Ok, my car lost the engine about 9 months ago. 3 months ago I put a rebuilt in and got it running. Then I had problems with the brakes that kept me from driving it and I just now fixed that, and I'm almost ready to drive. I have 2 problems I want to try to fix though before I go anywhere.

First problem, I push down on the clutch pedal, and turn the key. It takes it about 5 seconds after this before it actually first starts to crank. Any ideas why?

Second problem, all the warning lights turn on at once after about 10 mins of the car idling. I read this was a charging problem. Any ideas on where to start troubleshooting this one?

Are the two related or toally seperate problems? Thanks for the help guys.

 

Both problems may stem from your Ignition Switch. Then again, the Ign Switch either works or It doesn't.

 

Check or charge your battery and see if that helps. If so, then have the alternator checked out.

 

Sounds like a weak charging system to me... Starters that pause before the Solenoid engages can be attributed to weak batteries.

 

Hmm. Well the Battery is a DieHard Gold, that I purchased about 3 months ago. It sat for a while, but I charged it up last night just to make sure.

Also, way back before this whole problem, I put a new alternator in, because I was having dead battery problems, and they said it wasnt the battery. But when I went to get the alternator, all they had were the N/A ones, so I modified that to fit. Is there any output difference between the N/A and TII alts for a S5? And is this the most likely cause of my problem?

Thanks Again.

 

S5 alternators are all the same as far as output goes. Are you running anything extra? Fan? Stereo?

 

Perma Cool EFan.

Stock Stereo, Stock everything else electrical. In fact, I had the stereo off and it was doing it. Even did it when I had the headlights off and it was just sitting there.

You think an efan draws that much power? Is there a specific way I should wire it? Cause I have it wired directly to the battery via the post clamps (routing through a thermostat of course). Think that may be causing a problem?

 

Kind of hard to say...I had the same problem when I was running an E-fan with a stock charging system. But combined with the accessories (sp?) and the E-fan, it was running the system so low, that I had to plug up to a charger every night.. And that was with an Optima battery.

Usually E-fans only draw an extra 8-12 amps of power, but if your alternator is weak, thats gonna kill any charging you may have.

Keep in mind that the S4 alternator was RATED for 70 amps, but factory specs allowed for 55 amps! Thats REaLLY LOW!! What does that mean? Your S5 alt is rated for 80,but its output may be MUCH lower.

Why it lights up the warning panel, is beyond me...

Rat

*edit* Have you thought about running a charging wire from the alternator direct to the battery? That jumped my volts by about 1v.

 

Thats a CPU function to notify you when you are getting a weak charge.


So what should I do about this? Get a bigger alt? Any idea where I can find a more powerful one?

Also, could a weak alt contribute to my delayed starting problem?

Anyone else who may know, feel free to chime in as well

 

Did not know about that.

Run a wire from the post of the alt to the battery terminal? (positive or negative?)

What guage wire?

Ill try it tomorrow

 

Really? Thats news to me.... However, you can do the FD alternator conversion...Thats what I did... Thats a 100 amp alternator.

Good luck..

Rat

 

About time you got it up and running. I have gone through 4 alternators in my car. Each time the charging needle goes down and charges low, that usually means your alternator is going bad. One way to find out is to take it to auto zone and they will test it for you. You know its not your battery cause you just got one. I bet its your alternator putting out a weak charge. Causing you battery to be drained and could cause that pause before it turns over. Its wort a shot. Rebuilt alternators suck *** and if its puttind out a weak charge, than everything electricle on the car will start to act up. Just my experiance though.

 

There's a relay in the CPU that has to be pulled in by the alternator when its putting out. When you first turn the key to ON, all the idiot lights should be turned on due to the relay making a 12v circuit to the idiot lights. When the alternator comes on line, the relay relaxes and breaks the circuit to the idiot lights. They go out.

If you have a loose alternator belt, that might make the lights come on when it slips and the alternator stops putting out.

What does your voltage gauge read when the engine is running? And when the engine is running and the lights go out??????

