OK... here it goes.

My Rx7 is a junkyard fix up. I brought it hom and put a battery in it and it started perfectly after sitting for about 5 years (dont worry i changed the oil, filters, and added coolant and fresh gas)

Its been about a year of body work and minor engine work.
I have an after market stereo and such but its not that big so it probably wont effect anything.

Im having 2 very annoying electrical problems:

1. I keep blowing my illumination fuse at frequent intervals and cannot for the life of me find the short.

2. My alt cuts in and out. should i get new belt? new alt? rewire?

any help would be greatly appreciated. thx all.

 

1) having been in the car stereo install business for several years; I would check the stereo wiring assuming it has a stereo..lousy wiring here can cause illumination troubles..also check the dimmer switch..start with that and work from there
2) if the belt is loose..yes, tighten it or replace it
if you find the belt to be taut..replace the alternator..anyways if it's cutting out on you, this is most likely the problem

cheers!

 

i was having a problem with my alt about a week ago and it was a loose wire on the back i tightened it down and now it work like it should so you might wanna check your connections b4 paying for an alt.

 

OK well the i seem to have fixed the illumination problem... i hope.....
I took out the head unit and found a cracked wire that might have been rubbign on metal.
fixed that up and no problems now.

as for the alt...

all the connections seem good, the belt is tight it just seems dried out (i dont really know how to explain it) it looks like it may start to fray so ill replace it regardless.

I hear that sometimes the ground in bad or soemthing? where is the alt gounded? at the bracket or is there a wire?

oh and the alt only cuts in and out on a bumpy road or when i apply the brakes. it seems that if the load gets just a little bit high or i hit a bump it will cut out. is there another short somewhere?

any input what so ever is awsome

thx again guys

 

you can get like a belt treatment from canadian tire I'm pretty sure for your belt...as for cutting in and out on bumpy roads I've never heard of that happening before...its really hard to tell if an alternator is bad unless it just plain stops working...you could go and buy an alternator put it on and try it...if it still does the same thing...you know its not the alternator and take it back...don't forget to keep your receipt...lol

 

Clean off the battery terminals real good, after time they get corroded and just won't work the same and cause the symptoms you are describing. Even replacing the battery clamps would be a good idea. Best would be to add some more grounds.

 

you know....just for ***** and grins....an atl is like 20 bucks from a junk yard...maybe throw one in...see if it changes anything...I know new ones are not that cheap...maybe try to narrow it down...so your not spending the money and then not being able to return and electrical item.

I know someone is going to flame me for suggesting using a junkyard alt...however...the chances of two alt's being bad are prob pretty rare... To me it would be better than spending the <220 dollars on a new one.....

 

$220 for a new alt!?!?!?! WTF!!! i bought an FC alt for my 82 GS for only 94 bucks!! where the hell are you gettin yours.....cause your getting ripped off!!!

 

make sure your battery is tied down securly, if it is loose it will short out on the inside of the hood on bumpy roads, if yours doesn't have one you might want to get one of the little rubber hoods that were originally installed on the positive cable.

Jeff

 

must be Macys

 

You've got a short for sure. Follow Dr Jeffs advise on the battery hold down if you don't have one. Also check your grounds to sure they are all tight and good connections.

You could try to reproduce it in the driveway. Have it running and then have someone rock the car by stepping on the bumber and see if it happens. If it does, then your lucky and can probably trace it down from there.

 

I will add another ground and do a "Big 3" mod to ensure it is the not the stereo system's draw causing this.

Where is the alt grounded?

my alt only has 3 wires going from it. 1 is white with a red stripe. then there is the plug that has 2 wires going off somewhere. The white wire somehow makes it way to the fusable links.

should i rewire all of this with fresh wire to esure it isnt corroded?

 

You may as weel do an altinator upgrade at this time either a S4/5 alt or the GM alt that Big Ern has done a write up for. You'll gain more power for lights, stereo etc, much better than replacing with a stock alt.

 

Alright i have decided to do the GM alt swap.
I forgot to mention another problem though. i havent searched it but i will in a sec.

why is my gas light always on?

 

must resist..trying as hard as I can

 

did i say something stupid and not realise it? lol if so please tell me.

I have a full tank so dont think im that dumb. The gauge works but the idiot light is always on.

 

Sounds like the sender could be messed up.

http://www.frosted7.com/katrina5.html

Have a look at the second pic, see the rod that goes down next to the float, thats what trips off the light, it has a terminal at the very tip, and the case is metal. When its dry, it basically turns on the circuit that puts on that idiot light. You might have some crud stuck on it, or its just messed up.

Alternatively, it could be the wiring between the sender to the gauge cluster.

 

thx darkfrost.

ill check that tommorow

 

do you have oil problems under your hood, or did you get the enine re built?

 

unless you get a junkyard dud...then your out $20 and you still havn't gotton any farther...hahaha

 

nah it was all me on that one...I just couldn't help but notice the 'certain' qualities to that statement on the fuel light....

 

Well i figured out the alt issue. i have the Delco CS130 alt but havent but it in yet. the main alt problem was a faulty ground but im slowly replacing the wiring.

Oh and i dont pay for junkyard parts. My dad is like best freinds with the owner so i got 3 rx-7's all to me self

2 81's and an 84(which i drive)

so no shortage of parts. I plan on rebuilding one of the junk engines and putting it into the 84.