I have a 1986 Dodge Ram Van (318).

I have had it for 2 years. When I bought it, there was only one thing wrong with it--you had to remove a fuse (from the glove compartment) if you wanted to have the van not running for a while (a week or couple weeks, maybe). Otherwise, the battery would die. No problem, I just took it out when I was leaving the van parked.

Used the van a lot, and no problems.

Then my battery died a month or so ago. I tried jumping/charging it, but it just died again. It was an old battery. I replaced it with a good new one.

The battery died.

I took it in to the shop the other day, and they spent a long time (not a familiar shop, unfortunately) looking for the draw, and when I told them about the fuse-draw issue, they said, "No, it couldn't be that." However, an hour or so later, they came back and said it was the fuse. I had to remove a fuse to keep it from dying, they said. It was the #7 fuse (beside the other one, I think). I removed both fuses.

The van started fine a few days later, but after driving it around a lot that day, I parked it, and the next day the van was dead. It jumps easy, but obviously the problem is not fixed.

Here is the other thing: the door locks (power, but you can pull them up as well) were all stuck. Couldn't unlock the front doors (only the side door--not electric). Even from inside. I jumped the van, and while she was running, I tried pulling up on the lock. This shut off the van!

Any ideas?

Thanks,

DB

 

Sounds like the door lock switch is stuck and keeping the solenoids energized all the time.

 

it should be easy enough to take off one door panel and ID the wires that feed the door lock mechanism... cut the leads making the electrical locks non-functional and no longer a draw on the battery. That may not be all that it needs, but it is a start.