cigarette lighter makes engine miss

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Feb 15, 2018 | 04:39 PM

mwm3006

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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

Feb 15, 2018 | 04:51 PM

MelWff

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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?

Feb 15, 2018 | 05:05 PM

mwm3006

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I installed it. Old one didn't work. It's been about a year ago. If I recall it just had the one wire that connected to the bottom of unit. Don't remember seeing any ground wire.

Feb 15, 2018 | 05:22 PM

Big2Bird

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Quote:

Originally Posted by mwm3006

I installed it. Old one didn't work. It's been about a year ago. If I recall it just had the one wire that connected to the bottom of unit. Don't remember seeing any ground wire.

Without a good ground, the power thru the lighter took the path of least resistance.
My 81 has a ground wire to the light socket "barrel."

Feb 15, 2018 | 05:36 PM

mwm3006

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ok. thanks I'll check. Don't know why that would make engine start stumbling. Crazy

Feb 15, 2018 | 06:22 PM

lvmyvt76

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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.

Feb 15, 2018 | 08:04 PM

Richard454

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Big2Bird

Without a good ground, the power thru the lighter took the path of least resistance.
My 81 has a ground wire to the light socket "barrel."

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

Feb 16, 2018 | 07:07 AM

Easy Mike

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From: Southbound

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Quote:

Originally Posted by lvmyvt76

...ground wire is black with a very large ring on the end...

That depends on model year. Early cars use a spade terminal ground to the underside of the console trim plate.

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Feb 16, 2018 | 12:17 PM

MelWff

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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.

Feb 16, 2018 | 02:15 PM

#10

Tbone4432

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cig. lighter

Your car is telling you not to smoke.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mwm3006

Feb 16, 2018 | 05:36 PM

#11

derekderek

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From: SW Florida.

I was gonna say the same thing. Quit smoking. Or at least stop devaluing your car by making it suck up your second-hand smoke...

Feb 16, 2018 | 10:01 PM

#12

Duane4238

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From: Western New York

Yes, the spirits are speaking to you and telling you that you will soon have a miss, just like your engine, if you don't quit smoking.
Duane

Feb 17, 2018 | 06:38 AM

#13

derekderek

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From: SW Florida.

most likely the hot wire to the lighter is on the ignition circuit and too light for the load. but it is probably just fine for charging cell phones...

Feb 17, 2018 | 07:57 AM

#14

jimvette999

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From: Florida

I'm not a smoker, but if the guy wants to smoke, leave him alone. It's his car. He's already being told he can't smoke here, there, everywhere. It's supposed to be a free country.

Feb 17, 2018 | 08:08 AM

#15

Grumpy 427

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From: Regina Sk Canada

Quote:

Originally Posted by lvmyvt76

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!!!!!!!

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.

Feb 17, 2018 | 06:47 PM

#16

DUB

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From: Charlotte NC

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grumpy 427

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.

This is correct if it is a 1977 to 1982 with the plastic shift/console plates.

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

Feb 18, 2018 | 09:16 AM

#17

diehrd

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From: New York

Have you checked your ignition source supply ?

I wonder if someone feed the ignition off the lighter

Feb 18, 2018 | 05:52 PM

#18

DUB

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From: Charlotte NC

It appears that it is time to use an ohmmeter and checking circuits/wires.

DUB

Feb 20, 2018 | 11:17 AM

#19

nwav8tor

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From: Spokane, WA

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grumpy 427

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.

Maybe the ground ring was missing from the first lighter assembly...explaining why it didn't work in the first place

Feb 20, 2018 | 01:22 PM

#20

69Vett

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From: Austin Texas

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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.

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