1988 Ford Aerostar dead battery

FGARDEN

MEMBER
1988 FORD AEROSTAR
V8
2WD
AUTOMATIC
101,000 MILES

A good battery died overnight. After recharging the battery the van started ok and ran ok and alternator charging ok. Then with engine off we found a 3.8 amp current draw with the ignition and all accessories off. We pulled all the fuses in the fuse block under the dash and the 3.8 amp draw was always there. Starter solenoid is ok. Is there something that commonly shorts out on an Aerostar?

Thanks.

3 Replies

MERLIN2021

MECHANIC
17,250 POSTS

If all fuses were pulled and the draw is still there, remove the BATT wire from the alternator, if the draw is gone replace the alternator.

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Thursday, July 3rd, 2008 AT 7:39 PM

FGARDEN

MEMBER
2 POSTS

We left the battery disconnected over the 3 day holiday but found the short gone from the alternator when we went to replace it this Monday morning. We moved the ignition switch from on to off to lock and started and stopped the engine but can't get the 3.8 amp short to reoccur. Can a shorted alternator be intermittent?

So with the alternator charging just fine and no leakage current back through it, the aerostar was put back in service only to have the alternator burn up at 3PM, as in smoke from it's windings and needing a dose from a fire extinguisher. Maybe it was a piece of metallic debris moving around in a winding?