Electrical problem

7000rpmisheaven · 09-05-2002, 07:53 AM

I went to go to work this morning and the car wouldn't start. Tried to turn over but didn't have enough juice. I gave it a jump start and it started right up. It ran ok but nothing else was working. No radio, no air controls (heat, AC), no blinkers, no headlights, no interior lights, no power windows, no power door locks. The temp, fuel level and oil pressure guages weren't working either. The only thing working was the Speedometer and the tach. Anybody got any ideas about what it could be or where I should start looking first.

Maroon 5.0 LX · 09-05-2002, 08:09 AM

First thing to check is the terminals at the battery and make sure they're clean and tight. If it's not a sealed battery, check fluid level. How old is the battery? Evidently, the alternator is OK, else it probably wouldn't keep running. Take the battery and have a load check performed. It sounds like a shorted cell in the battery.

7000rpmisheaven · 09-05-2002, 08:16 AM

Ok I will see about having that checked. The battery is about a year old. Could a bad voltage regulator cause something like this. On my 85 the alternator and the regulator are seperate.

Maroon 5.0 LX · 09-05-2002, 08:56 AM

It sure could. Best thing probably, jump start your car and get to a battery store, Sears, Auto Zone, Pep Boys, etc. They will check your battery and charging system, usually for free.

EDIT: You should probably take it back to where you bought the battery if they're local. If it's just a year old, it should still be under warranty.

bigblockcoupe · 09-05-2002, 09:22 AM

sounds like a dead cell and it should be covered by warranty since it's only a year old goto wherever you bought it and have them test it.

7000rpmisheaven · 09-05-2002, 12:24 PM

I just went during my lunch break and got the battery tested and it was good.

bigblockcoupe · 09-05-2002, 01:05 PM

how did they test it did they actually test the amperage or just test for voltage. it could still show 12+volts with a dead cell but won't have enough amperage to turn over the car. still after it started you should have been able to use the lights and stuff even if it was just running off the alternator. it seems like this same thing happened to me once but i can't remember what was the cause let me think about it for a little bit.

7000rpmisheaven · 09-05-2002, 01:15 PM

Well they hooked it up to this machine that seemed to do a couple of tests. It had to sit and charge for the last test, it was a "heavy load" I don't really know much about the battery testing but after the heavy load test it said that it was good.

7000rpmisheaven · 09-05-2002, 01:40 PM

Somebody suggeste ignition switch and I found that they are only 9.00 bucks. I think I will go ahead and replace cause theres no telling how old the one in there is. Plus even if it does't then I know the problem is something else. Where is it located? Up under the dash like where the fuses are. What do i have to do to replace it. Just unplug the old one and plug the new one in?

09-05-2002, 01:57 PM

I'd get a new voltage regulator before trying anything else. I used to have an '84 GT and had to replace the voltage regulator in it. It's been many years since then...but I'm pretty sure the symptoms were similar to yours. Let us know what it ends up being.

7000rpmisheaven · 09-06-2002, 06:57 AM

Here's an update. I went to autozone last night to have my alternator tested. But when I went to take the alternator out I pulled the first two wires off the back then went to pull the one big wire at the bottom off but it wasn't there. I don't know how I missed it before. The wire was laying down behind the alternator but it didn't just come loose. The post on the alternator that it was connected to melted off.

So I replaced the alternator. I was hopeing that my problems were caused by that wire not being connected but they weren't. On my way to work this morning all the electrical stuff started to die off until I had no power to anything again.

09-06-2002, 02:27 PM

Try putting in a new voltage regulator.

7000rpmisheaven · 09-07-2002, 08:27 AM

I put in a new voltage regulator and a new ignition switch. I spent about ten minutes charging the battery off another car and then it started right up. After about five minutes of idling everything started to loose power again. The guages drop down to zero and the radio started to flicker on and off. So I have a new alternator, a battery that was tested as good, a new voltage regulator and a new ignition switch. I realize now that I am going to have to do more testing to figure out where the problem is but I am not sure where to start. I guess I will start with the alternator. I'm not sure it is hooked up right but I will try and figure it out today.

