Cstoliker

71 cutlass. Something is retaining power on the engine when key is off. Engine turns off like it should but there's definitely power draw. Get a spark when connecting/disconnecting battery and I can hear a relay turn off when battery is disconnected. Sounds like it's coming from ignition controller box next to coil.

Sometimes the "gen" dashboard light will stay lit (but not every time). Everything in the car tuns off like it should (radio,wipers dashboard exc.)

I've replaced the ignition/starter switch. Is there an ignition relay somewhere that could be stuck? There is a relay on the inside driver's fender.

oldcutlass

What ignition box next to the coil?

joe_padavano

There was no ignition relay from the factory. Is the wiring totally stock, or are there add-ons like HEI, or an electric fan, or aftermarket stereo, or whatever?

Cstoliker

Cstoliker

Wiring is stock (as far as I know), I installed a large aftermarket sound system but I don't see how that could cause this.

oldcutlass

The box next to your coil is the voltage regulator. Do you think that your large sound system may be staying on when the ignition switch is off? If the voltage regulator is clicking off when you disconnect the battery you may have a bad alternator. I would start by temporarily disconnecting the sound system to isolate that out of the system. My other question is, what are all those wires on your coil+ terminal?

Fun71

Try unplugging the connector on the alternator and see if the current drain goes away. If so, this is an indication of a shorted diode in the alternator.

joe_padavano

From the photo you posted, not even close. The stock coil location is bolted to the intake, not the firewall. The stock wiring only had three wires attached to the coil, two on the - terminal and one on the + terminal (not counting the noise suppression condensor wire or a factory tach wire). The bundle shown in your photo is decidedly NOT stock. What exactly is in there? If one of those is powering the ignition after you turn the key off, there's your problem. I would start by disconnecting everything that isn't original and seeing if the problem persists.

Fun71

It looks to me like there are three wires connected to the coil and that bundle is actually a length of the wiring harness folded up and zip tied to keep it in place.

joe_padavano

Yeah, you're right. I can see that more clearly when I zoom in. I can also see that there are non-OEM crimp connectors on the power wire to the coil. Someone's been messing with that wire. That black one should be the wire that runs to the R terminal on the starter solenoid. If it is pinched at the starter or touching the battery terminal on the solenoid, that can cause this problem.

And the harness routing and wire ties are still decidedly not stock, so someone has messed with the wiring.

oldcutlass

If the bypass wire that runs from the starter to the coil is crimped and shorted it will cause smoke, if it is touching the battery terminal on the starter the engine will not turn off. We know the harness has been messed with as the coil is on the firewall. The issue he is talking about is either caused by a bad alternator or some mod that was made IE, large aftermarket stereo.

joe_padavano

I meant "crimped against the battery cable" but was being lazy...