something draining the battery

[bigal0043]

i have a 86 toyota van... it has a weird electrical problem... sometimes it will start fine and others not at all...but will always start if it is jumped if u leave it for a week or so it wont start and there is no battery power...again will start if jumped...


is there a way to find what is draining the battery.. or if there is some sort of short somewhere??

have replaced alternator, cap, battery, starter, plugs....have reran battery wire from negative to chassis

[curtis73]

get a multimeter or at least a test light. Disconnect the negative terminal and put the test light between the cable and post. If there is a drain, the light will be on. Start pulling fuses until the light either goes out or changes significantly. One of the components on that circuit is causing the drain. If you have a digital radio it is supposed to draw a little to hold the memory, but not enough to make the light glow fully. If pulling fuses doesn't do the trick, try pulling the charge wire from the alternator. If wasn't built well, it might be leaking juice. Then tap the starter solenoid with a wrench. If the light changes, the solenoid is leaking juice. I know that you said they're all new, but that is a reason to suspect them, not a dismissal that they are good.

Once you've chased it down, fix it.

Its also possible that the battery isn't very good. Even though its new, about 1 in 100 are no good.

[bigal0043]

thanks i will try doing that... well once it gets a little warmer out... its like 5 outside right nowi think in a couple days it will be above freezing