I am having the hardest time trying to find a short in my elecrtical system.
Something is pulling power from my battery very little but I want to fix the problem and not let it get worse. I have an 1987 Iroc-Z 305 TPI automatic. So far I have installed a new starter, altenator, trunk pull down, and the turn signal/flasher switches in the steering wheel. everything works have checked all fuses and non are blown. I need some Help where do I look next?

 

best way is to put a test light on it, unhook the negative terminal then put the light connected one end to the terminal and the other to the cable from it, now pull a fuse one at a time when the light goes out then that circuit is the draw that got you....then see why bad wire, bad ground bad socket, bulb, etc......

 

best way is to put a test light on it, unhook the negative terminal *(then put the light connected one end to the terminal and the other to the cable from it)*, now pull a fuse one at a time when the light goes out then that circuit is the draw that got you....then see why bad wire, bad ground bad socket, bulb, etc......

Ok I'm a little confused as what I do here. so I disconnect the negative terminal *(?)* I'm sorry about this I just don't understand

 

a 12Volt test light has a alligator clip on one end, the other end is a sharp probe you connect the alligator clip end to the battery round terminal end the other sharp end of the probe goes to the disconnected cable terminal end..pull fuses one at a time, when the light goes out that is the circuit that is drawing current on you...make sure you tape the door light little switch plunger in so that circuit is closed when you test it. that way that switch is pushed in and cannot give you a bad reading for that circuit....if you search on here for finding shorts you will get great reading as well.......

 

I have done something similar to that but not quite the same. I'll take a fuse out at a time and then go and check that if I rub the Negative on the battery and if I see a spark I go to the next fuse bu i have tried this and I went through every fuse that I could find and the results were the same. any other ideas?

 

The tset light will work alot better and I bet the draw with the spark is caused by the dome light being on. you have to keep that door switch in the pushed in position and you will then find your short.....think about it, when the test light goes out you lose the draw and that fuse you pulled is the circuit the short is on. push that door switch in and tape it off or close the door and lay under the dash with someone watching the test light going off when you pull each fuse and each circuit breaker in the system.

 

both the dom light and the hood light were off. the door was closed and the hood light was disconnected. I made sure of that. any more ideas?

 

After checking all of the fuses where do I go next?