week of BIG problems...

[1bluez32]

Recently i experienced problems with my charging system.
Day 1. I was driving, and i notice that my dash lights are dim and subs sound weak. I pull into a gas station, and my z cuts off, rolling to a stop. I try to start it back up, and my battery is dead. I assume the worst, the alternator, but when I get a jump, the car runs fine.
Day 2. I wake up in the morning, go to work and change my battery, since it tested weak. while installing the battery, i hit the plenum with the wrench while its connected to the positive terminal, and sparks fly everywhere. cautious, I test the alternator and battery, and both check out. Later that day I'm driving to work, and as I merge into the highway, my car cuts off. Being a standard shift, I shift into fourth out of fifth, and pop the clutch, bump-starting the car. less than 2 seconds later, it cuts off again, and I bump start it again. this happens every few seconds for the whole drive to work, and when I finally got to work, I checked my alternator, and it was kicking out almost 16 volts. Immediately, I assume the sparks from earlier caused the regulator to go bad. I change the alternator, and my mechanic helping me notices the alternator pigtail is fried. I quick fix it with some quick connectors, until i can get another pigtail. problem solved.

Day 3. I wake up in the morning, and when I start the car to go to class, the car won't start. Not the battery 'tick', but a sound like the battery was just not releasing the power. I get a jump, go to work, check the battery and new alternator, and they check out, alternator at 14.3 volts.

Day 4 (today). Morning, same problem, except this time, the battery is completely dead. no lights, no beeping, nothing. i get a jump again, and I go to work, check the battery and alternator, and both check out again.

I must say, I have no idea what's going on. Also, I bought a starter, thinking that it might be going out, but when I got to changing it, I get under there and realize that my starter is held on by one nut, and no bolt. it's terribly off center, and I have to find a way to figure out what i'm going to do about that before I install the new starter. Any ideas???

[BusyBadger]

Moved from Z33 Technical.

[marty1mc]

Well, first off, put this next statement in your memory and NEVER forget it. "Whenever working on the electical system, always remove the ground from the negative battery terminal first and put it back on last!"

Second, have you checked your grounds? Look at the ground on the battery, the back of the motor and on the firewall. Make sure all of those connections are in good condition and have good contact.

Your starter is probably only being held on by one bolt on the stud in the transmission. It is common for folks (butchers, mechanics, and other types) to strip out the bolt hole for the bolt in the transmission. If the bolt won't tighten, but spins when it gets close to snug, then it's stripped. It's an easy fix, but you have to heli-coil the hole to get the starter to fit. If the casting broke on the starter, then you will need a new starter and the heli-coil fix.

[1bluez32]

Won't be doing that again .... negative always goes on last.

Anyway - I traced the problem to being an issue with the vehicle draining the battery overnight. I checked the main battery fuse to make sure that it wasn't fried from the F*ck up I made, and to my knowledge, its fine. I know I need to start tracing wires to figure out where the drain is, but I don't even know where to start..

[marty1mc]

well, start by pulling each of the fusible links and the wire off the starter. (tape the wire from the starter). That should pretty much isolate the battery. Then start by hooking up the starter and see if when you rehook up the negative, you get a spark. You can also use a current meter (most small DVM's have a 10A setting) to see if there is draw. Just hook it in series with the ground. After that start plugging each of the fusible links, the last one being the 100A one. One of them should cause a spike in current draw. That should isolate the circuit you need to focus on. Remember, the radio and some other circuits have a constant draw (memory on the radio, etc.)

[1bluez32]

I hate to sound like a complete and total noob at this, but could you explain what you mean when you say:

1. When I take the fusible links and the positive starter wire off, do I then re-hook the starter positive after taping it off?
2. DVM? no idea what that is unless i've never heard the acronym
3. Hooking it 'in series with the ground'? (elaborate)

sorry - i'm good with engine mechanical .. electrical problems make my brain itch

[es.biggs]

2. Digital Volt Meter. Essential tool for electrical problems, and if you get one you will almost certainly use it several times on this car
3. DVM has two leads, and hooking it in series is similar to how you would install a fuse. You make an open in the circuit and then you insert something between it to complete the circuit again. In this case, you use the two leads on the DVM to close the circuit back up so it will operate like it is supposed to, and you want to measure how much current is going through the circuit. You probably have a circuit that is drawing current while the car is off.

I'm not sure if that is much help, but I tried to explain it. Marty is a good guy, and very very knowledgeable. I'm sure he can help you more, and I'm sure he can answer number 1 for you because I can't lol

[1bluez32]

And now I have more problems ... The car keeps dying while I'm driving.. Not like a bad alternator, more like an issue with the fuel or the ecu .. I hope not but I'm not holding my breath

[marty1mc]

I hate to sound like a complete and total noob at this, but could you explain what you mean when you say:

1. When I take the fusible links and the positive starter wire off, do I then re-hook the starter positive after taping it off?
2. DVM? no idea what that is unless i've never heard the acronym
3. Hooking it 'in series with the ground'? (elaborate)

sorry - i'm good with engine mechanical .. electrical problems make my brain itch

1). it means that you unhook the negative cable of the battery, then the starter wire from the starter (the big one) and tape it up so it can't ground and cause more issues. T
2). Digital Volt Meter
3). To measure amps in a circuit, the meter has to be in series. You have to make it part of the circuit. I think you probably don't want to attempt this if you don't understand the concept.

[1bluez32]

Oh ok. Since I taught myself most of what I know, I never used terminology but that explanation makes sense. Will try that as soon as I can get my hands on a DVM.

I noticed yesterday that when I pull the negative battery terminal off the battery while the car is running, the car acually sounds better than when it's on, as far as the idle. The car is still cutting off at random moments, and I heard that the ignition switch could be the problem. True/False?

[marty1mc]

Could be. It could also be MAF or PTU or even CAS.

[Z-owned]

A bad battery will kill an alternator and visa versa. I would say your needing to replace both at this point as it sounds like what mine did that left me blocking a shoulderless lane of traffic for a hour once.

[1bluez32]

I have actually replaced the alternator, and have two new batteries which i swap in case i forget to take the battery off. can you test the maf, cas and ignition switch before i take the time to take them off? especially the ignition switch, since the whole steering wheel has to come off ...

[1bluez32]

Oh and just in case my starter goes out, i have one in the trunk next to the spare battery