Electrical issues....

[pickuprover]

Ok so the starter worked fine yesterday, got in today, it started right up... Then after about 5 minutes of warming up, well it just sputtered and died. Tested the battery (as there were no lights on the dash working.....) and it was at about 3 volts. So I undid the negative (easily done now since the shutoff was installed.) and in about 5 seconds, back up to 11 volts. So I put the amp meter on it and sure enough a 7 volt draw.... As I started to start isolating elecrtical components to see where this draw might be (removed all the fuses, no change). When I finally got to the point where I looked at the starter selenoid, I pulled all the wires off the selenoid except the positve from the battery and the red/white wire from the ignition switch. With the red/white wire on from the ignition switch on it's post the draw is there, when you remove it, the draw is not. Switched to a spare selenoid, same thing. So here is the big question for all the electircal wizards. How do I tell if it is the wire or the switch that is shorting out, or are both my selenoids shorting out? I do not understand how with no other wires on the selenoid other than the positve cable from the battery and the white/red wire from the switch that there could be a draw. How is the red/White wire getting power to create a draw? If anyone has any ideas, right now they would be greatly appreciated, I am stumped with this one.

[Bogatyr]

pickuprover,
That solenoid should be grounded to the firewall right? Do you have clean metal contact and di-electric grease in place?

[Greg S]

I'd guess the white wire is feeding to something through the ignition switch.

[KevinNY]

Do you have a wiring schematic?

[pickuprover]

Opps sorry guys forgot to post the solution.... turns out that the ignition switch was pooched, causing the starter wire to to be energised, which in turn energised the selenoid, which was shorted out inside. The main draw was actually out through the points. Since the selenoid was poched, it was backfeeding the ignition switch, which then powered the complete ignition system including the points, which were closed, causing the massive draw. It took a while, but got it sorted. Now all I need to do is get the starter working, and I can renew my gym membership. Oh and I have a puch button starter switch now, since I do not feel like paying for a new ignition switch right now.... cheers.