"Phantom" Parasitic Draw.

[speedygonzales]

It is now clearer that you don't see the draw when you look for it. Because obviously a 2 milliamp draw is not near enough to do what you are experiencing. In fact I'll bet the 2 mill is from the radio, which again is normal.

You reiterated that you been replacing batteries every 2-3 years in response I assume to saying "the assumption is you have a good battery". Don't assume ANYTHING, particularly when it comes to replacement parts. Last fall I had a terrible missfire. I bought a Delco cap and rotor. The problem was the same. I had my neighbors shop look at it and it was the old AND the new cap were both bad. He got another cap and it was fixed. So don't assume anything about parts these days. Although you would assume at least one of the last 6 batteries you bought were ok. Anyway back to your problem.

My sister had a Suburban that would kill the battery in less than 2 days. When I put the ammeter in line to the battery the current would go high for about 2 minutes then would drop down from the highest point to a point that was still too high.

I knew from experience to start with audio equipment first and I pulled the radio fuse. When I reconnected the ammeter, the current again went way high for about 2 minutes and then dropped to an acceptable level. All was then good with the radio out of the circuit. My point here is something took 2 minutes to settle down. I assumed it was the PCM

Over the years I've been bitten when helping others because I assume certain things had already been checked. So I'm going to ask you:

What is the voltage across the battery when the engine is idling?

While you're there getting a reading, take a second reading from the ground lug of the battery to the output post of the alternator. If those 2 readings differ, take a 3rd reading from the outside case of the alternator to the output post of the alternator.

One other question I thought of: Does the problem get better when the battery is new and get worse as the battery ages?