Message center displays electrical problem somtimes+battery drain mechanic cant figure out problem

Tiny
JEFFMATTSON
  • MEMBER
  • 1990 OLDSMOBILE TORONADO
  • 186 MILES
I have had this problem for about 2 months now, starter was replaced, alternator was replaced, 3 batterys installed, car has been fully tuned up, oxygen sensor, cam sensor, timing chain, etc, when I bought car last march a few times electrical problem was displayed I turned off car and restarted problem went away. Ive had a slight drivabilty problem also at higher speeds only sometimes 55 mph or above rpm rises 500rpm and comes back down, brought car to tranny shop they drove it said tranny is fine, going down the road if I put car in diagnostic mode computer shut down the problem goes away. Draining problem got worse, battery drains down in about 4 hours, I just had the car at a shop for 3 days, mechanic said drain is in circuit labeled electric, but he was unable to locate problem, changed out bcm didnt cure problem, but mesage center displayed electrical problem so he put old bcm back in another shop told me try replacing the ecm? Saying hes seen ecm drain down battery when they start to go out junkyard is agreeing to exchange the bcm for an ecm. Also ive had cruise control problems where the cruise control shuts off, and cruise problem is displayed, I found some bad vacum hoses replaced them, then broke nipple on the cruise servo, so now ive removed the cruise fuse, and plugged off hose, also power antenna quit working, I unplugged relay, ive pulled out rear cig lighters, under hood light, trunk light, the only actual trouble code that was set as a hard code was for the air charge sensor, I replaced, this car has been stripping my pocket book bigtime, has anyone had same or similar problem? Any input whether ecm changeout is gonna cure problem, one mechanic said my problem may be the transmission electric solenoid, any help would be appreciated contact jeff 612-789-3973
Saturday, November 5th, 2011 AT 1:23 AM

11 Replies

Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,867 POSTS
Jeff,

While checking for a draw, remove one fuse at a time until the draw stops. Then you will know what circuit it is coming from. The mechanic that said is from a circuit labeled electric is as vague as one can get. That is like saying there is a drop of water in your pool that is bad, but I'm not sure which one. Try what I said and let me know what you find.
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Saturday, November 5th, 2011 AT 2:10 AM
Tiny
CADIEMAN
  • MECHANIC
  • 3,544 POSTS
You will need a volt meter to read the draw on the battery. Remove the neg. Cable and hook the meter from the battery to the cable. Read the draw. Then remove the interior light fuse so you can work with the doors open. Then remove all the fuses 1 at a time untill you see the meter drop to under 50 milliamps or under that. That fuse is where the draw is at. If these people dont know how to trace a draw find a new shop.
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Saturday, November 5th, 2011 AT 2:17 AM
Tiny
JEFFMATTSON
  • MEMBER
  • 7 POSTS
The fuse marked elec is where the draw is, one thing the mechanic showed me is that power is feeding back thru alternator with it plugged in, noise is heard in alternator, unplug alternator noise goes away, replaced alternator same thing happened, current probe showed.04 draw on that circuit, mechanic also said he cleaned all grounds. How do I check to find if trans solinoid is drawing battery down? Mechanic also showed me with test light between negative cable and battery the test light went out when elec fuse was pulled, im gonna try replacing ecm tommorow, il have to pull elec fuse every time I shut off car, otherwise battery is going to keep dwawing down, I also had a recent problem with the cruise malfunctioning it accellerated by its self. Jeff
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Saturday, November 5th, 2011 AT 2:32 AM
Tiny
CADIEMAN
  • MECHANIC
  • 3,544 POSTS
If you remove the battery cable at the alternator and the draw stops. The alternator has a bad diode and will have to be replaced. Dont just start replacing parts!
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Saturday, November 5th, 2011 AT 4:20 PM
Tiny
JEFFMATTSON
  • MEMBER
  • 7 POSTS
I just put another brand new alternator in +there was nothing wrong with the brand new alternator that came out, I put a different ecm in today+ my old eprom, maybe there was somthing wrong with the original ecm, the draw in circuit #17 titled elec is still there. Now there is 5 new bcm codes that were never in the memory before with a total of 6
i brought the other bcm back because that didnt cure the draw. Problem.
Here is all the bcm codes that are in the computer now.
B119
b120
b122
b440
b552
b671
i got some repair manuals, im going to do some reading.
Thanks jeff
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Sunday, November 6th, 2011 AT 1:55 AM
Tiny
JEFFMATTSON
  • MEMBER
  • 7 POSTS
Opefully within the next 7 days I will be able to order a light pen, and rs232cable for 4 gas unit.

My new machine is a allen sea. Parts will be coming from california

i obtained the allen smart engine analyzer for free.

I am excited to get the allen going it also came with a separate scope unit, and 4 gas analyzer.

This machine has far more features than my main engine analyzer a sun mea 1500.

Which is currently down, a couple mice had a party inside last winter.

The sun will be running very soon, ive fixed 95 percent of the damage they did to machine.

Gonna drop main board at my analyzer tech to be fixed, and a couple cables repaired and the sun wil be going again, yipee.

The garage I took the car to did not have any type of diagnostic equipment at all.

The only reason I brought car to that garage is because they were 65.00 hour, everybody else

wants 89.00 to 100+ hour for diagnostic work.

The mechanic replaced my tierod end on 86 surburban today, with success, but the car was a total failure!

Il have alook under the hood again my self looking for damaged wires, and have my brother drop the ramps back over here, so I can look under the car and trace all wires.

Which needs a couple capacitors replaced on the main board and the printer cable repaired. Fixed.

As far as I know since I owned the car, since last march, no transmission work has been done.

What ever is taking draw, is feeding back power is traveling to one of the 2 thin wires on the alternator plug.

I took fuse #17 so draw stops while car is parked. To stop the current drain.

I wish this bad luck car repair on nobody.

Worst case car ive owned, ive been working on cars since I was 15 and went to technical colledge for 3 years. +3 years training in high school.

I was a mechanic for 1 year professional.

Then I got into roofing. Money was better.

I still manage to fix 90percent of my car repairs my self.

Hopefully I can manage to figure out, whats wrong with this terrible car,

thanks jeff
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Sunday, November 6th, 2011 AT 2:54 AM
Tiny
CADIEMAN
  • MECHANIC
  • 3,544 POSTS
Does the olds have level control compressior like the caddy and power trunk motor?You really need a wiring diagram for that elec fuse.
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Sunday, November 6th, 2011 AT 4:16 AM
Tiny
JEFFMATTSON
  • MEMBER
  • 7 POSTS
Yes t has a real levelng compressor, I had my son stand on the rear trunk and the compressor, came on and leveled out the rear, and shut off, no, it dont have a power trunk motor, I know what you are talking about, I got a haynes manual, havent had time to look at it, the mechanic had the book 3 days, maybe he didnt read it.
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Sunday, November 6th, 2011 AT 4:30 PM
Tiny
CADIEMAN
  • MECHANIC
  • 3,544 POSTS
Sorry about time but your gonna need a wiring diagram for the elec fuse. To trace this problem.
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Saturday, November 12th, 2011 AT 1:17 AM
Tiny
JEFFMATTSON
  • MEMBER
  • 7 POSTS
Well nightmare is over hit deer with car, pretty much totaled car, I sent it to the junkyard
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Saturday, November 12th, 2011 AT 1:29 AM
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,867 POSTS
Jeff,
I'm glad the problem is taken care of, but I hope no one got hurt.
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Saturday, November 12th, 2011 AT 1:41 AM

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