Battery drain.. Kind of weird, anyone had anything similar

[Jb325is]

I need some help, my car has had a weird battery drain for a couple years. It's never mattered before because it always started, but now I'm running megasquirt, which will not provide spark with low voltage so I need to figure out whats going on. Basically, my car is always dead, but it always starts.. When I drive the car often its not too bad, but it takes 3-4 turns of the key (cranking ~10 seconds each time) before it starts and it turns over much slower than it should. It cranks over just as slow whether it sits overnight or just for a few minutes, but it always starts. If I leave it sitting for a few days there is nothing at all when I turn the key, but I do have accessories which seem normal. If I turn the key on and off a few times, the car will slowly come to life and eventually start but definitely cranking very slowly. If I start it with jumper cables it cranks as it should, but sitting on a battery tender overnight doesn't do anything.

Now, as far as causes, I know that it isn't the alternator or starter because it was exactly the same with the m20 and m30 and it has also done it with multiple batteries (has an optima red top now) Should I just get a voltmeter on the battery and see what it does fuse by fuse? Anyone had a similar problem before?

[jlevie]

It sounds like you have parastic drain that is running the battery down while the car is parked. You need to place an ammeter between the battery and the car and see what the draw is with the car off and all doors closed. It should be 30-60ma. If more, pull fuses one at a time to find the offending circuit. Once the circuit is mount you'll have to trouble shoot it to find the cause.