Parasidic Draw on my 1989 F-350 with the 7.3 idi

[tompands]

OK, here's where I'm at. I bought this truck about a month ago, trucks in very good shape for the year, needed a paint job' which I did first cause it was such an ugly blue. Put 2 new doors and one fender prior to painting it. I did a couple little odd's and end's to get it back in shape. The motor ran, but only if it got a wiff of either to start. And also batteries were going dead overnight. Researched a little bit and came up with the conclusion it needed glow plugs and possibly a controller. Neither cost that much so it got both. After installing the plugs and controller, it actually started on it's own. The tach started working, and all was good. I thought I was on the right path. Thinking the controller relay was sticking and causing the dead batteries. Next morning batteries stone cold dead. I did the test light thing on the battery cable, light was bright, disconnected the alternator wire, light went out. Took it off and to have tested, Bad Diodes. Bought a new alternator and installed. Charged new batteries once again. Now the truck is having a hard times starting again, WTS Light isn't even lighting up and it cranks like hell but doesn't want to start. Thinking maybe a bad controller. Finally starts, volt gauge is coming up in dash . so I'm feeling like at least I have the battery situation repaired. Shut the truck off last night, got up at 5am for work, went out opened the door, still had interior light, Ok, battery draw is good to go. WRONG ! Came home from work to DEAD batteries again. The glow plugs, glow plug controller and alternator were all bought at Oriely's , which might have been a mistake. The glow plugs were motorcraft, and the alternator is a reman Ford alternator. Controller was aftermarket. Is there something I'm missing ? I guess I have to go back and start from scratch. it's a little disappointing when you think you have it licked, and results are the same.

Any advise would be appreciated.

 

[Thewespaul]

Parasitic draws are no fun to track down. You need to properly isolate which circuit is drawing when the truck is shut down. Get a proper, quality multi meter and set it to read amps. Pull one fuse at a time and stick one lead into each receptical and read amperage pull at each circuit. Write down your findings, and post them here. I should be able to compare them to my notes and tell you which circuit is your issue, if it isn’t obvious after you do the test. Good luck!

 

[riphip]

You did not say what year or engine you have but I would guess it might be a 1986 w/6.9.
When you can:
Change the GP controller over to the solid state newer type, install the ZD9 glow plugs with the blade connectors.
The old GPC units that mount at rear drivers head are notorious for problems.
Change the alternator to the 3G and get rid of the regulator on the passenger fender. Possibly the cause of your battery drain problem.

If it is an 86 & still has the water separator in line, put a 3/8" bolt in the bottom of the drain to keep it from sucking air if ring is pulled.

Good Luck

On EDIT: See you have 89 w/7.3. Look & see if Voltage Regulator Might be giving you the problem

 

[IDIoit]

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[riphip]

Excellent as usual!!

 

[tompands]

just installed a new regulator- no change. either the new controller is bad or I have a really hard to find issue. Everything in the charging/starting side of this engine has been replaced. 1 of them has to be defective.

 

[towcat]

just installed a new regulator- no change. either the new controller is bad or I have a really hard to find issue. Everything in the charging/starting side of this engine has been replaced. 1 of them has to be defective.

test them all again.
in the meantime, put in a battery kill switch and USE IT so you can get to work and go home.

 

[onetonjohn]

Parasitic draws are no fun to track down. You need to properly isolate which circuit is drawing when the truck is shut down. Get a proper, quality multi meter and set it to read amps. Pull one fuse at a time and stick one lead into each receptical and read amperage pull at each circuit. Write down your findings, and post them here. I should be able to compare them to my notes and tell you which circuit is your issue, if it isn’t obvious after you do the test. Good luck!

^^^^^^
This is how you find leakage current. If you don't find something via the fuse box (easiest place to probe) probing then move to the battery and it's connections because the circuit with the leakage is not fused at the fuse box. Word of caution if you move from fuse box probing: Amp meter must be placed in series (inline) with the circuit. Google series circuit if you don't understand the difference between hooking the Amp meter in series vs. in parallel - it's not rocket science, but it's important to get accurate measurement.

