HELP! 86 Is doing crazy things
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Joined: Feb 2006
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From: Overland Park, everett Kansas, mass
HELP! 86 Is doing crazy things
Okay, heres the deal... I have a new alternator, battery, starter and Maf sensor installed on my car. Everything was fine until tonight. I drove the car for about 3 hours and all of a sudden I lost power to my radio and I noticed that the read out on the charging was 8.2 and my temp read out read 240. Got the car home (never stalled on me) and shut it off. I immediately went to start it and the battery clicked as if it was dead. I left the car alone.
2 hours later I go outside and the car starts right up as if it did nothing earlier and the charging is back up to 12.9-13.3(F....ing car is possesed). What in the world could be causing such a situation? Could it be an a bad ECM. I am totally lost here. Not even my mechanic can respond to this one.
2 hours later I go outside and the car starts right up as if it did nothing earlier and the charging is back up to 12.9-13.3(F....ing car is possesed). What in the world could be causing such a situation? Could it be an a bad ECM. I am totally lost here. Not even my mechanic can respond to this one.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2006
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From: Louisiana
Sounds like an alternator problem. Either a bad connection or faulty diodes. You can recheck the connections and have it tested. When you waited two hours did it sound as if the battery had been drained? If these items were just put on, It would be a good idea to check the connections. Did you install or a shop? Sometimes the nuts and bolts don't always get tightened.
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From: Overland Park, everett Kansas, mass
Originally Posted by RRT vette
Sounds like an alternator problem. Either a bad connection or faulty diodes. You can recheck the connections and have it tested. When you waited two hours did it sound as if the battery had been drained? If these items were just put on, It would be a good idea to check the connections. Did you install or a shop? Sometimes the nuts and bolts don't always get tightened.
My buddy's shop did it and no the battery sounded fine (kicked right over as if nothing had happened earlier).
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
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From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
It sounds like the alternator is stopping charging when it gets to its operating temperature. If so, you should notice the red battery symbol light come on on the dash. Then you are operating only on the battery and your dash voltmeter will slowly drop until the car won't run, usually slightly below 10 volts. A discharged battery when left to sit for an hour or two will recover enough to start your car and if the alternator cooled off, it too works normally. I would use a battery charger to charge your battery back up and if the battery light comes on at operating temp, make use of the alternator warranty.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2006
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From: One day you're a Comet...the next day you're dust... Arkansas
I went through this 2 weeks ago. Check all your alternator and battery connections at both ends and make sure they are tight. Slow charge your battery overnight. If it does it again it is probably the new alternator. If not they just didn't get things tight. In my case it was a slightly loose positive battery cable.
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From: Overland Park, everett Kansas, mass
Originally Posted by jfb
It sounds like the alternator is stopping charging when it gets to its operating temperature. If so, you should notice the red battery symbol light come on on the dash. Then you are operating only on the battery and your dash voltmeter will slowly drop until the car won't run, usually slightly below 10 volts. A discharged battery when left to sit for an hour or two will recover enough to start your car and if the alternator cooled off, it too works normally. I would use a battery charger to charge your battery back up and if the battery light comes on at operating temp, make use of the alternator warranty.
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From: Overland Park, everett Kansas, mass
Originally Posted by jfb
It sounds like the alternator is stopping charging when it gets to its operating temperature. If so, you should notice the red battery symbol light come on on the dash. Then you are operating only on the battery and your dash voltmeter will slowly drop until the car won't run, usually slightly below 10 volts. A discharged battery when left to sit for an hour or two will recover enough to start your car and if the alternator cooled off, it too works normally. I would use a battery charger to charge your battery back up and if the battery light comes on at operating temp, make use of the alternator warranty.
All was checked today and it seems fine now. Could it be the ECM that did this when it heats up? I am lost. I have to take this car on a 1500 mile run and can't because it doesn't seem reliable enough.
