Heres the scoop:
Problem #1: My battery goes dead when I leave the fuse for the window motors in. So, I take it out when I stop/shut off the car.

Problem #2: When I go to start my car, I have to turn the ignition switch a few times before it will turn over (Click, click, click, ignition...)

I have a ammeter/Voltmeter, but have no idea what wires to check, and where to go from here. I am completely ignorant of electrical systems.

Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks.

 

what led you to take the fuses for the window motors out to check if the battery goes dead? Anyway can you hear the starter at all when you try to start your car. if not, it is probally not the electrical. try messing with the gear shifter if it is automatic. on my car the neutral park doesnt work so i have to hold the shifter on just hte right place betwwen park and reverse to get the car to start. your problem sounds interesting, if you dont know what to do, then find a good mechanic.

 

I totally agree with demonchild, if you are not really familiar with car electrics it will be cheaper to get professional help. Unless of course you want to know what really horrible nightmares are made of, because they are made of electrical problems in cars.

 

I was led to take the window fuse out because when I put the voltmeter on the battery and then watched it as I opened and shut the doors it spiked, so I assumed.....

Before, the battery would be drained in a matter of hours, now it has not drained out on me.

About the starter not starting the car, it is only about half the time. The other half the car starts fine, first turn of the key.

Any suggestions besides calling a mechanic?
Thanks so far... hope this helps, Feel free to ask me to check something and let you know. I want to figure this out...

 

Now look here kiztope, as your concerned friend, I have to say the more you say about electrics the more you really must do yourself a favor, and either buy a book on it, or get professional help.

When electric motors like the window openner are powered up and start to rotate, they don't just draw power, but start to generate it too. So the faster the motor goes, the more power it generates and this is called the back electro motive force (emf)

This is why a stalled or loaded and slowed up motor draws a lot more amps than a free running one.

As the window sticks or runs freer on its way up or down, the load varies a lot, and so will the voltage, because there is some resistance in the wiring. It sounds like you windows are normal.

If you are totally determined to do this, you have to get the wiring diagram.

But the windows only work when the ignition is switched on, so the fuse to the windows, even if they were faulty could not be the main problem.

The windows get power from the ignition switch, which you say has an intermittent fault. As well as not always turning on, it may not always be turning off all the circuits, and that would drain the battery. It sounds like the draining was an intermittent fault caused by the ignition switch on its way out.

I suggest you or a mechanic checks the condiiton of the ignition switch.

 

mechanics are good and all but there is ppl that specialize in mechanic electrical. i would go to one of these places becaue car electrical can be a pain. get it done right.

 

Thanks for the help so far...

I actually am pretty determined to do this. I see it as a learning experience. I am usually a pretty fast learner, so feel free to teach me.

I do know how to read a wiring diagram, so thats one thing I have going for me. Right now the only wiring diagram I have is the one in the back of the Chiltons repair manual, will I need anything more than that?

Thanks for the info on EMF, interesting stuff. I did not know that... It does make sense...

How would I go about testing the Ignition switch? Should I remove it to do so? I haven't messed with the steering column in this thing yet....

The underside of my dash is pretty accesable right now, pretty much in pieces.... I was checking things out tonight with the volt/amp meter.

I appreciate the help...

 

basically ppl are saying in this forum that they know little to nothing about electrical and most have no wish to even try to find out. electrical is just to much of a pain.

 

the power window circuit recieves power from the orange wire in the ignition switch harness, which turns into a pink wire after it passes through the fuseblock.

pulling the WDO circuit breaker should not have any impact on whether your battery drains overnight since it the breaker is only supposed to recieve power when the key is in the "run position".

 

If you have the time, determination and the eletrical meter, follow the circuits until you find something not doing what it should. Thats mainly what you have to do, but it sounds a lot like the ignition switch is the place to start trying to get the electrical meter to.

I would recommend the Helm manual for your specific car from the dealerships, they are much more expensive but have correct wiring diagrams.

 

Ok,
So I'll check out the ignition switch tomorrow....

 

visit my car alarm/remote start install info page for a guide to the function of each wire in the ignition switch harness:

http://www.p71interceptor.com/thirdgen/alarminfo

 

so 2v im guessing you have seen ur share of electrical in thirgens.?.

 

Thanks man! Really useful stuff.... I appreciate it!