Power Drain

[redtom]

Like many on here my PT is experiencing a power drain. It is a Manual shift Gas 1974cc. produced in 2001 with 98k on the clock. It previously had some overheating issues and stood for 2 years before I managed to resolve them. It has had new coil pack, sparks, battery, water pump, radiator, radiator fan (that was actually the main problem... the fans have a dual speed and it wasn't kick in at the lower end), new thermostat, head skimmed, new head gasket, cambelt, new springs and wishbones, new brake pipes, abs pipes and new brake calipers. As well as new alloys etc.

Back to the power drain. It was intermittent but is now constant (4.6 amps). I have pulled all the fuses one by one (both under the hood and in the cabin fuse box) to no avail. The alternator works fine.

I have fined it down to either a short or the alternator remaining live after shut down. I am in the UK by the way and when I try to get an autoelectrician to have a look they laugh and refuse to touch it.

Anyway, I have finally decided that the easiest option is to split the earth and run cables to and from the cabin via a battery isolator as I do not want to be popping the hood every time I stop. My problem now is where to drill into the cabin. Everywhere I look there are heating boxes or airbags or something in the way. I really don't want to be taking the cable down under the car and in that way.

So can anybody suggest the easiest route for a cable into the cabin please...or indeed any other suggestions

Thanks Guys

[LionPT]

Follow the hood latch cable...it's the easiest way in or out.

[redtom]

Hi thanks for that, will it be wide enough to take 2 earth cables and taping?

[ptcruisersteve]

Originally Posted by redtom

Like many on here my PT is experiencing a power drain. It is a Manual shift Gas 1974cc. produced in 2001 with 98k on the clock. It previously had some overheating issues and stood for 2 years before I managed to resolve them. It has had new coil pack, sparks, battery, water pump, radiator, radiator fan (that was actually the main problem... the fans have a dual speed and it wasn't kick in at the lower end), new thermostat, head skimmed, new head gasket, cambelt, new springs and wishbones, new brake pipes, abs pipes and new brake calipers. As well as new alloys etc.

Back to the power drain. It was intermittent but is now constant (4.6 amps). I have pulled all the fuses one by one (both under the hood and in the cabin fuse box) to no avail. The alternator works fine.

I have fined it down to either a short or the alternator remaining live after shut down. I am in the UK by the way and when I try to get an autoelectrician to have a look they laugh and refuse to touch it.

Anyway, I have finally decided that the easiest option is to split the earth and run cables to and from the cabin via a battery isolator as I do not want to be popping the hood every time I stop. My problem now is where to drill into the cabin. Everywhere I look there are heating boxes or airbags or something in the way. I really don't want to be taking the cable down under the car and in that way.

So can anybody suggest the easiest route for a cable into the cabin please...or indeed any other suggestions

Thanks Guys

Have you tried disconnecting the generator to see if the power drain goes away?

Does it have the power drain with the ignition on or off or both?

[redtom]

Yes, disconnected and the drain remained which suggests of course that it is indeed a short somewhere.

[redtom]

Yes remains with ignition on and off again suggesting a short, a fairly large one because of the 4.6. Have inspected and tracked, as far as possible, the cables that I can see

[ptcruisersteve]

On the 2001 & 2002 PT Cruisers it's pretty common that the wire harness from the crankshaft sensor to the PCM has a plastic clip that breaks off and the wire harness drops down on the axle rubbing through all the harness wires shorting the wires out. Check under the engine to see if the wire harness is okay.

[redtom]

Thanks will give that a go.

[redtom]

No, the wiring harness was fine. I have got hold of a cut off switch and a throttle cable. Next week I am going to split the earth and run a new cable to the switch which I shall locate on the right hand side just above the alternator (generator). The plan is then to route the throttle cable through the same hole as the hood pull and attach it up. Hopefully, that way I will be able to cut the power off from the inside and it will cure the drain problem

[redtom]

Worked