Yep, I knew about the safety side of it.....was just wondering if there was any electrical difference ......

 

Thanks for the info - so far have been connecting to the + side of the battery.
Will change my approach re the battery.
Greatly appreciated. Would like to stick around to finish this project.

 

Touching the positive risks serious damage if it touches the negative ground frame somehow.
A old friend exploded a motor cycle battery by doing that, fortunately the battery had been on the charger and was off the bike and it was filled with hydrogen, a spark inside and POOF, acid everywhere.

 

Any ideas as to where I might obtain the electrical schematic for a 2005 crossfire convertible? Still have not resolved my battery drain, Just took the RCM apart and inside all systems are open and looks like it was just made yesterday. In addition removed alternator / starter cables. no change in amperage draw from battery.
I am at a loss - tried everything I can think of other than the ignition switch.

 

Having the same problem . Car dead in 3 days even with new battery . Have narrowed it down but still cant find it . The draw is diffidently coming from the 200a cable in the little black box . Unhook it 0 draw , hook it back up about .400a draw , but it does vary some . It is labeled fuse box so I pulled every fuse and still there . unhooked rcm , still there . Then pulled all the fuses at the same time , still there . With all fuses pulled , removed 200a wire and its gone . Hook up 200a wire its back . That wire feeds more than just those fuses . Any ideas ?

 

Bad starter, alternator, check ground straps.

 

It is not his starter or alternator if the current is going thru the 200amp fuse. That fuse feeds, essentially, everything in the car OTHER than:

Starter
Alternator
Brake Controller
Engine cooling fan

I chased a similar issue once - if you take the cover off the driver's side fuse box, then take the fuse carrier (the part that has all the fuses) out and look under it, at the back, you will see the B+ tie points. Remove the nut from the stud and start taking red wires off that stud until you find the one that has the current flowing in it - then you[ve got to find where THAT particular line goes.

The service manuals ALL have a wiring chapter, you can download the manuals from Crossfireforum.org in the tech section. The diagrams are incomplete, lack detail, and have some errors in them, but they are all we have - and are WAY better than plugging around in the dark.


A bad ground strap will cause:

SLow cranking (often)
Noise-static-odd noises in the AM/FM radio (often)
No start (sometimes)
Poor battery charging (rarely)
Alternator light comes on at times (rarely)

 

ok , pulled the fuse holder . unhooked the wire that has 2 reds and a black . It appears that it is the power wire coming from the 200a fuse . When unhooked the big red wires on the stud to the left and the wire with 3 reds that was on the same stud showed 0 volts . The wire with 2 reds and 1 black that i pulled showed voltage . So hooked it back up and pulled the terminal with the 3 wires and the discharge stopped . touched it to the terminal , small spark and draw comes back . It is diffidently this terminal with the three wires . Anyone know where they go ? this is going to be tough .

This is the problem child

 

The service manual has diagrams that give you some idea, but no, teh leads are not marked - so all you can do it isolate the ONE wire that is the path the current is using - and see what DOES NoT work in the car and go from there.

That looks exactly like the same issue as Marie's car in GA. I was in town for a weekend and did not have time to chase it any more.

 

Anything connected to the OBD port?

 

This thing led me down the yellow brick road into a dead end . When you touch the terminal to the power stud from the 200a fuse it sparks and the battery drain jumps up . So I spent some time trying to figure out the pos wiring diagram to see where these go . Then tested the individual 3 red wires to determine which one . Guess what none of them . The even though they spark and drain jumps up the current isn't going there . My mistake was measuring load on the neg side of battery , safer but doesn't give you as accurate info as if tested on the positive side . Why ? Because the positive side has 2 wires , when tested separately the power drain actually is coming from the larger wire that goes to starter and alternator . Now it doesn't draw the higher power until you hook up the smaller power wire that goes to the 200a fuse . So hooking up that wire is either triggering something to come on and draw thru the 2 ga. wire . According to the diagram the starter and alternator are hooked to the 2ga wire . Attached to the alternator is the power control module , so i'm thinking this or the alternator . Any input would be appreciated . Also nothing attached to OBD

 

I think you answered your own question. Disconnect BOTH wires at the alternator and try it again.
If that cures it, have the alternator rebuilt and TELL THEM YOU THINK IT HAS A LEAKY DIODE or TWO!

(They may not listen, but if you pay them twice, maybe they will fix it the second time.)

 

And please get back to us with the outcome.

 

Imagine that, alternator or starter ( see post 46); King Happy, put all the wires and fuses back, start your car at idle and check A/C voltage across positive and negative battery terminals. That should be ZERO; Anything above zero indicates bad diodes = repair or replace alternator. 2nd test: place test light in series between positive battery and cable, If light goes on there is a drain. Then disconnect the wires on the alternator. If light goes out the alternator is the problem; Again repair or replace alternator.

 

Please don’t ever do a test like this. The car could be drawing the spec static current and the light could come on depending upon the bulb in the test light. Besides, you have an ammeter, that’s the proper tool. It gives you exact numbers.

 

The light is suppose to come on, won't hurt anything, if there is currant flowing; I have done it several times with no issues; Yes use a meter if you want, either will work. The car is not running during the second test.
I don't understand your apprehension.

 

Any car with computers and remote entry will light the bulb in your test, you still have to know the current draw to prove there is an issue or not. I lost track of the number of times since 1980 that some mechanic somewhere told me my communication gear “lit the test light” and wanted me to fix what they thought was broke. I used a meter and all read in spec.

 

I gotta agree with Klay here - some of the new LED "test lights" will light on a few milliamps of current.

The ONLY way to track down 'battery drain' is to know exactly how much current is flowing.

 

OKAY!! FINE, skip the light and old school easy method and use a meter, but I think you both missed the point. After the current test (assuming the meter shows excessive flow) and let us not forget to wait a few minutes to allow computer to sleep, REMOVE the wires from the alternator and test AGAIN. Has excessive current stopped? Yes = repair or replace alternator.
No where did I say replace alternator if light is on, or current is flowing.

 

Im new to this forum but have found some really good advice on here..
I also have a battery draw but have found out the culprit but need advice on how to fix it.?
Both my Electronic digital clock and Outside temperature display backlights(green) stay on after i leave the car..if i pull the fuse regarding these the draw vanishes..
I have left the car for hours and gone back to find them on still
No other interior lights are on
After looking aroung this forum i purchased a battery cut off plug which works but not ideal.
Any advice anybodu might have to sort this problem would be much appreciated..
Cheers, Darron