I would check the voltage stabilizer. John Sullivan
-----Original Message-----
From: Riveting Images [mailto:kerry@riveting-images.com]
Sent: Friday, June 29, 2001 3:20 PM
Cc: 6pack@autox.team.net
Subject: Strange electrical problem
Let em begin by saying I have Dan Master's book and it is excellant but this
problem escapes me - at least so far.
Last Fall on my way home from the Trials my volt gauge showed low voltage
(12) at the same time my temperature gauge - usually sitting squarely at
mid-scale - climbed to the 3/4 mark.
For a few weeks I beleived I had two different problems and replaced my
alternator (GM) after a NAPA guy told me my regulator was bad. No change was
noted with the new alternator.
Then one day I realized my volt gauge dropped and my temp gauge climbed when
I turned the headlights on. Turning them off would restore normal voltage
and a normal temperature reading. My next step was to put a Fluke
temperature sensor on my thermostat housing and compare measured temps with
indicated temps. What I found was my temp stayed steady at 170 degrees even
as my dash gauge showed it climbing over the 3/4 mark.
OK, now I know my cooling system is fine, so what's causing the high temp
reading when my headlights are on?
Fast forward to this Spring. My headlight wiring goes up in smoke and I
replace the following components with brand new ones:
Main wiring harness
headlamp switch
positive battery cable
headlamp pigtails
For now I don't have a high/low beam switch installed due to cost, so I have
the low beams wired to be on when the headlights are on, and am forgoing
high-beams at this time.
I figured with all this "new stuff" my problem, whatever it was, should be
gone, and it was, at first, but now it's back to its old tricks. With no
lights on at all I see 14 volts and "normal" temperature readings. With just
the running lights on I see a volt gauge indication of 13 to 13.5v and a
temp reading of slightly over half. With headlights on I see volts down to
12 (sometimes rising back up to 12.5) and a temp reading of 3/4.
To make matters slightly more confusing, the temp gauge sometimes reads
correctly at half scale if I'm on a longer drive (a few miles vs. a few
blocks).
More things you should know:
My car has PO installed Halogen headlights - too much for the electrical
system?
My front running lights and side marker lights are the only "old" wiring in
the headlight system and I've yet to disconnect all four lights and see if
the problem still exists.
I just had my battery and charging system checked at Batteries Plus and they
checked out OK
My negative battery cable is not new, but is clean and in good repair
I can turn on all electrical goodies even when the volt gauge shows 12 volts
and still get good performance from the windshield wipers (a good visual
source of alternator output).
I've run some of Dan Master's test with my multi-meter and haven't found
anything real concrete. My volt gauge seems accurate.
Now, some specific questions:
Ground wires:
What does the wire that goes to the steering box ground?
What does the double ground wire (by the positive battery cable) that goes
to a metal tab on the body ground?
Why is my car doing this to me? I've lavished it with gifts the last three
years.
Does anyone have any ideas?
I'm going to try to do some detailed troubleshooting this weekend and any
hints, tips, suggestions or offers to purchase are welcome! I'm getting
tired of "troubleshhoting" drives and just want to drive the car and enjoy
the sights and sounds - not concentrate on what the heck is going on in my
electrical system
Thanks for listening
Kerry Fores
Editor
6-PACK
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