Ok under the shifter panel I have a metal post with 2 relays connected. The one to the left and side of the metal plate I believe is the relay for the electric windows so what is the other relay located on the back side of the metal plate???

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Do you have a power antenna?  The relay for that is in the console, plus the hazard flasher is in the same vicinity.  

Thanks Gunslinger,

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The "old time" method for find a battery drain is to put an inductive ohmmeter on the battery, then pull one fuse after the other until you isolate the circuit (or eliminate all fused circuits), then narrow it down from there.  Also, disconnect the alternator and see if that does it.

Good Luck
Larry

Also check the mercury switch for your interior lighting.  If that goes on the bum, your interior lights will stay on and drain the battery!!

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How long does it take to drain your battery, the clock, the radio any other item that requires power even when the key is off, over time will drain the battery. I believe if you could measure the current drain at the battery you could calculate how long it would be before the battery goes dead. I think it was a battery 250/amp hours say you had a .5 amp current drain 250 divided by .5 = 500 hrs divided by 24hrs your battery would last 21 days approx. I think normal would be below .06 amps witch come out somewhere around a 173 days 5 moths

OWWWWWWWWWW My heads hurts from thinking about it !!!!

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Hows that for some techno bable

WoW !  That is a great site with lots of good information!!

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I will look into it but it was just more than drain the battery something was kiling the batery destroying the cells unless it was  a faulty battery??? After I pulled the fuse for clock,radio,dome I saw no draw  on the battery but am still researching. I am trying to get the alarm to work also so not sure if a relay is hanging up or what. The horn will blow if I remove the harness at the lock cylinder from the clip but if I have the clip on and turn the key to arm it  opeining the door or hood will not trigger the alarm. I have a new alarm harness and will be getting this in soon so maybe this will shed aome light. THanks again for the info, jsut need time to get to it and to warm up!!!!

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dome lights and interior lights are off so dont think its the mercury switch but will check. Thanks BB78

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yes its the anti theft relay and no drain from this as I connect/disconnect it??? but clicking sound which relays make so probably not the battery drain but the alarm is not working either so it could be shorting, the drain stops on the clock/radio/dome light fuse20a so just have to isolat the problem. obviously the clock will drain  it but not that quickly, the radio is not taking any power its not hot wired, so it could be the dome is shorting or relay cycling as the dome will not come on with the doors open, so I am trying to fix that problem  which is probably the dome relay timer$85. so would like to get the dome issue solved first and see if that corrects the problem also have a new alarm harness to install see if I can get the alarm to work and rule that out althought the anti theft relay is no longer in stock... so searching to see who might still have it..zip's is not ahndling them anymore?  thanks BB78

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Hope this might help

The way the dome lights come on

 1 Head light sw turned fully CCW

 2 Each door sw ( a grnd thru sw when door opened)

 3 Dome light timer if installed, the timer is placed in between the two door sw and is powered all the time.

I am not sure of the connector others can help, but you should be able to remove the timer and jumber the wht to wht wires or it may be wht/brn to wht. This would eliminate the timer and it would operate like the cars without the timer.

As to the anti theft relay if you hear it click when disconnected then it will be a drain, it may be slight but it would be comparable or a little more than the clock. And this means your alarm system is always armed even though it is not tuning on alarm

 

If the circuits are the same as the 77 if you pm me I can send you the breakdown of these circuits from a real good electrical T/S book for the 77 they are jpeg images

Hope its ok to post these I have this whole book in jpeg format this is way better than trying to read the wire diagrams these show the complete crkt your trying to work on I also have the 1980 book in jpeg format if any one needs info from these books pm me and I will try to get it to yourraider12010-01-21 12:40:16

You talking about the shop manual Robert?  I have 1981 Shop manual hard copy.  You got scanner at home too, I see.

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Here is the cover for electrical these are the best they have the cks and show where all the components are located

Thanks rrader1 before I got your info I had the seat out and on my back wiht my head up into the fuse panel and removed the timer to check for rust and corrosion and i really dont need a timer but would like to get the lights on. So yes I can jump it and see if I get the dome light on  then I know its not a problem elsewhere, and if I want the timer I can add it back in.  I get a clicking noise on the relay when I plug  the wire connector to it or remove it. Whether the relay is doing its jpb or not don't know but pwer is to it. I have a new harnes to co to the lock cylinder as soon as time permits. Iwas thinking the alarm is on and powered but the lock connector is not working right. THe horn works as when I removed the button on the lock cylinder it went off, so the harness that the key activates is probably at fault.

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Looking at the diagram for your alarm system if the theft relay is energized it may be the flasher for the horn you would be able to check power at it you possibly could jumber it and see if the horn comes on but this depends on how close the 78 alarm system is to the late 77

I just have to add,  the math does add up, but the time to run the battery down is not going to match the math.   Not even close.