4g61t.org

So my battery keeps going dead if the car sits. Basically if I don't drive it for a week. I have an Optima redtop in it and its obviously not the battery. It is a slow drain and I'm not sure where to check first. My charging system is just fine and I have a solar charger hooked up to my power outlet. I know on DSMs when I had them, the door switch would be a common cause. Anybody have any other ideas before I go around aimlessly with my multimeter? Thanks

_________________
-1988 Dodge Colt Hatchback - G15b w/ KM200
-1998 Neon R/T Coupe Hahn Stage II
-2014 Subaru BRZ Limited

Check to see if anything has power when the ignition is in the off position....

Dome light, hatch light, radio, door locks or windows (if you have them)...

Do you have a subwoofer and amplifyer in the car? Those could drain the system if there is not remote wire hooked up to the amp.

_________________
1989 Mirage Turbo - 310whp - Sold
1998 Eagle Talon TSi AWD - Sold
2005 Legacy 2.5GT - Sold
1989 Dodge Colt GT

Just have a dome light and radio to check then

No audio system though, I've done my MECP cert. I'm thinking most likely it is the radio, but perhaps a mistake on Mitsubishi's part for giving a power wire that drains the battery since it it all hooked up correctly via an adapter harness.

_________________
-1988 Dodge Colt Hatchback - G15b w/ KM200
-1998 Neon R/T Coupe Hahn Stage II
-2014 Subaru BRZ Limited

I had a run of bad alternators once and also check the battery cables to see if they are tight.

Can you see the voltage drop if you hook your meter up to the battery? If you can the simplest way I've figured out is topull a fuse, one at a time and see if the voltage continues to drop. If you pull one and it stops then that circuit is your draw. From there you just track it to the source. I would also have your battery tested. I see a lot of optima batteries coming in dead lately.

Get a friend and a test light, disconnect the neg batt cable, clamp the ground wire of the light to the neg post of the batt, touch the neg cable with the probe, if it lights up and stays on, you have a drain. Now have your friend hold the light, and one at a time you pull a fuse or relay, when the light goes out that's the circut with the drain. sometimes the light will come on for a second and go off, i'm not exactly sure why it does, but I don't think that's a drain

Stick an ammeter between the battery and the cable, then start pulling fuses until the meter drops to zero.

_________________
Had a:
1991 Eagle Summit ES Hatchback - 4g15 12v 5spd
1991 Dodge Colt -4g15 12v 4spd
Have a:
1978 Oldsmobile Cutlass - 468BBO TH350
Round 3:
1990 Dodge Colt-4G63T 5spd

Those are all good ideas. I will definitely try them and report back! Thanks!

_________________
-1988 Dodge Colt Hatchback - G15b w/ KM200
-1998 Neon R/T Coupe Hahn Stage II
-2014 Subaru BRZ Limited

I had a red top refuse to hold a charge after it discharged while sitting on a shelf. It is not uncommon; I charged it and came back to measure it everyday and it discharged internally.

_________________
89 Colt GT 1.5 auto- conversion 4g63t 5-spd, L2A...
89 Colt GT 1.6 5spd- donor
92 VR4 32/1000 SOLD

Tis is what happened t my red top. They replaced it for free. Car runs so much better. I also threw on a new coil, ignitor, wires and plugs. Purring like the 80's.

_________________
-1988 Dodge Colt Hatchback - G15b w/ KM200
-1998 Neon R/T Coupe Hahn Stage II
-2014 Subaru BRZ Limited

Red tops are hit/miss. Bought one for 170 about 5 years ago, still holds a charge.

_________________
Had a:
1991 Eagle Summit ES Hatchback - 4g15 12v 5spd
1991 Dodge Colt -4g15 12v 4spd
Have a:
1978 Oldsmobile Cutlass - 468BBO TH350
Round 3:
1990 Dodge Colt-4G63T 5spd

This is true now because of my incident. I had the red top last in my neon for a good 6 years to tell you the truth.

_________________
-1988 Dodge Colt Hatchback - G15b w/ KM200
-1998 Neon R/T Coupe Hahn Stage II
-2014 Subaru BRZ Limited