I disconnected my negative battery cable to check for a short. I left the positive connected.

I was getting a voltage reading from the negative terminal to the negative cable no matter what I did.

So I checked my readings on other things like negative terminal to ground

I get voltage from the negative terminal to ground

I get nothing from positive terminal to ground.

If I disconnect both cables I get nothing from the Pos. terminal to ground, and nothing from the neg. terminal to ground.:confused:

Help I'm lost :crazy:

Thanks....

This is a guess at best,would you happen to have a radio with a digital read for clock?If not,maybe if you have a hei ingition,this could have something to do with it.If you have an amp or pre amp for your radio,some of these have capacitors in that can store some voltage in them,at times.It sounds like a low voltage drain from some electronic device.You might try a test between the battery ground to the frame and then the battery ground to engine,and check you engine ground straps for good connection.Last thing I would would be to chase down head and tail light circuts,this isn't much fun,so thats the last thing I would try.

I have both a digital stereo, and a HEI.
My problems started when I installed the stereo, so I thought that was it until I unplugged it and still got voltage coming back from the negative. That's when I started looking around.
I also installed a original steering wheel at the same time with a non functioning horn but had trouble figuring which fuse went to it. I'll look harder tomorrow, I ran out of light today, Thanks for the help.

It's pretty simple really. The short from the positive to ground makes the ground positive and the negative cable becomes an extension of the positive terminal. When you check the voltage potential between the battery negative post and the battery negative cable you read volts and when you dixconnect the positive cable it removes the positive polarity so you no longer see either pos or neg polarity. Two things to remember, a short is a direct connection between positive and negative which usually results in blown fuses or fusible links and the other is constant draw which drains the battery, i.e. lights left on,electric choke wired to always hot source, or the horn wire grounded.
There are a number of others. I had a feeling you had a horn wire problem since this is a common current draw on these trucks. Most guys just disconnect the horn and think, problem solved-wrong, the horn wire energizes the horn relay which will draw a small amount of current and if left for a long enough time will discharge the battery. This may not be your problem but it could be. One thing to check is does the key switch position make a difference? The key will isolate anything that needs positive voltage from the stuff that works with the key on or off, like the horn, brakes lights etc. Hope you get it figured out. VV