My battery will go completly dead after 24 hours with the battery hooked up.How can I find the root of the problem. Mike

 

You can put an ammeter in series between one of the battery cables and the battery. That will show you the amount of current flowing. Then you can remove fuses one at a time to see what circuit is causing the drain. That should narrow it down. A test lamp can be used instead of an ammeter, but it is not as accurate.

 

Should I have battery disconnected when I test the wires/circuits.And what reading I get from the battery should be about the same as the reading I get from the circuit.Where can I find out what each circuit does in the fuse panel. Thanks, Mike

 

Not sure I am following you on your questions, but the owner's manual tells what each fuse is for. If you use a meter or test lamp, the battery has to be connected in series with it.

 

I'd take it to Autozone and have them check the battery and see if it is actually okay before trying to find what may or may not be draining your battery.

 

I had a horrible problem chasing a drain a few years back. I do agree that you need to test the battery first though. My problem was the light in the center console. The hinge on my lid (like everyone else's) was broken and unless the armrest was seated absolutely perfectly the light stayed on all the time.

 

What shoebox meant was, disconnect one terminal of the battery, and hook up an ammeter or multimeter in between the terminal and the post on the battery. Note the amount of current that is flowing through the system. A tiny amount is normal as it keeps the radio alive, keeps the PCM memory active, etc but it should NOT be much at all. Once you see you have a drain, start pulling fuses out of the fuse box until the reading drops down. That should isolate your problem. Once you figure out which fuse you pulled, look at a manual that has wiring diagrams (Chiltons, Hanes comes to mind) and figure out what all is run off that one fuse.

Definitely have your battery/alternator checked, but I would do it at Sears or Firestone, something like that...don't take it to your average Auto parts store as the equipment they have there isn't always accurate.

 

Thanks guys.I need my Z back to normal.