 

Remember bad battery grounds and bad engine grounds can cause a alt to fail pretty quick too. Only as much 12v+ can go out, as 12V- can get back in.

*edit
The other thing that is getting more and more common on FC alt failures is micky mouse putting the replacement alt in and he forgetting to follow the factory quidelines when tightening the belt. Deflection at 22lbs (about medium thumb pressure) should be .55 inch (14mm) to .67 inch (17mm). If the belt doesn't move that much you will cause the alt to fail. if it pushes past that, the belt will slip when cold.

I always repalce the alt belt everytime I replace an alt as well if the alt has a dedicated belt.

 

I have a dual belt alt pulley cause I removed the airpump. 2 new belts on there.

 

If the alternator checks out you could have an electrical short causing the battery to drain faster than the alternator can charge.

 

This is really easy. Next time the engine is running and the lights come on, get your meter and put it on the small 8mm size nut that holds the output cable on. See what the voltage is. Write back. If less that say 12.5 volts, I'd say the alternator is the cause of your problem. Picked that 12.5 out of thin air.
If your seeing 13.5/14 volts, and have all the idiot lights on, then suspect the relay in the CPU and or associated wiring(I love that phrase, covers the whole darn car).

 

Ok Hailers, Ill try that tomorrow and get back to you. So If it is the "associated wiring" that should be a fun fix eh? Well, at least I got a brand new in the bag main harness sitting in my garage right now, so it will only be the work that is the problem.

Is it likely that I got a bad alternator? I guess anything is possible though.

 

Oh, and to further address the problem, HAILERS, I'm not thinking its not just a false signal to the relay because when the idiot lights go on, the headlights get dimmer, the fan blows softer, the radio gets quiet, etc. So I know it actually IS losing power somewhere. Just not sure where.

 

its your alternator. its got a life time garentee. Just go get another one. Same thing happened to my car last week. Lights got dim, heater would slow down, or when I tried to turn the heater on with the radio on, the radio would shut of. Lights would get dim also. this is the first thing you should do. go get another one, Wont cost you anything and I am almost possitve thats your problem, cause if the alternator isnt putting out enough charge to the battery, then the accesories start to drain the battery even if the car is on. Its happened to me four times. I would do that first befor I looked at any thing else. Like I said just exchange it for another. Oh and make shure the alternator belt is tight. Cause if its not tight enough, than that would also cause the alternator no put out a weak charge.

 

Ok. Did some tests here.

When the warning lights aren't all lit up, the voltage from the alternator to the negative battery post reads about 14.75

When the lights go on, it fluxuates from between 10.75 and 12.25 (Ugh. Way too low).

Then it will pop back up to 14.75 when the idiot lights turn off.

Does this sound like its definitley the alt gone bad? I'm 100% positive the belts are not slipping, so that is not attributing to it. Keep in mind, the revs of the engine fluxuate between 1250 and 1550 cause its still breaking in.

My dad thought it could relate to the CPU taking load off the alternator cause it is focusing on making the engine idle correctly, but hes not at all familiar with rx-7s and is more a domestic kinda guy. Just speaking from old experiences.

Thanks Again.

 

CPU controls the body electrics, the ECU controls the engine. Two different buggers.

And regardless of domestic or import the regulator in (or out on really really old cars) the alt controls the alts output

 

it sounds like ur alternater is going. take it to autozone and have them test it. it might show that its fine because it does charge. u can get another alternater and see if the same thing happens, if not, then ur alternater was the problem, if not, then u have a short to ground somewere. i dont know if rx-7s have a starter solenoid if it is controlled by them cpu. but if it has a starter solenoid, u might want to chek that. checnk ur battery too. i bought a new battery once and it was bad. haha. good luck. if u live in the socal area i can take it to school and have a look at it. i got to uti so we have all the scanners and test equpiment. hope this helps. late

 

Hmm. Dunno if this got any replies since the server reset, so I'll ask again.

Should I replace my alternator first? Cause I don't wanna blow more money on another one if I don't need to.

Thanks

 

wow a electrical problem!?! on a fc!?! who woulda thought??? lol