About a year ago the Skylark started to draw the battery down over a couple days. I finally decided to tear into it today. Got some weird stuff going on. First I am slightly handicapped as my meter needs a battery. Using a test light and my power probe 3, I figured a couple things out and I think found the issue but I don't know what is causing it. The ignition circuit has 4 volts with the key off. Its enough to very dimly light up the brake warning light with the parking brake engaged. I figured the ignition switch is worn out, but the power is still there with the ignition switch unplugged, so it must be getting some feedback from somewhere. But where? Also all of my extra electrical accessories are unplugged- tach, msd, fans etc.. any guesses? Is my fuse box shorted out? Everything electrical works as it should, just the damn battery goes dead. I am guessing at this point that 4 volts is enough juice to keep one of my add ons from powering down all the way.
Start unplugging stuff...you can unplug the intermediate harness and basically eliminate the whole back of the car. Also disconnect the directional switch. Probsbly take you 3 minutes. Check your grounds too. I had a strange issue with the Gen light coming on dim when I put my car in reverse with the brake pedal depressed. Turned out it was a bad ground in the tail light harness. That doesn't work, start removing fuses...
I have discovered, after tearing half the car apart, that the blue oil pressure wire has 12 volts and is back feeding through the guage fuse. This wire should send a ground signal back to the gauge..The wire must be melted in the loom as it passes over the engine. How this hasn't burned the car down or popped a fusible link is simply amazing...
