cigarette lighter makes engine miss
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 101
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cigarette lighter makes engine miss
Pushed in my new cigarette lighter while driving down the road. Car started missing really bad. also heard heater blower come on. Limped car back to house. Afraid to push lighter in again. Any clue to what this would be. Thanks
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
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How about some more details, did you install the lighter or someone did it for you?
When it was installed did someone not reconnect a ground wire in the console?
What is the reading on your volt meter or amp meter with and without the light engaged?
When it was installed did someone not reconnect a ground wire in the console?
What is the reading on your volt meter or amp meter with and without the light engaged?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2006
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My 81 has a ground wire to the light socket "barrel."
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 2,753
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From: Springfield Missouri
ground wire is black with a very large ring on the end(on a 76) that goes around the cylinder barrel of the lighter(have to unscrew the barrel to put on & off.) Allan we need pictures!!!!!!!
Last edited by lvmyvt76; Feb 16, 2018 at 08:59 AM.
Le Mans Master
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From: Fernandina Beach FL
2023 Restomod of the Year finalist
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However it will also take ALL paths-
Did the lighter pop back out?
The cigarette lighter is a coil of metal- when you push it in- it shorts out the metal- till it glows red hot. When it heats up a bi-metal strip, it releases so a spring pops it back out. So it's basically a controlled short circuit.
Richard
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Race Director
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you didnt answer the question about your charging system, if the load from the lighter is sufficient to cause a miss I would check the output voltage of the alternator in addition to the possible ground.
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2014
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cig. lighter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2008
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From: Regina Sk Canada
Yes you cant miss the large ground ring when you took it apart. Unless its been taken apart before and wasn't there. Ether way don't beat yourself up over it.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2009
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From: Charlotte NC
If it is a Corvette with the metal shift plate...that large ground ring is not used and the ground is attached to the AC/heater controls in most cases.
DUB
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missing ground ring on Lighter.
No electronics work with a single wire connection.
all electronics require power +12volts, and ground.
you might get lucky and it work sort of, but not correctly.
No electronics work with a single wire connection.
all electronics require power +12volts, and ground.
you might get lucky and it work sort of, but not correctly.