Maroon 5.0 LX · 09-07-2002, 09:26 AM

7000rpmisheaven

Did you follow the wire that was disconnected from the alternator that was burned off? That may be shorted somewhere in the harness. I'm not sure if you have fuse links in your car, but a shop manual should show their locations.

You should also charge your battery with a charger. Could be that the battery being so low is just putting an extra load on the system and the alt/reg can't handle it.

Years ago when I lived in that area, there was a place called Gaithersburg Speedometer (I think). They did speedometer and electrical work. They were GOOD at what they did. Maybe want to see if they're still around.

PKRWUD · 09-07-2002, 10:55 AM

Check for continuity between that single wire and the pos battery post.

Hozer 88GTConv · 09-08-2002, 10:27 AM

I agree with the continuity check...
Specifically, The GREEN wire with the RED Stripe switches accessory power from 12vdc battery to your alternator when the ignition module recieves a pulse. It sounds like your alternator might not be taking the load when it should.
I would ensure that this harness is installed correctly and is free from corrossion.
If, at idle, you activate all of your accessories and you see an appreciable decrease in amperage, I would suspect the harness especially since you have replaced a lot of components.
Good Luck.

7000rpmisheaven · 09-09-2002, 07:06 AM

Well Its fixed. Thanks for all the help everyone. I started tracing some wires and found that the big wire on the the back of the alternaotr had wiggled itself loose. I also found that the connector that plugs into the voltage regulator was in very poor condition. I replaced this connector and tightedned that wire down tight and everything seems to work fine now.

PKRWUD · 09-09-2002, 07:42 AM

But wait, I can get you a great deal on a slightly used Pinto...

Take care,
~Chris

Maroon 5.0 LX · 09-09-2002, 08:01 AM

Glad you got it fixed, now you can relax until the next problem rears it's ugly head.

Just think, all the experience you got checking out an electrical problem...LOL

mpj76 · 09-09-2002, 01:24 PM

Just a wild guess...Is your ground well connected? I've had my car do some really weird electrical stuff after I forgot to tighten down the ground wire to the block after replacing the front cover. The car would start but other stuff didn't work so great.

09-05-2002, 07:53 AM	#1
7000rpmisheaven Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: germantown MD Posts: 283	Electrical problem I went to go to work this morning and the car wouldn't start. Tried to turn over but didn't have enough juice. I gave it a jump start and it started right up. It ran ok but nothing else was working. No radio, no air controls (heat, AC), no blinkers, no headlights, no interior lights, no power windows, no power door locks. The temp, fuel level and oil pressure guages weren't working either. The only thing working was the Speedometer and the tach. Anybody got any ideas about what it could be or where I should start looking first. __________________ 85 GT 4bbl roller cam 2 ch. Flowmasters, O/R H-pipe Performer intake and carb milodon water pump, FMS 9mm wires, aluminum driveshaft, king cobra clutch

09-05-2002, 08:09 AM	#2
Maroon 5.0 LX Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Southern Maryland Posts: 471	First thing to check is the terminals at the battery and make sure they're clean and tight. If it's not a sealed battery, check fluid level. How old is the battery? Evidently, the alternator is OK, else it probably wouldn't keep running. Take the battery and have a load check performed. It sounds like a shorted cell in the battery. __________________ '89 LX 5.0 - 5 speed. Original Owner '94 E-150 4.9 Hi-Top Conversion Van '06 Mustang V-6, 5 speed

09-05-2002, 08:16 AM	#3
7000rpmisheaven Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: germantown MD Posts: 283	Ok I will see about having that checked. The battery is about a year old. Could a bad voltage regulator cause something like this. On my 85 the alternator and the regulator are seperate. __________________ 85 GT 4bbl roller cam 2 ch. Flowmasters, O/R H-pipe Performer intake and carb milodon water pump, FMS 9mm wires, aluminum driveshaft, king cobra clutch

09-05-2002, 08:56 AM	#4
Maroon 5.0 LX Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Southern Maryland Posts: 471	It sure could. Best thing probably, jump start your car and get to a battery store, Sears, Auto Zone, Pep Boys, etc. They will check your battery and charging system, usually for free. EDIT: You should probably take it back to where you bought the battery if they're local. If it's just a year old, it should still be under warranty. __________________ '89 LX 5.0 - 5 speed. Original Owner '94 E-150 4.9 Hi-Top Conversion Van '06 Mustang V-6, 5 speed

