Wierd electric issues
12-29-07, 09:19 PM
#1
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Wierd electric issues
I'm hoping folks can point me in some direction. I picked up a '94 FD and drove it home last week. Over the course of the 4 days we noticed some odd, and inconsistent electrical issues:
- Twice the car would not start. In both cases it was warm and in each case it was an electrical issue. There was simply no power to anything. No lights, no audio, no dash lights, no sound at all when key was inserted and moved to ACC or ON and of course no cranking. I checked the battery connections and they looked sound. I messed with the fuses in the box next to the battery and it was then back to normal. Same situation both times.
- Twice while driving the car on the freeway, we noticed a very momentary hesitation in power. It was very quick and the impression I had was that for just a split second it lost spark.
- The aftermarket stereo periodically cuts out when rapidly decelarating (braking and downshifting) and at other times would cut out when the brake pedal is pressed when the car is standing still. No pattern at all that we can find. Other times it never cuts out.
- Fog lamps periodically work, then don't work. Currently they aren't working.
After looking around the engine compartment (still trying to figure out what is what. Remind me to tell about the first time I tried to find the oil filler opening), I discovered that one past owner installed a ground kit. Nice ground wires running around all over and all their connections look good. Battery terminals look and feel solid as does the battery ground.
I don't have an inside space to work on the car at this point (have to clean out the garage) and the weather has been truly bad. That is my excuse for not yet actually disconecting everything cleaning contacts, but I'm not sure that will solve the problem.
Any ideas? I've read through the shop manual but nothing has jumped out at me.
- Twice the car would not start. In both cases it was warm and in each case it was an electrical issue. There was simply no power to anything. No lights, no audio, no dash lights, no sound at all when key was inserted and moved to ACC or ON and of course no cranking. I checked the battery connections and they looked sound. I messed with the fuses in the box next to the battery and it was then back to normal. Same situation both times.
- Twice while driving the car on the freeway, we noticed a very momentary hesitation in power. It was very quick and the impression I had was that for just a split second it lost spark.
- The aftermarket stereo periodically cuts out when rapidly decelarating (braking and downshifting) and at other times would cut out when the brake pedal is pressed when the car is standing still. No pattern at all that we can find. Other times it never cuts out.
- Fog lamps periodically work, then don't work. Currently they aren't working.
After looking around the engine compartment (still trying to figure out what is what. Remind me to tell about the first time I tried to find the oil filler opening), I discovered that one past owner installed a ground kit. Nice ground wires running around all over and all their connections look good. Battery terminals look and feel solid as does the battery ground.
I don't have an inside space to work on the car at this point (have to clean out the garage) and the weather has been truly bad. That is my excuse for not yet actually disconecting everything cleaning contacts, but I'm not sure that will solve the problem.
Any ideas? I've read through the shop manual but nothing has jumped out at me.
12-29-07, 09:56 PM
#2
I would use the Body Electric manual in the stickies - it is better than the FSM for these types of problems.
However, from the varied symptoms that you are having I think that you are going to have to bite the bullet, clean out your garage, and check all the circuits and ground points that you can get at. It sound like you have a loose connection or an abraded wire.
However, from the varied symptoms that you are having I think that you are going to have to bite the bullet, clean out your garage, and check all the circuits and ground points that you can get at. It sound like you have a loose connection or an abraded wire.
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