Fuse # 14 (1987 Delta 88)

The wiring diagram also shows the following on that circuit, it's 20A: cigarette lighter trunk light heater and a/c control panel antenna relay chime module glove box light voice/alarm module trip calculator instrument cluster (digital only) radio

Steve

Hmmm, maybe Matt has a cellphone plugged into his lighter??? I had an '84 Delta 88 and I know that the cigarette lighter remained powered when the ignition was off. Although, the battery would have to be weak if a cellphone killed it overnight.

Thanks all, so very much, as now I need not buy a chilton manual.

I'll check out each one of the additional circuits.

(Presently unemployed, lots of time)

PS for stingray - nope - nothing in the cog lighter but a cig lighter. However, as the previous owner was a smoker.... maybe.....

THANK YOU - YOU GUYS ARE MONEY SAVERS AND LIFE SAVERS.

THANKS AGAIN.

Matt

The "antenna relay" - that controls the power antenna, doesn't it? I had a relative who's 87 Olds Ciera's power antenna wouldn't fully retract, and would keep trying to lower itself overnight. Drained the battery since the car wasn't driven that much.

Trunk light might be another candiate on that list as well.

Just some random thoughts.

Bob.

Hello everyone, back again -

I've been getting along fine for the last month (no battery discharge), and finally decided to take a stab at fixing the root cause of the problem today.

Of the following items on the circuit:

cigarette lighter trunk light heater and a/c control panel antenna relay chime module glove box light voice/alarm module trip calculator instrument cluster (digital only) radio

I've eliminated the following:

cig lighter (unplugged it) trunk light (removed it) heat/ac control panel (removed it) glove box light (it goes out when g.b. is closed) voice/alarm module (not included on this car)

Which leaves the following:

antenna relay chime module trip calculator instrument cluster (digital only) radio

relisted in order from most to least likely (IMO):

antenna relay (It does not raise/lower on radio power up, although I don't hear a motor running or a relay clicking either) radio (it shuts off with the engine, but perhaps a relationship with the antenna?) instrument cluster (if this is the problem, it's hopeless as I have no idea where to start. I will say it all 'seems' dead on engine shutdown). chime module (I don't think this is the problem, it chimes when fuse 14 is in place, but I realize that doesent really rule it out) trip calculator (works fine when fuse 14 is in, resets to zero on engine shutdown if fuse 14 is out)

And so, my questions:

1) Do you agree with the troubleshooting order? 2) Can anyone tell me where the antenna relay is? I would guess it's someplace close to the antenna.... but I don't see anything resembling a relay on the passenger side in the engine compt. Perhaps it's behind the glove box....?

The only other thing I can add is that it's drawing about 3.5 amps with the fuse in.

I'd pull the radio to eliminate it from the list, but it looks like it's going to be a real bear to get out.

Thanks, Matt

Hey all -

I found it (if I'm wrong, someone please tell me) - I pulled the black ventilation plastic from under the dash on the passenger side, and saw what looked like a relay just to the right of all the ventilation wiring and vacuum hoses. It had two connectors on it, one looked like it's wires led in the direction of the radio, the other one in the direction of the antenna. I pulled the left one, ammeter dropped to zero.

Thanks!

Matt

generally, when you have a power antenna (you didn't say whether your antenna was necessarily a power one or not) the relay is mounted right on the antenna housing itself, near the gear/motor. you wont necessarily hear the motor run if it's seized, & the relay is very quiet (not to mention, it's out on your fender with the antenna). it's tough to say what you disconnected, but you can check by hooking a voltmeter to that wire, & turning the radio on and off. if it's the power antenna wire, it'll show +12v when you turn the radio on, and 0v when you turn the radio off. if that's the case, then you've found the cause (most likely a seized antenna motor

- it happens, but usually the motor will burn up a winding then no longer short out..... but it can happen). anyhow, since you found the wire that's pulling the juice, it's a simple matter of trying to turn on each of the devices in your list while that wire is unplugged, & when you find the one thing that doesn't work, you'll know what it was that the wire went to. (this is assuming that you check the wire with the voltmeter first & it didn't go to the antenna)