09-05-2002, 09:22 AM	#5
bigblockcoupe Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: broken arrow Posts: 212	sounds like a dead cell and it should be covered by warranty since it's only a year old goto wherever you bought it and have them test it. __________________ Rice Haters Club member #68 '93 Cobra 10.20@135 '89 Gt Coupe 12.20@115

09-05-2002, 12:24 PM	#6
7000rpmisheaven Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: germantown MD Posts: 283	I just went during my lunch break and got the battery tested and it was good. __________________ 85 GT 4bbl roller cam 2 ch. Flowmasters, O/R H-pipe Performer intake and carb milodon water pump, FMS 9mm wires, aluminum driveshaft, king cobra clutch

09-05-2002, 01:05 PM	#7
bigblockcoupe Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: broken arrow Posts: 212	how did they test it did they actually test the amperage or just test for voltage. it could still show 12+volts with a dead cell but won't have enough amperage to turn over the car. still after it started you should have been able to use the lights and stuff even if it was just running off the alternator. it seems like this same thing happened to me once but i can't remember what was the cause let me think about it for a little bit. __________________ Rice Haters Club member #68 '93 Cobra 10.20@135 '89 Gt Coupe 12.20@115

09-05-2002, 01:15 PM	#8
7000rpmisheaven Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: germantown MD Posts: 283	Well they hooked it up to this machine that seemed to do a couple of tests. It had to sit and charge for the last test, it was a "heavy load" I don't really know much about the battery testing but after the heavy load test it said that it was good. __________________ 85 GT 4bbl roller cam 2 ch. Flowmasters, O/R H-pipe Performer intake and carb milodon water pump, FMS 9mm wires, aluminum driveshaft, king cobra clutch

09-05-2002, 01:40 PM	#9
7000rpmisheaven Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: germantown MD Posts: 283	Somebody suggeste ignition switch and I found that they are only 9.00 bucks. I think I will go ahead and replace cause theres no telling how old the one in there is. Plus even if it does't then I know the problem is something else. Where is it located? Up under the dash like where the fuses are. What do i have to do to replace it. Just unplug the old one and plug the new one in? __________________ 85 GT 4bbl roller cam 2 ch. Flowmasters, O/R H-pipe Performer intake and carb milodon water pump, FMS 9mm wires, aluminum driveshaft, king cobra clutch

09-05-2002, 01:57 PM	#10
Simi Stang Guest Posts: n/a	electrical problems I'd get a new voltage regulator before trying anything else. I used to have an '84 GT and had to replace the voltage regulator in it. It's been many years since then...but I'm pretty sure the symptoms were similar to yours. Let us know what it ends up being.

09-06-2002, 06:57 AM	#11
7000rpmisheaven Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: germantown MD Posts: 283	Here's an update. I went to autozone last night to have my alternator tested. But when I went to take the alternator out I pulled the first two wires off the back then went to pull the one big wire at the bottom off but it wasn't there. I don't know how I missed it before. The wire was laying down behind the alternator but it didn't just come loose. The post on the alternator that it was connected to melted off. So I replaced the alternator. I was hopeing that my problems were caused by that wire not being connected but they weren't. On my way to work this morning all the electrical stuff started to die off until I had no power to anything again. __________________ 85 GT 4bbl roller cam 2 ch. Flowmasters, O/R H-pipe Performer intake and carb milodon water pump, FMS 9mm wires, aluminum driveshaft, king cobra clutch

09-06-2002, 02:27 PM	#12
Simi Stang Guest Posts: n/a	voltage reg. Try putting in a new voltage regulator.

