the connectors from the column wiring and that will isolate it quickly...if the problem

[dodj]

And my blinkers work, except the right front. I cant figure it out, but it isnt getting power from the one wire leading to it. I switched it with the wire leading to the front right side marker and it works, so I know the bulb and the unit is good.

If funny things happen when you use the right turn signal, and the right front turn signal doesn't blink.....I'd focus in on that part of the cct first. It may not end up being the problem but it sure looks suspicious. The power wire to the signal light could be broken/rubbed to ground. If it was moderately grounded, the front right turn signal cct could be drawing the system voltage down low enough to possibly cause the radio to cut out? I think the radio and turn signal flasher are on the same power wire. Don't remember for sure though. See if the voltage is dropping with your new multimeter

[Bullitt-]

HEY dodj, ... you reminded me of something interesting.... with your Challey off... engage the right turn signal, turn on the radio, wipers, heater fan, then engage the emergency flashers....tell us what happens.

[dodj]

HEY dodj, ... you reminded me of something interesting.... with your Challey off... engage the right turn signal, turn on the radio, wipers, heater fan, then engage the emergency flashers....tell us what happens.

My radio turned off for about 2 seconds. Hmmmm.. Good call.

On another note, your voltage drop test showed me that my wipers won't park properly. Guess I haven't been out in the rain lately.

[tommyg29]

great suggestions all, and I'll get on it this weekend, 
but now I noticed it has started cutting the radio out when I shift into reverse, which must have something to do with the cct for the reverse light or the yellow dash indicator. The fact that sometimes it happens, but not EVERY time, and now it has started with something else seems to me its something loose or intermittent somewhere.

[Bullitt-]

My radio turned off for about 2 seconds. Hmmmm.. Good call.

On another note, your voltage drop test showed me that my wipers won't park properly. Guess I haven't been out in the rain lately.

Somethins not right then.... I don't know what the KEY is but a feedback is created & all the accessories that were on should turn on/off with the flash of the emergency flasher.

[tommyg29]

ok, my conditioners been plugged in the last few days and the battery reads 13.0v.
When I read the draw between the negative post and the disconnected neg cable it reads about .08 amps at first, and within a few seconds drops down to about .06 or .05 amps. Dont know why it drops but is .05 amp an acceptable draw? Is that what a quartz clock draws?
What is the math again?...  .05 amp/hour =1.2 amps/day = 8.4 amps/week lost just sitting?
Thanks.