 

[tompands]

test them all again.
in the meantime, put in a battery kill switch and USE IT so you can get to work and go home.

This is just a project truck, it's not even registered.

 

[tompands]

I read this morning about AUTOLITE glow plugs ( which is what I installed the other day), So I'm starting there. Ripped them out today and got some Motorcraft/ Beru GP's. The junky autolites did exactly what everyone says about them. They burn out the first time you use them. 4 out of 8 were bad, and 2 swelled up on me and gave me hell getting them out. Tomorrow I will install the Motorcraft GP's and see if that cures my no start issue. I think I'm fighting 2 separate problems, or at least it seams that way to me. once I get this GP situation repaired I'm gonna hit the draw and find it.

 

[Agnem]

I hate reading about people replacing parts without knowing they are bad. This is how we introduce multiple problems and get into real headaches.

First rule of thumb with parasitic draw problems, is disconnect ONE battery negative terminal. At least this way, when it kills your one battery, you have the other to start from. It also rules out a shorted cell killing them both. Second, if the glow plug controller is suspect (and I've never seen a 7.3 one get stuck in the on position, but if you want to be sure, simply disconnect the power feed on the top of the relay on the controller. The alternator was probably your only problem originally. Aftermarket glow plug controllers tend to come with bar type relays, which are not any good for this application. You must have a disc type relay or you will constantly have glow plug controller problems. Also, Beru only. Use nothing else. If your new alternator is bad, feel it when the engine is cold. If it is warm, the field is still running, and that is what's killing your battery. Outside of that, do what was suggested previously and continue down the fuse/circuit testing path.

 

[tompands]

I hate reading about people replacing parts without knowing they are bad. This is how we introduce multiple problems and get into real headaches.

First rule of thumb with parasitic draw problems, is disconnect ONE battery negative terminal. At least this way, when it kills your one battery, you have the other to start from. It also rules out a shorted cell killing them both. Second, if the glow plug controller is suspect (and I've never seen a 7.3 one get stuck in the on position, but if you want to be sure, simply disconnect the power feed on the top of the relay on the controller. The alternator was probably your only problem originally. Aftermarket glow plug controllers tend to come with bar type relays, which are not any good for this application. You must have a disc type relay or you will constantly have glow plug controller problems. Also, Beru only. Use nothing else. If your new alternator is bad, feel it when the engine is cold. If it is warm, the field is still running, and that is what's killing your battery. Outside of that, do what was suggested previously and continue down the fuse/circuit testing path.

I get what your saying, I don't like to replace parts needlessly either. But this truck, in as good as shape as it is , was neglected and deserves some new life. I just wanted to replace the whole Glow Plug system and I did. The old alternator was warm to the touch after sitting overnight. The regulator sounded like it had 10 BB's in it, bouncing around, when I removed it. Both batteries are brand new. All these items needed to be replaced and they were. Havent got the new GP's in yet but my dome light still burns bright , so I still have battery power. This is why I say I believe I had more than 1 issue.

 

[tompands]

Ok, after checking all the places everyone suggested I check , I found nothing....BUT I no longer have a parasitic draw. Batteries are staying up. I replaced the AC compressor plug (it was broken), I replaced the plug for the regulator (it was rusty and corroded), and the alternator plug (melted a little). The alternator is still not charging. I traced from the ignition switch to the plug on the back of the gauge cluster. According to the schematic red/green wire runs from ignition to the cluster plug with power. suppose to light up the little "BATTERY" light then leaves the light and goes to regulator as a Lt green/red wire. My issue is that I have power on both sides of the battery light. There is a little diode connecting both sides of where the bulb goes putting power to both sides of the bulb socket. How can the bulb light up if it doesn't have a ground. All light bulbs need a ground and there is no ground at that bulb. It even shows it that way on the schematic I'm attaching. Other people on here told me if that little battery light doesn't come on with the key in the on position-that is my charging issue. What am I missing here??? The culprit is lower left side at bottom, it's marked chrg lt.

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[tompands]

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[tompands]

with power on both sides-it's impossible for that light bulb to work. Every light bulb in that cluster has ground going to it but that CHRG LT bulb. So how does it work ??