4kq shorted After-run relay

[Luis Marques <marques@raytheon.com>]

I had a little problem with my 4kq this last week when the temperatures
have been >100.  I was doing errands (with the A/C at 100% al the time)
and out of the blue the car wouldn't start.  The battery was dead. 
Someone was kind enough to give me a jump and I went straight home to
diagnose the problem.  It was puzzling since the car had been fine up to
that point, the alternator was charging, and I was sure I hadn't left
the lights or radio on.  Turns out that by some coincidence, the after
run fan kicked in right after I turned off the car.  And lo and behold,
the A/C keeps on blowing at hurricane speed.  The afterrun fan stops
running (because of the temperature sensor on the valve cover) and the
A/C turns off.  On comes the after-run fan, and on comes the A/C...

Apparently I had been leaving the A/C on whenever I parked while doing
the errands (assuming of course that the A/C could only work with the
ignition on - wrong) and when the after run fan kicked in, so did the
A/C, draining the battery.  So from there on I made sure the A/C was
turned off before parking the car.  When I finally had a chance to open
the after-run relay, I found evidence of overheating of the circuit
board and one of the solder joints partially reflowed and sorting
against another.  I fixed it as best I could and made sure there was no
solder bridging and cleaned the relay contacts.  Problem solved.  So
moral of the story is that if you think your after-run fan is draining
the battery, check your after-run relay.  It could also be powering
other things whenever the radiator fan kicks in.  

BTW, that Interstate battery (made by Johnson Controls) can take a
lickin' and keep on tickin'.  This is about the fifth time it is
discharged by one reason of the other.  A jump start and a 20 min. drive
later, it's as good as new.

-Luis Marques
'87 4kcsq