2nd Generation Specific (1986-1992) 1986-1992 Discussion including performance modifications and technical support sections.

VERY weird alternator/battery problem(I知 under the hood now)

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Old Mar 11, 2004 | 01:55 PM
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From: city of houston.... y0!
VERY weird alternator/battery problem(I知 under the hood now)

i'm gonna be as detailed as possible here.

well, i just got done putting my UIM back on. i just had the injectors cleaned and i believe i connected everything back up correctly. i also took the starter off to clean up the connections a little and replaced my suspension with GC's and AGX's. when i tried to start it, i heard a click... and nothing happend. the engine would'nt turn. BUT all the idiot lights and radio etc worked. so i got back under the car... stupid me. i didn't connect the ground to the starter. i hooked that up. then i tried to connect my neg terminal back to my battery(safety first ) and when i did, i got more of a spark than usual, but nothing scary.. and at the same time, the motor was TURNING! but only until i quickly disconnected the neg. terminal.

what is up with that? i had the key out on the floor.. how could it have tried to start? i didn't want it to fall off the jacks!(i had 2 jacks up front and my e-brake on in the rear)

so i put the neg. back on the battery and it sounds like my alternator is coming on. i take the neg. off and the alternator turns off. then i leave the neg. on the battery and try and start it and nothing but a click(all the lights are still on)

i'm lost... what could it be?
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Old Mar 11, 2004 | 02:47 PM
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From: city of houston.... y0!
please, anyone? my sister and everyone else is sick of taking me everywhere... i gotta get this thing fixed today.
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Old Mar 11, 2004 | 02:50 PM
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From: Orange Park FL (near Jax)
I'll bet the starter cables are switched.
Trace them again & verify the + goes to the solenoid.

Also check the firewall to bell housing ground & make sure it's still perfect.
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Old Mar 11, 2004 | 02:52 PM
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From: city of houston.... y0!
got it.. i'll come back and tell you what happens.
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Old Mar 11, 2004 | 03:04 PM
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From: city of houston.... y0!
still the same thing happens... it sorta sounds like a blow dryer when i connect the neg. terminal.
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Old Mar 11, 2004 | 03:35 PM
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From: city of houston.... y0!
FAWK! now i looked at the tranny ground.. and nothing is there! so i got my spare tranny and used that ground. but now i can't find the firewall ground. where is it?

also.. it looks like the wire that connects to the END of my o2 sensor disconnected with the "hookup"(i.e. the female part that connects to the male part of the o2 sensor is cut)

can i still run my car with out the o2 connected for a little while?

argh! i gotta get this damn thing to start!
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Old Mar 11, 2004 | 03:48 PM
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From: city of houston.... y0!
well, i hooked up my tranny ground wire...

now what? it's still makeing that noise... this is pissing me off. any help is appreciated.
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Old Mar 11, 2004 | 04:18 PM
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From: city of houston.... y0!
uuuuh, well let's see here. when i connect the neg terminal, i small a slight burning smell...

what did i **** up here guys?
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Old Mar 11, 2004 | 05:27 PM
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From: city of houston.... y0!
well, i know there are alot of smart guys on this forum. but none seem to want to help except sureshot. or maybe they just skipped my post... anyhoo...

i went to o'rialies(sp) and got my bat. recharged. and the guy told me that the noise could be the 2 solinoids at the starter touching each other... has this happend to anyone before? i'm gonna go home and see if it is.
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Old Mar 11, 2004 | 07:41 PM
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From: Hood River oregon
Sounds like you have the starter hooked up wrong. YOu have 2 wires on the back that carry 12 V to the starter. One thick one thats the main, and one thin one that activates the solenoid. Checkyour connetions!
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Old Mar 11, 2004 | 08:12 PM
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From: n
Pull the starter and check to see if it's working properly.
It sounds like the solenoid stuck closed.

If you got a DMM, measure resistance between the two solenoid electrical connections - this should be OPEN.  If you see "0", the solenoid is bad.


-Ted
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Old Mar 11, 2004 | 08:23 PM
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From: city of houston.... y0!
thanks for the help guys.. i found out the two connections on the starter were touching. i just moved one over.. and the motor turned. DAMN.. who would of thunk it? i knew i hooked everything up right, because i've done this 5 times before today.. oh well.

next order of business...

my connection that connects to the o2 sensor is f*cked.. the o2 cable is fine, but it's the piece that connects to the o2 cable... where does that wire connect to and where can i get a new one?
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Old Mar 11, 2004 | 10:04 PM
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From: fl
the wire for the O2 sensor comes back around by the intakes and injectors then runs behind the alternator....like everything else. it should have a 1 wire black connector. just splice onto it and you should be good to go.
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Old Mar 11, 2004 | 10:11 PM
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From: Coldspring TX
you can run without the O2 sensor hooked up for now, I've done it several times for troubleshooting, you won't get the best performance outta the car, though...Also remember, the O2 harness is a shielded wire (you can't just splice one wire back together, you have to find a way to splice the shield also)
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Old Mar 11, 2004 | 10:35 PM
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From: city of houston.... y0!
yeah, i couldn't splice it anyways even if i tried.... the wire broke off right AT the connector...(i believe it's the female part?)

do you know where i can buy that connector from?
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