A few problems I want to fix on my car

[Racerjoey1]

Sometimes when I am driving and get on it a little I have a problem. It happens when I accelerate and then push the clutch to shift, I'll get kind of a thud sound, but I can feel it too. Could it be the trans mount?

I have a charging problem as well. I have tried a couple different batteries with no luck. Last time I got a new battery I went and drove the car and parked it. It sat for maybe 2-3 weeks and next time I tried to start it, it was dead. I have to charge the battery for a couple hours just to start it up. The car has underdrive pullies on it. The belt turns slow enough at idle you can put your finger on it and it just slides. I noticed last time I drove it, the battery guage slowly goes down the whole time. When I bought the car it was fine, I drove it about a 100 miles home but since I put a new motor in I have had that problem.
Here is another odd electrical thing...

When I first got the motor in the car and went for the initial start, it was so bad out of time it took a few trys to get it going. There was a ground wire that started smoking it got so hot when the starter motor was going. I haven't noticed it any other time, but I have not had to have the starter turning for long either.

Joey

 

[rd]

Several different items here.

For the thud, jack the car , on jackstands, and climb under there, and see if anything is loose, like the trans/bellhousing/engine bolts, the rear mount to the crossmember, or wore out universal joints. If nothing there, check the clutch pedal, cable and fork for being out of adjustment.

For the charging thing, I would start by removing, cleaning and reinstalling all of the battery power and ground wires. Make sure the cable clamps, battery posts, and especially the chassis end and starter end of the cable and connection are clean and tight.

Make sure the body to engine ground is good, and has clean tight connections.

The easy way to test the alternator for charging is to check the battery voltage with the car off. It should be at least 12 volts or more. Then start the car. With the engine running, you should get 13 or above, 13-14 is normal. It should stay that high with the engine idling and the lights, ac, etc, on. If the voltage does not increase above that on the bat when off, the charging system is not working. Same if it drops below 13 or so when you turn the lights on.

With the underdrive pullies, you may have to speed the engine up to 1500 rpm or more. I did not have any success with them and took them off after one day.

If this is ok, then the charging system should be ok. If not, the the alt may be on the way out.

Next is to check to see if something is drawing too much power when the car is off. You can put remove the + bat cable, and connect a test light between it and the bat + term. If the light comes on, pull fuses until you find out which one turns the light off. That circuit is drawing power. Note that the computer has a keep alive power supply, and the clock do draw power, so unhook them first if you can.

 

[Racerjoey1]

Thanks I'll check those things.

There was another thing I wanted to post yesterday and I couldn't remember it when I was typing the post. When I start my car like when its been sitting and its cold, the idle goes from around 500-1500rpm and if I don't sit there and give it gas to keep it alive it will stall. Once it sits there and runs for about a minute or so the idle levels off at about 800-900rpm (where I set it). It does not do this when the engine is warm and I start it and it has never done it during a drive (at a stoplight or something).

The old pony needs a little tlc.

Joey

BTW, I am going to sound stupid, but how can I check for a worn u-joint? Put the car in gear and put the parking brake on and see if there is play in the driveshaft?

 

[Racerjoey1]

Anyone got any ideas on the last question? I thought about checking into the surging idle problems but I thought people that had that it does it all the time.

Joey

 

[Racerjoey1]

bump