09-07-2002, 08:27 AM	#13
7000rpmisheaven Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: germantown MD Posts: 283	I put in a new voltage regulator and a new ignition switch. I spent about ten minutes charging the battery off another car and then it started right up. After about five minutes of idling everything started to loose power again. The guages drop down to zero and the radio started to flicker on and off. So I have a new alternator, a battery that was tested as good, a new voltage regulator and a new ignition switch. I realize now that I am going to have to do more testing to figure out where the problem is but I am not sure where to start. I guess I will start with the alternator. I'm not sure it is hooked up right but I will try and figure it out today. __________________ 85 GT 4bbl roller cam 2 ch. Flowmasters, O/R H-pipe Performer intake and carb milodon water pump, FMS 9mm wires, aluminum driveshaft, king cobra clutch

09-07-2002, 09:26 AM	#14
Maroon 5.0 LX Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Southern Maryland Posts: 471	7000rpmisheaven Did you follow the wire that was disconnected from the alternator that was burned off? That may be shorted somewhere in the harness. I'm not sure if you have fuse links in your car, but a shop manual should show their locations. You should also charge your battery with a charger. Could be that the battery being so low is just putting an extra load on the system and the alt/reg can't handle it. Years ago when I lived in that area, there was a place called Gaithersburg Speedometer (I think). They did speedometer and electrical work. They were GOOD at what they did. Maybe want to see if they're still around. __________________ '89 LX 5.0 - 5 speed. Original Owner '94 E-150 4.9 Hi-Top Conversion Van '06 Mustang V-6, 5 speed Last edited by Maroon 5.0 LX; 09-07-2002 at 09:31 AM..

09-07-2002, 10:55 AM	#15
PKRWUD Junior Member Join Date: Mar 1999 Location: Ventura, California Posts: 8,981	Check for continuity between that single wire and the pos battery post. __________________ Webmaster: Rice Haters Club Jim Porter Racing Peckerwoods Pit Stop Support Your Local RED & WHITE!

09-08-2002, 10:27 AM	#16
Hozer 88GTConv Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Jacksonville, FL Posts: 706	Continuity.... I agree with the continuity check... Specifically, The GREEN wire with the RED Stripe switches accessory power from 12vdc battery to your alternator when the ignition module recieves a pulse. It sounds like your alternator might not be taking the load when it should. I would ensure that this harness is installed correctly and is free from corrossion. If, at idle, you activate all of your accessories and you see an appreciable decrease in amperage, I would suspect the harness especially since you have replaced a lot of components. Good Luck. __________________ 1988 GT Convertible 331 10:1 TW heads, GT-40 intake, MSD, TRW flattops, B Cam w/ 1.7's, MAC exhaust, 24's, 70 TB, 76 MAF, 3.73's, Pro 5.0, Koni's, Anderson PMS, Wideband 02, yatta, yatta... One week with new motor, two speeding tickets...joy

09-09-2002, 07:06 AM	#17
7000rpmisheaven Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: germantown MD Posts: 283	Well Its fixed. Thanks for all the help everyone. I started tracing some wires and found that the big wire on the the back of the alternaotr had wiggled itself loose. I also found that the connector that plugs into the voltage regulator was in very poor condition. I replaced this connector and tightedned that wire down tight and everything seems to work fine now. __________________ 85 GT 4bbl roller cam 2 ch. Flowmasters, O/R H-pipe Performer intake and carb milodon water pump, FMS 9mm wires, aluminum driveshaft, king cobra clutch

09-09-2002, 07:42 AM	#18
PKRWUD Junior Member Join Date: Mar 1999 Location: Ventura, California Posts: 8,981	But wait, I can get you a great deal on a slightly used Pinto... Take care, ~Chris __________________ Webmaster: Rice Haters Club Jim Porter Racing Peckerwoods Pit Stop Support Your Local RED & WHITE!

09-09-2002, 08:01 AM	#19
Maroon 5.0 LX Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Southern Maryland Posts: 471	Glad you got it fixed, now you can relax until the next problem rears it's ugly head. Just think, all the experience you got checking out an electrical problem...LOL __________________ '89 LX 5.0 - 5 speed. Original Owner '94 E-150 4.9 Hi-Top Conversion Van '06 Mustang V-6, 5 speed

09-09-2002, 01:24 PM	#20
mpj76 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 158	Just a wild guess...Is your ground well connected? I've had my car do some really weird electrical stuff after I forgot to tighten down the ground wire to the block after replacing the front cover. The car would start but other stuff didn't work so great.

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