I recently picked up a Pentax Espio140 point and shoot from a thrift shop and it looked like it was in mint condition. There was no scratches or imperfections whatsoever. When I put on a fresh CR123A battery, all the functions, including the zoom, flash and shutter worked perfectly.

But after ten shots through the roll, it started heating up in the battery compartment area and the camera got drained to the point that the camera would no longer turn on. I tested three more fresh batteries with it, and even in off mode, it just drains the hell out of them even when they're new batteries.

Is there a way to bypass this, or getting it fixed isn't even worth it at this point?

[UncleVanya]

I recently picked up a Pentax Espio140 point and shoot from a thrift shop and it looked like it was in mint condition. There was no scratches or imperfections whatsoever. When I put on a fresh CR123A battery, all the functions, including the zoom, flash and shutter worked perfectly.

But after ten shots through the roll, it started heating up in the battery compartment area and the camera got drained to the point that the camera would no longer turn on. I tested three more fresh batteries with it, and even in off mode, it just drains the hell out of them even when they're new batteries.

Is there a way to bypass this, or getting it fixed isn't even worth it at this point?

It sounds like a short somewhere. It might require deep level tinkering or it might be possible to find the issue quickly. A parts camera with cosmetic issues might serve as a donor. But it sounds like a problem.

Maybe you can put a small switch into the battery flow and cut it off between shots to avoid the rapid drain. It might require a little surgery to the compartment but it may allow some additional use without overheating.