1979 el camino parasitic draw

[Ernest]

so something AFTER the fuse is causing the draw? any possibility of isolating that out?

Isolating it, im not sure... best for me to do is leave the fuse in, start disconnecting clock(none)/ctsy lamps/lighter/horn(relay)/key buzzer that runs on the 20a circuit one by one and see what kills the .170a draw that im currently experiencing, again, i removed said fuse for now, but everything else thats important is working.

Ps - no radio, stock nor aftermarket installed, associated wires are isolated and tied off.

 

[Max Headroom]

I recently been having a parasitic draw problem, It has been pulling .47amps. I have isolated it down to the Ctsy / clock 20amp fuse. I do no have a clock in the dash, and no lights appear to stay on and function as they should. I have disconnected the Door switches, glove box switch, replaced light switch, turn signal switch, horn relay all with no change in the drain. When I disconnect the cigarette lighter the draw increases to .7amps which I found to be odd. Would this indicate the cig lighter wiring is the problem?

Also when driving and doing slight turns with the steering wheel, I can hear a light click coming from what sounds like light switch. This made me think a short in the light switch or turn signal switch. But it still exist after replacing both of those. Any ideas or what to do next? This electrical gremlin is driving me nuts.

I'm not much with electrical but my 79 Malibu had a similar problem and I found out that the clock circuit in the dash was bad. Those "ribbon" connections are really fragile. Could disconnecting the cigarette lighter have sent more current to the short and increased the amp draw??

 

[78Delta88]

Quite possible. Within the description of the original complaint, pulling the lighter caused draw to go up from .47 to .7..., a .23 amp or 48% increase. This increase might be a break over current that allows greater draw to the area causing the draw or cause another one and the total is now the new result.

Like I said, automotive electrical can cause a lot of headaches.

I think as I last read through this, it was ruled out to the horns or the horn relay.

 

[86LK]

Quite possible. Within the description of the original complaint, pulling the lighter caused draw to go up from .47 to .7..., a .23 amp or 48% increase. This increase might be a break over current that allows greater draw to the area causing the draw or cause another one and the total is now the new result.

Like I said, automotive electrical can cause a lot of headaches.

I think as I last read through this, it was ruled out to the horns or the horn relay.

actually, tnick posted that he figured out it was the cancel cam in the steering column. old one worn out allowing it to short. replaced it and it's fixed

 

[78Delta88]

Accounts for the clicking noise, which was my other suspect, but was thinking more on the line of the horn button/wiper ring.

Cool.... Fixed.