85 Crown Vic LTD help!

Do you have a power antenna? Have you disconnected the voltage regulator while testing for a draw? How are you testing for a draw?

You might check the trunk light to be sure it turns off when in the down postion. I've seen that often back in

mike hunt

JC wrote:

Is the battery discharging over night or in a few days? Why do you think there is a draw?

I am asking because a weak ground (or rust between body components) can weaken the ground line, causing the symptoms you describe. I had some goofy trouble codes and very intermittent problems with the engine electronics on my '84 'Bird until I repaired a few splices in the ground wires that got corroded. The fan probably uses the body for ground. The connection between body and engine can get corroded and cause similar symptoms.

If you are seeing a spark when reconnecting the battery, that's normal. I think Ford still recommended using a test lamp to check for current draw in '85. With the car off, (and probably hood lamp pulled) you disconnect the battery cable, then make the connection between cable and post with a test lamp. Anything more than a low glow suggests a current draw. Kind of a goofy test, but it's been used for years. I used a taillight bulb with wires soldered to it. It glowed quite a bit but you could tell it wasn't really bright.

I hope this helps.

Paul in Dayton

Thanks for the reply, I don't have a power antena, I have disconnected the voltage regulator and still getting a draw, they way I am testing for a draw is I take off the negative battery cable off the battery post. I connect one end of a circut tester to the battery cable and touch the other end to the battery post and I get a solid fairley bright light. Only way I know how to do it. Then again I am no mechanic or what have you and have limited tools. Thanks though for any help.

I have completely removed the trunk light just to be on the safe side. Still didn't fix the problem.

Some good sugesstions. I will double check the ground and try cleaning where it connects to the block, I already replaced the negative battery cable one, but and going to have to do that again. I didn't run it correctly and as a result it got too close to a belt and worn some of the outer coating off. Oh and if I leave the battery cable on? Well I get off of work at 9:00, get home by 9:30pm, I go to work at 12:00 noon and if I left the cable on the battery I would come out to a bead battery. Also does anyone know where the relay is for the windshield wipers on this model? My wipers are stuck on and I have to pull the fuse to turn it off.

That's all you need to do to test for a draw. Have you removed the fusible links one by one from the starter relay? If you have the door open, put a tennis ball on the pin to eliminate any circuits opened by having the door open. Sometimes it's more than just the lights.

there is also a circuit breaker on the starter relay for your power windows? Anything electrical on the car that does not work? Might be a good place to start.