unitedwestang

I bought a 2004 Mustang GT wrecked at auction. Since getting it, I've always had to jump it after it sat. No big deal, it was just being pushed around the shop while I was fixing it. Well now everything mechanical is done and its getting painted tomorrow. Last week I bought a new battery figuring it was just dead. Went to start it yesterday and the battery was dead again (sat for five days).

I searched threads for this problem, so far I've turned up the parasitic drain test by pulling fuses and to check the alternator for the shorted diode. Anything else you can think to check while I'm in there. I realize the drain test will yield the most telling results, so I'll be back to let you know what I come up with.

My suspicions: Has a Viper security system (check that). Has Mach stereo system with what looks like cut wires where the subs should be (check that too).

Also I'm a M.E., not a E.E. so bare with me. Electrical business is not my forte.

unitedwestang

So I have a .07 amp draw from fuse 9 which is the subwoofers (which have been cut out). The other main draw is coming from fuse 39 (GEM?) which is drawing .24 amp. Don't really know what that is or what its connected to, so now starts that process... Its only a 5 amp fuse though. But it keeps the car from starting with it out...
Surprisingly there was no drain associated with the Viper security system.

EDIT: So I've found out GEM is General Electronics Module and its kind of a faulty thing to begin with, and they aren't made any more... But from what I've read I don't know why pulling that fuse would keep the car from starting? I have however found this. May try to give it a whirl. Haven't tested to see if it goes to sleep. I'll check that first before trying this.
http://www.allfordmustangs.com/forum...e-problem.html

unitedwestang

Ok so the drain is fixed. For the most part...
Started out with .35A drain while the car was completely off. .07A of that was associated with the subwoofer circuit, which I have just pulled the fuse since the previous owner cut them out. If/when I add them back I will chase down that drain.
After letting the car sit, I found it was not going to sleep. So I removed the black/white wire as described in the link above (it also had some nasty splicing with the security system). Once I reconnected the 12-pin connector, the drain read .25A. After letting the car sit for 40 min. or so, the drain dropped to 40mA!!!! No reported problems with removing that wire as of yet, and I don't expect any as the author of the linked post hasn't experienced any for years
After tracing much of the wiring harnesses of the security system I am surprised there was no drain with it. Whoever installed it did a very unprofessional job. Wire nuts EVERYWHERE! The wire I removed from the GEM had been cut and a resistor added with two crimp on butt connectors on either side and some sort of T-splice. The leads of the resistor (which was on there for reasons completely unknown) were perfectly visible too... Ugh, if only there was something wrong with it, and I were more experienced with wiring, I'd really feel the need to rewire it. But I'm ready to get this thing on the road! If I kick myself in the butt down the road, I can say I told myself lol