Hey Folks!
Recently bought a '98 Ranger 4x4 3.0 V6
Last couple months had issues with battery not holding charge or draining power somewhere.

Went to O'reilly's told me it was a bad voltage regulator, so I put a new alternator in. That didn't help.
This week I put in a new starter (old one was barely turning the engine and my mechanic friend told me it's draining it)
Also exchanged the alternator under warranty and put a new battery in it.
Checked the voltage from battery and from the + on the alternator and the alternator plug. All checks out, all shows the same voltage so it's not the fusible links
The 7.5amp fuse under the dash is good too.
I have to jump it every time I need to drive somewhere and it's a huge pain.
I'm thinking there's a power drainage somewhere but how do I find one?
Any suggestions?

Thanks!

 

Welcome to the forum

First lets see if you have a "parasitic draw" that drains the battery
After driving vehicle for 20min or so, shut it off and disconnect 1 battery cable
Let it sit for 8+ hours, or day or so, what ever time it took before to "drain the battery"
Reconnect battery and see if it starts OK
If so then yes you have a "parasitic drain"

If it still doesn't start then charging system or "new" battery is bad

You need a volt/amp meter to test more in either case

If engine starts fine after sitting 8+ hours then disconnect battery cable again, either one, and set meter to AMPS, connect meter to open battery terminal and to the end of the cable for that terminal, key should be OFF and in your pocket, lol.
Make sure doors are closed and dome light is off
Ranger has a "battery saver relay" that takes about 20-30 min to "open"/disconnect, so you have to wait, WRITE DOWN amp meters number now

See if you have an "Open Hood light", many vehicles do, disconnect the wire for that while testing, also check it's switch to make sure it goes off when hood is closed
Walk around the vehicle, look at the lights, closely, a glow is all it takes, corroded trailer light wiring can drain battery

Spec amp draw after 30min is .03-.07 amps, that is the power needed for radio preset/clock, computer memory, GEM and Keyless entry(GEM and keyless entry needs to be "aware", so it can respond to key fobs)
Before GEM opens Battery Saver Relay amp draw will be higher

If amp draw doesn't drop after 40min then could be battery saver relay is bad, they moved this around over the years but it will be in the cab under the dash, see if you can find it by googling 1998 ranger

If it drops but is still high then start by pulling fuses in Engine fuse box first, that can narrow down what circuits you need to test further
Power distribution below
"I/P" is the cab fuse box

 

Thanks Ron.

So in the middle of digging under the hood my brother in law just found a loose ground from the body to the engine mass.
No idea how it got loose. I was driving it for a couple months before without that issue.
We bolted it back on and it runs like new.
Just have to make sure all your ground wires are solid and attached properly

Now on to the t-case issue!

 

Good work

Thanks for posting the update and the FIX