Chasing an Electrical Gremlin...

[MadStang]

Alright this has been eating at me for a couple weeks now and I'm worried it's going to kill my brand new battery...


My cruise control stopped working at some point, no idea why, never touched it's electronic components in the fender well or anything. Along the same time, but not necessarily a related problem, my battery has started to drain itself. it's fine over a couple of weeks, but it slowly drains it down until it's got no power. I watch the needle and it's always spiked high. I leave it on my battery tender overnight and it's good to go for a couple more weeks. I can't for the life of me figure out electrical, I've always sucked ass at it, so any guidance would be helpful. Thanks guys!

 

[CC'S95GT]

First your CC- Is your speedo broken also?

Next your batt.- have you tested the alt. yet. There's an internal voltage regulator that can go out and drain the battery.

 

[MadStang]

First your CC- Is your speedo broken also?

Next your batt.- have you tested the alt. yet. There's an internal voltage regulator that can go out and drain the battery.

Nope, speedometer and everything is functioning perfectly fine.

I haven't tested the alternator, it's a relatively new PA Alternator, I guess I should get it tested to be sure, that's the one good thing about the 4.6, easy to take the alternator off...

 

[CC'S95GT]

make sure the CC cable is still connecter to the TB.

 

[g36 monkey]

that's strange if you still have stock ignition.

I know a few people with MSD stuff that have to charge their baterry's regularly, but not with stock.

I would look around for any wires that look loose/out of place. Could have a wire touching the body, not shorting but just draining. Make sure the terminals are on good and snug too. I have noticed that every now and then, a loose terminal does have a tendency to drain a battery.

Cruise control, on my truck I really have to be serious about pressing the buttons. Have you tried that lol

 

[MadStang]

make sure the CC cable is still connecter to the TB.

yup still connected. reconnected it after I installed the accufab plenum/roush 75mm throttle body (before I ever had any issues)

that's strange if you still have stock ignition.

I know a few people with MSD stuff that have to charge their baterry's regularly, but not with stock.

I would look around for any wires that look loose/out of place. Could have a wire touching the body, not shorting but just draining. Make sure the terminals are on good and snug too. I have noticed that every now and then, a loose terminal does have a tendency to drain a battery.

Cruise control, on my truck I really have to be serious about pressing the buttons. Have you tried that lol

I actually just redid my negative battery terminal today, I wanted to be sure it was getting a good ground. I twisted all the ground wires together and snugged the terminal cover down as much as possible without stripping it. I looked all over for anything out of place, nothing caught my eye.

As for CC, believe me I got frantic when my cruise control didn't work, I was getting on the freeway going on a 3 hour drive to Willow Springs..... FML.

 

[g36 monkey]

Ha mine doesn't have cruise control at all, imagine how I feel ;p

I'm racking the noggin tryin to figure it out for you lol.

This sounds dumb, but did you check the fuses for the CC? There has to be a fuse or relay somewhere for it.

I couldn't imagine the alternator being bad, but it is a possibility. Get it checked.

 

[MadStang]

Ha mine doesn't have cruise control at all, imagine how I feel ;p

I'm racking the noggin tryin to figure it out for you lol.

This sounds dumb, but did you check the fuses for the CC? There has to be a fuse or relay somewhere for it.

I couldn't imagine the alternator being bad, but it is a possibility. Get it checked.

I would if i knew electrical LOL. Seriously I'm dumb as a brick when it comes to electrical shit on my car. I'm a turn the wrench kinda guy otherwise I end up getting electrocuted lmao

 

[Steven]

The ground and/or positive cable doesn't have massive inner corrosion does it? Sounds definitely like a ground problem to me. Or very well a module could be on it's way or is on it's way out, and causing a drain.

 

[g36 monkey]

I finally found something I can help you with!

Fuses are pretty simple. There is a piece of metal inside, a good fuse is connected the whole way across, a bad fuse is broken in the middle.
idk which fuse is which, scott usually says just rip the fuses out to check them, and put them back in their respective places if they are good.

 

[MadStang]

The ground and/or positive cable doesn't have massive inner corrosion does it? Sounds definitely like a ground problem to me. Or very well a module could be on it's way or is on it's way out, and causing a drain.

no corrosion whatsoever. I take good care of that type of stuff. One thing I'm unsure If I did correctly was the battery terminal before. I keep questioning my work because I'm not exactly sure. I had to get a new negative terminal, and when I installed it, I wrapped all 3 strands of battery cable together over the insulation, then twisted the cable strands together and clamped the terminal down on it in the "groove" that it has.

 

[g36 monkey]

As long as its metal on metal (your description left me a bit confused) it should be solid. If you just wrapped up insulation, then it's not right, but your car wouldn't start haha.

So I'm betting you did it correctly.

 

[MadStang]

I finally found something I can help you with!

Fuses are pretty simple. There is a piece of metal inside, a good fuse is connected the whole way across, a bad fuse is broken in the middle.
idk which fuse is which, scott usually says just rip the fuses out to check them, and put them back in their respective places if they are good.

I do know what a fuse is, I just don't know where the Cruise Control Specific one is. I know there's a way to test voltage to that particular fuse to make sure it's in check, I have no clue how to do it or what the standard should be lol.

 

[MadStang]

As long as its metal on metal (your description left me a bit confused) it should be solid. If you just wrapped up insulation, then it's not right, but your car wouldn't start haha.

So I'm betting you did it correctly.

Just the insulation (the rubber) is wrapped in electrical tape. The actual ends of the battery cable (the frayed shit) is making contact with each other while being sammiched between the metal on the terminal.

 

[g36 monkey]

You did it right then. And don't get mad, you said you were illiterate, so I was treating it as such


I have diagrams somewhere, I'll try and find them tomorrow to get you the specifics on cruise control.

 

[MadStang]

You did it right then. And don't get mad, you said you were illiterate, so I was treating it as such


I have diagrams somewhere, I'll try and find them tomorrow to get you the specifics on cruise control.

Trust me I'm not mad, just getting frustrated. Electrical issues are my least favorite for obvious reasons.

 

[Steven]

Well, I'm beginning to think your voltage regulator is going bad now. And you popped a fuse due to a power surge from said bad part.

 

[g36 monkey]

I love working with electrical, love running the wires and stuff in the boats, especially in the engine rooms

Fixed a generator on one today haha!
We'll get you squared away brett, don't worry

 

[MadStang]

just got inverted under my dash (picture a 6'6" guy sitting upside down vertically in a race seat)

All fuses under the dash are good. I did notice what looks to be an alarm type of thing. It's black box with a red light on it and has a switch on the back. NO clue wtf that's for, the car has a stock alarm, nothing else. I'll take a pic of it in a sec, waiting for the blood to rush back to my legs

 

[g36 monkey]

might be some fancy roush thing if its not an alarm. I don't have any lit up boxes under there. I know, I have disassembled that area a number of times lol