Help with getting my SRT up and healthy

"TheNeonDriver - Now with More BMW!" (streetrolledtechonolgy) 04/10/2015 at 19:49 • Filed to: Neon, SRT, SRT-4, Dead Battery

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Revived the Neon out of it's winter storage (Re: Outside)

The neon was stored like this all winter:

You may be thinking, "What in the sweet heck is this straight up mother fudger doing?!"
First, let me say, it's a Neon. Shells are $800. Second, it's my Neon with a body from 2004 and a roof from 2001. Third, relative humidity at these temperatures is almost nothing, and the final wax (and snow) should help protect the paint.

Moving on , I pulled dug it out from the snow bank it was in. As it was +15°C outside (59°F) yesterday afternoon. I put the battery in the car (I store it inside, as it's -40° outside most of the winter) and the car didn't even turn over. Great. Time for a new battery.

Off to Cambodian tire, grab new battery, put said new batty in. Now it looks like this:

Add some air to the tires, check the fluids and let it warm up. Awesome.

Not awesome, I tried to start it this morning, it had chewed thorough it's battery in once night.
Now I have to find the short. Or I left the lights on. Probably a short.

Anyone else chased shorts before? I have been reading I am to disconnect the battery and the positive terminal for the wiring harness (or negative), and then connect it (the car should be off) with a multimeter. Once you wait for all the PCM's to power down (~10min) you should read a relatively low amperage draw (0.05m amps for the neon). Much more, and then you start pulling fuses to see where the loss is.

If anyone has any advice, please let me know!

thebigbossyboss > TheNeonDriver - Now with More BMW! 04/10/2015 at 19:59

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Man you guys have a lot of snow!! Here in Ottawa the lawns are finally coming out. Whereabouts you at? NB? I dont have any advice on chasing shorts, but I am glad you also call it cambodian tire.

PS9 > TheNeonDriver - Now with More BMW! 04/10/2015 at 20:00

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Step 1: Start it

Step 2: Cry, because it's so cold fire doesn't work anymore.

JGrabowMSt > TheNeonDriver - Now with More BMW! 04/10/2015 at 20:02

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It's a Neon. Check all grounds, take them off, wire brush them, put them back on.

I had an SXT for 5 years, so yeah, plenty of problems, but somehow never had a battery drain problem like that.

Try pulling the radio forward and unplugging it, or try removing the multifunction switch (for the turn signals and headlights). The MFS can go bad and cause all sorts of problems (mine nearly caught fire).

But yeah, I would start with that and see what you can find.

TheNeonDriver - Now with More BMW! > thebigbossyboss 04/10/2015 at 20:11

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Yellowknife, NT

TheNeonDriver - Now with More BMW! > PS9 04/10/2015 at 20:11

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That was about 3 weeks ago, taken on a nice warm -15°C (5°F) day!

TheNeonDriver - Now with More BMW! > JGrabowMSt 04/10/2015 at 20:13

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I had to store this car for about a year after I rolled it, and the MFS was super corroded, and clicked like crazy. I took it apart and cleaned it, but I guess I may have to again.

I will have a look, perhaps there was current leaking to ground through it.

bob and john > TheNeonDriver - Now with More BMW! 04/10/2015 at 20:16

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God dam....not even I lived that far north.....

thebigbossyboss > TheNeonDriver - Now with More BMW! 04/10/2015 at 20:52

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COOL!!!!! That is awesome!! I would love to come visit yellowknife someday!!

How was your guy's winter? Here in Ottawa it barely got above -20C all Feb.

JGrabowMSt > TheNeonDriver - Now with More BMW! 04/10/2015 at 21:22

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You rolled it? Damn.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > TheNeonDriver - Now with More BMW! 04/10/2015 at 22:56

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My Neon had a bad relay in the power locks and they would just fire off continuously when it was cold and the car was sitting, killing the battery overnight. Take the fuse for the locks out and see if that fixes it.

TheNeonDriver - Now with More BMW! > JGrabowMSt 04/11/2015 at 14:02

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Learning how to race. Had an instructor in the passenger seat. Buffed right out! (of 2000 lx donor)

TheNeonDriver - Now with More BMW! > thebigbossyboss 04/11/2015 at 14:03

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It was a warm winter, with Feb. only getting down to -40C for 2 weeks, not the whole month!

TheNeonDriver - Now with More BMW! > JGrabowMSt 04/11/2015 at 14:35

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We have a winner!! Bad grounds it was. Congratulations JGrabowMSt on your intimate knowledge of both electrons and Neons!

thebigbossyboss > TheNeonDriver - Now with More BMW! 04/11/2015 at 16:17

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oh wow. Here it was much colder than average, for us, the coldest Feb in 115 years, and the avg temperature was -16C. Below -20C most mornings.