*BZZZT!* Electrical gremlins and a rant - AAAARGGGHH!
12-04-01, 07:14 PM
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*BZZZT!* Electrical gremlins and a rant - AAAARGGGHH!
The rex was not idleing right and I finally traced it (or so I thought) to a bad TPS.
I got it replaced it on the weekend and got it down to 1 volt - after driving it a bit, popped the hood tonight to make some fine adjustments to the mixture and idle speed as it was rough again today. It was foggy and damp today - this should have been a clue.
So, here I am in the carport, got all the extra lights on, got a jumper on the inital set, (even took the hood off for easy access!) got the multimeter on the TPS connector, and decided to check a few other things while I was at it. (hey, when it's almost 50 degrees F in Canada in December, work with it!).
BAC : Check - idle drops
Solinoids : Check
Vacuum : Check - air blasting out
Port actuators : Check - still moving easily
Coolent Leaks : Check - None, for once.
(Damn this is looking good! - or so our intrepid hero thought)
Get around to the TPS as it's now nice and warm. Get the multimeter in place, adjust the sensor, adjust the idle and mixture, adjust the sensor, repeat until everything is running perfectly at 1.000 volts at about 800 rpm. (I even set off the neighbour's car alarm with the sound of the motor.
)
Reach over to get the meter lead out of the connector and I here a faint crackle - and the motor starts to sputter. Move the connector back a bit, and it smooths out.
WTF?
OK - Put multimeter lead back in, wiggle wire and get a reading when the motor is stumbling - 4.96 volts.
WTF??!!!??
Try to twist lead so that it's smooth again. NFW.
Shut motor off and start the "Random Profanity Generator".
Turn the ignition on - I hear the BAC ticking. Move the TPS wire again - ticking sound changes - gets quiet. Move TPS wire a bit and ticking sound get louder - with a faint BZZT! from the connector.
Restart "Random Profanity Generator" and collect rags from where I've thrown them around the carport.
While the car starts, I can't get the idle back to where it's driveable now, as there's now either a lovely short in the harness or a broken wire. Either way it's not pleasant to fix - especially for the shop - this is gonna be interesting.....and I have a nasty feeling that the ECU might have bitten it too. (Though it may have been one of the root causes of the idle problem)
<rant>
Why in God's name does a car that is as much fun to drive have to be such a goddamn pain in the fricking *** to keep running! Are the old parts breaking because they are envious of the new part? Bad Karma? The moon in the wrong phase? My new cat? ARRRGGGHHHH! I hate spending evenings in the car port and weekends at the wreckers! AARRRGGGHHH!
But when the 7 is running right, driving it is the most fun you can have with you're clothes on. And all aggrivation disappears quickly in the mirror behind the last bend that was signed MAX 30 KMH that you just took at 90 KMH.
</rant>
I got it replaced it on the weekend and got it down to 1 volt - after driving it a bit, popped the hood tonight to make some fine adjustments to the mixture and idle speed as it was rough again today. It was foggy and damp today - this should have been a clue.
So, here I am in the carport, got all the extra lights on, got a jumper on the inital set, (even took the hood off for easy access!) got the multimeter on the TPS connector, and decided to check a few other things while I was at it. (hey, when it's almost 50 degrees F in Canada in December, work with it!).
BAC : Check - idle drops
Solinoids : Check
Vacuum : Check - air blasting out
Port actuators : Check - still moving easily
Coolent Leaks : Check - None, for once.
(Damn this is looking good! - or so our intrepid hero thought)
Get around to the TPS as it's now nice and warm. Get the multimeter in place, adjust the sensor, adjust the idle and mixture, adjust the sensor, repeat until everything is running perfectly at 1.000 volts at about 800 rpm. (I even set off the neighbour's car alarm with the sound of the motor.
)Reach over to get the meter lead out of the connector and I here a faint crackle - and the motor starts to sputter. Move the connector back a bit, and it smooths out.
WTF?
OK - Put multimeter lead back in, wiggle wire and get a reading when the motor is stumbling - 4.96 volts.
WTF??!!!??
Try to twist lead so that it's smooth again. NFW.
Shut motor off and start the "Random Profanity Generator".
Turn the ignition on - I hear the BAC ticking. Move the TPS wire again - ticking sound changes - gets quiet. Move TPS wire a bit and ticking sound get louder - with a faint BZZT! from the connector.
Restart "Random Profanity Generator" and collect rags from where I've thrown them around the carport.
While the car starts, I can't get the idle back to where it's driveable now, as there's now either a lovely short in the harness or a broken wire. Either way it's not pleasant to fix - especially for the shop - this is gonna be interesting.....and I have a nasty feeling that the ECU might have bitten it too. (Though it may have been one of the root causes of the idle problem)
<rant>
Why in God's name does a car that is as much fun to drive have to be such a goddamn pain in the fricking *** to keep running! Are the old parts breaking because they are envious of the new part? Bad Karma? The moon in the wrong phase? My new cat? ARRRGGGHHHH! I hate spending evenings in the car port and weekends at the wreckers! AARRRGGGHHH!
But when the 7 is running right, driving it is the most fun you can have with you're clothes on. And all aggrivation disappears quickly in the mirror behind the last bend that was signed MAX 30 KMH that you just took at 90 KMH.
</rant>
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