Kai M. Radicke wrote:
> Bruno the TR6 has been put away until the next driving season now that I'm
> off at school. However, apparently in a last ditch effort to avoid being
> put into hibernation, Bruno decided to give me a handful of incidents last
> week.
>
> Earlier last week I attempted to put on a new sway bar, well that wouldn't
> have been any problem at all if I could have gotten my floor jack under the
> front cross member. The fact that I couldn't boggled my mind, as just days
> previous I had used the same jack at the same location without trouble.
> It's like the car decided to lower itself and give no reasons why.
> Solution: put some 2x4s infront of the wheels, drive up on those, then jack
> it up and secure properly with jackstands after removing 2x4s.
>
> All fine and dandy. So later in the week, as I'm getting ready to leave, I
> need to do shopping... lots of it. Three malls within 20minutes of home,
> and I made numerous trips to each. During one of my stops back home I
> notice a large egg shaped (at least 6" wide and 12" long) oil stain in the
> driveway where I had the car parked, and another in another location where I
> parked a different day. Hmmm. Start the car, let it idle and I watch for
> any drips... none. But I'm down a quart or so, so I throw one in... and
> check agian, nothing. I later determine that the oil is leaking out after
> the car is shutoff, as I find an oil spot in the mall parking lot which
> wasn't their before my arrival.
>
> Friday comes, the last day I have to drive the TR6. Forecast calls for
> rain - lots of it - but for the last few hours it has just been gray sky and
> drizzle. Make a run to the mall (again), and on the way back it starts to
> rain a bit heavier (top down of course, but not raining hard enough to get
> me too wet). Flip the wipers on, and the lights had already been on. I
> watch as the voltage meter dives below 12V. Hmmm... Make it home from that
> mall without incident. It stops raining by the time I reach home.
>
> In the meantime, I grab my multimeter and while the car is idling I check to
> see if the alternator is putting out any thing. It sure is, ~13.6 volts...
> rev the motor a bit, and it goes up slightly. Battery checks out at 12.55
> or so volts when the car is off (new battery, 2 months old).
>
> It is afternoon now, about four and a half hours before I leave, so I run
> over to my girlfriend's; pick her up and make one last trip to a different
> mall to purchase a few last minute items. As I arrive at her house, the
> drizzle turns a bit heavier and I decide to put the top up. Janine wanders
> out, and says "it's okay, it isn't that heavy... leave it down" (this is why
> I like her!). I realize that I have left my wallet at home, run back
> there... as I drive up the street and downshift into 2nd gear about 10
> meters from my drive way, the car dies, as if someone shut it off. I have
> enough momentum to pull the car into the driveway. I turn the key, it
> starts right up... I let it idle. (perhaps just dampness in the wires?)...
>
> Fine, so I'm back on the road now... wondering about all these little
> incidents that have happened this week (after the car being trouble free for
> so long). About half way to the mall, we get stopped at a long stoplight
> with at least 10 cars ahead of us, and it decides to POUR. We get soaked,
> light turns green... pull into a parking lot under a tree and put the top
> up. Janine survives without much waterlogging, but I, on the other hand, am
> now completely wet. Top up, lights on, wipers on, and now the heat and
> blower on also... in an attempt to at least dry out my pants (I carry an
> extra shirt and sweater in the car at all times, so I just took the wet ones
> off). Voltage meter dips even more. However, I do make it to the mall and
> end up parking a good 50yards from the entrance and I end up walking that
> distance in the pouring rain (I let Janine off before I parked), so now the
> dry clothes are wet also.
>
> Few hours later, and it is time to head home. Bruno starts willingly, flip
> on lights, heater / blower, and wipers... and hope to make it home. On the
> way back to Janines, as I turn into her street, Bruno dies once again. I
> realize I'm still moving so I throw it into 2nd and let up on the clutch
> pedal, and Bruno roars back to life... and I make it the 1/4 mile to her
> house. We say our goodbyes until we see each other again on break, and I
> head for home. I'm now just using the lights, the heater/blower is off, and
> I use the wipers only when I can't see anything in an effort to conserve
> what little energy I'm producing. I do make it home, and I'm 20 minutes
> late. I throw the car cover on Bruno, say good bye to him, and pray that he
> gets better magically.
>
> I am just so frustrated with the sudden problems that came up in those few
> days, and now I have to wait until I go back home before I can remedy them.
> I didn't even have enough time to find the oil leak properly. I also don't
> understand the issue with the voltage, as I replaced the regulator in the
> alternator in early June. Perhaps it is the guage, as all the electrical
> items I had running did run fine. As for the sudden dying while in transit,
> I have yet to figure that one out... I may chalk it up as weather related or
> perhaps (if my voltage was that low) the electronic ignition was
> malfunctioning.
>
> Sigh, life with a Triumph...
>
> --
> Kai M. Radicke -- kradick1@ic3.ithaca.edu
> Not the only misbehaving '74 TR6 on earth
Kai,
Perhaps that's just 'Bruno' showing his Italian - er, British temperament.
First I'd drive it again when everything dries out - amazing what water
gremlins do to
electrical stuff.
Also, IMHO that voltage at the battery seems a little low. Perhaps one of the
diodes
in the rectifier is shot. Alt. will still put out good voltage, but amperage
will be
reduced - possibly leading to the slow drain on the battery as witnessed by the
gauge. If there's someone close to where the car is, see if they can put a
battery
charger with current sensing switch on it. If everything's OK, charger should
shut
itself off in a few minutes. If charger stays on for longer, your alt. isn't
putting
out enough current to keep up.
Good luck!
100% Triumph content - sic Henry ;-) Also notice I resisted the temptation to
comment on Kai's avoidance of the wet T-shirt contest through his noble gesture
of
dropping off his girlfriend at the door to the mall so she wouldn't get wet. OK
- 95%
TR content. ;-)
Cheers!
Brian Schlorff '61 TR-4 '64 TR-4 '72 TR-6 '79 Spit
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