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Electrical load causes engine to die?

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  • Electrical load causes engine to die?

    OK, on my way home for the track the other night with the headlights on low when I would turn on the turn signal or step on the brakes the car would jerk and the RPM's would drop. It died once or twice on the way home, but it would fire right up when I cranked it over. When I was driving to the track with out head lights the turn signals didn't cause any problems, but when I would turn the vent fans on the car would jerk and then run fine. When I turned the vent fans off the car would jerk and then run fine again. If I recall correctly I turned my E-Fans on and off with and without the lights on and it did not cause the car to jerk or lose RPM. I had the stock alternator tested a couple weeks before that and it tested OK. I've considered upgrading to a Maxima alternator, but I wanted to run it by you guys before I throw money at it.
    1984 NA to T Digi-Dash, Morgan's Cam Gears @ -3, Team Green Air Filter, Top Mount Intercooler, Turbo XS Boost Controller, Greddy Type RS BOV, CM 3" Down Pipe, NGK Iridium Spark Plugs, and Maxima E-Fans.

    1984 NA 2+2 - New Project Solid Axle Rear - Former Best 1/4 mile 13.452 @105.77mph.

  • #2
    wow :shock:

    I thought my problem of no parking/running lights was an issue.

    Terrible idea putting those wheels on...

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    • #3
      It appears as if it was a bad ground situation. A buddy of mine suggested that I check all the grounds, that's when I noticed the ground point just above the battery was disconnected for some reason, so I took a wire wheel to the bracket and firewall so there was a good clean connection and bolted it in place. The car fired up and the volt gauge was more stable and closer to where I'd expect to see it for 14v. If I put a load on it like holding down on the power window buttons past when the windows are all the way down it puts a large load and the volt gauge starts to drop, but the car doesn't jerk or behave like it used to . Stupid me for not paying attention to that before, but it's nice to have that issue resolved.
      Attached Files
      1984 NA to T Digi-Dash, Morgan's Cam Gears @ -3, Team Green Air Filter, Top Mount Intercooler, Turbo XS Boost Controller, Greddy Type RS BOV, CM 3" Down Pipe, NGK Iridium Spark Plugs, and Maxima E-Fans.

      1984 NA 2+2 - New Project Solid Axle Rear - Former Best 1/4 mile 13.452 @105.77mph.

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      • #4
        Notes on the window switch load test......
        Based on the design of the window motor(rubber clutch type)...enough times holding the button down after the window is full up or down will wear out the rubber clutch and make for a window that needs assistance in going up.
        20 yrs of people doing this and the rubber drying out makes this a problem that many encounter with our cars.
        *Best if you practice to load the electrical system by using the lights, brake pedal, heater fan speed, stereo and merely rolling the window up.
        I am here to help...

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        • #5
          Could be a bad alternator. The last time mine went, the tach went lower and lower as the battery died. Any additional current draw caused the car to run rougher. The car ran worse and worse until it died. The car was running on the battery.
          Restore it, Don't crush it. They don't make them like this anymore.

          Scott
          85 Turbo, original owner, restored
          93 NA Babied


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          • #6
            Ya, I don't like stressing the window motors, track or clutch, but that was the only way I could generate an additional large load on the system. Just stepping on the brakes with the lights on and a turn signal on no longer produced the problem I was having so that was the only other thing I could easily use to put a load on the system to verify that the problem appeared to be resolved. I have no stereo, and I think I blew and or removed the fuse for the heater fan. The alternator passed the test bench at two different parts stores, and it appears to be handling things just fine now.
            1984 NA to T Digi-Dash, Morgan's Cam Gears @ -3, Team Green Air Filter, Top Mount Intercooler, Turbo XS Boost Controller, Greddy Type RS BOV, CM 3" Down Pipe, NGK Iridium Spark Plugs, and Maxima E-Fans.

            1984 NA 2+2 - New Project Solid Axle Rear - Former Best 1/4 mile 13.452 @105.77mph.

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