I have a power drain

[JKOBD.com]

Originally posted by Blanco@Jul 15 2004, 03:37 PM
Nothing, huh? What, is it a stupid question or does nobody know the answer? It's not the battery because I've swapped it out for a known good one that starts my girls car just fine. I've never done anything electrical before, other than installing a head unit, and some help from someone who knows would be really cool.

If you have smoke coming from the ignition switch, what is melting/smoking? Are you burning the wire?

 

[ohmstable]

Its hard for me to picture what you described regarding power drain, but if you were smoking from the ignition area then I'd say to take a good look at the wires there. You were obviously drawing a shitload of current when your wires started melting, causing the smoke. I'd probably guess that your those wires under there have melted perhaps bad enough where they're broken. First thing, check the wires and repair and melted ones. Then go from there.


Smoke is due to insulation on the wires melting because the wires are drawing too much current and is too hot. That shouldn't happen if the fuses are all the correct values. Unless you've gone and bypassed the a fuse. Then a short circuit to ground = wire glowing like lightbulb = fire!!

 

[ohmstable]

So did you repair the white wire that was damaged? Look around where that wire is and see if there is any exposed metal that might have sliced it's way into that wire causing a short.

Also when testing with that light it might be deceiving because the light will stay on but when you draw a shit load of current through a damaged wire or switch if may not be able to handle it. Therefore when your car requires the current when it's running, it may not get what it needs. Also it's possible that the switch may be no good anymore, ie. some of the contacts inside may not be good.. therefore the fuel system or something is getting no power..

That's my opinion.. hope it helps you in your troubleshooting.