Weak......

[my66coupe]

Well tonight I was pulling in the stang after using some new Xmas goodies out on her (buffer). It was cold out, but she fired right up, held a OK idle (in poor tune) when i put my lights on the car died. To confirm that the car was dying when I turned the head lights on, I did it multiple times and yes the lights are killing the car. The headlights and the interior guages where flickering from high to low and dimming themselves. Today I was wetsanding the car, and was using pleanty of water...maybe some water screwed something up? What gives?

Mike

 

[mdjay]

Well tonight I was pulling in the stang after using some new Xmas goodies out on her (buffer). It was cold out, but she fired right up, held a OK idle (in poor tune) when i put my lights on the car died. To confirm that the car was dying when I turned the head lights on, I did it multiple times and yes the lights are killing the car. The headlights and the interior guages where flickering from high to low and dimming themselves. Today I was wetsanding the car, and was using water...maybe some water screwed something up? What gives?

Mike

If your alternator is charging (functioning properly) you may have a short in your headlight wiring harness somewhere!

 

[my66coupe]

Well I just got a new alternator and yea it was functioning properly. Is it normal for the engine to die if the head lights are shorted out? Or does the problem lie somewhere else?

Mike

 

[pabear89]

Well I just got a new alternator and yea it was functioning properly.


Did you have a guage reading with the eng run and lights off?
When it dies how when the lights come on? sputters or like key off?

Your wet sanding may have shorted out the headlight wiring or the fuse panel connection at the firewall.

I have been searching for a short in the blower motor and turnsignals,
It only will happen when it gets wet so far.

If it did not show it's self when I when on the Fire relief cruz on the 14th.

What fun it was to be driving up a winding road in the rain with no wipers or signals.

The cars been dry and everything is working great,
make looking for it

PB

 

[BigDaddyCee]

Sounds like you have a funky headlight switch/breaker. It is the one behind the dash where your headlight controls are. This is a very common fault. I would try and see if you can get your hands on it and feel if it is warm or hot to the touch. If so it is garbage and needs to be replaced. Also it wouldn't hurt to have a look at your floor dimmer switch it could be causing you grief if damaged or the wires are rubbed bare. If you are running halogen beams then it quite often burns out the switch due to excess current draw on the system. Good luck.

 

[foghorn67]

Well I just got a new alternator and yea it was functioning properly.


Did you have a guage reading with the eng run and lights off?
When it dies how when the lights come on? sputters or like key off?

Your wet sanding may have shorted out the headlight wiring or the fuse panel connection at the firewall.

I have been searching for a short in the blower motor and turnsignals,
It only will happen when it gets wet so far.

If it did not show it's self when I when on the Fire relief cruz on the 14th.

What fun it was to be driving up a winding road in the rain with no wipers or signals.

The cars been dry and everything is working great,
make looking for it

PB

funny, I got something funky going with my fan motor too. everytime I turn that thing, voltage drops to around 12 no matter how fast I am going. and it squeels like a rat.

 

[BigDaddyCee]

If your fan motor squeals like a rat it usually means that the bearings in the electric motor are shot and/or the drive shaft for the blower is off kilter and the fan is rubbing in the housing. Either one and you need to replace your blower/fan motor. I would disconnect the fan first and see if you still have your voltage drop before you start to work taking things apart.

 

[foghorn67]

If your fan motor squeals like a rat it usually means that the bearings in the electric motor are shot and/or the drive shaft for the blower is off kilter and the fan is rubbing in the housing. Either one and you need to replace your blower/fan motor. I would disconnect the fan first and see if you still have your voltage drop before you start to work taking things apart.

it's definatly the fan making the noise, i'll check on what is causing the drop one of these days.

 

[my66coupe]

checked for hot or warm wires in the underdash harness, there was a 3 wire terminal hooked up to a 2 wire terminal, clearly they werent meant to be. I unhooked them and everything is fine now. Everything works as it is supposed to. Thanks for the help

Mike

 

[foghorn67]

checked for hot or warm wires in the underdash harness, there was a 3 wire terminal hooked up to a 2 wire terminal, clearly they werent meant to be. I unhooked them and everything is fine now. Everything works as it is supposed to. Thanks for the help

Mike

gotta love those happy fixes.

 

[BigDaddyCee]

I agree with the happy fixes too! Hopefully there aren't too many more that have to be fixed. Sounds like the previous owner may have done some monkey work under the dash? Hopefully all is safe now!

 

[pabear89]

checked for hot or warm wires in the underdash harness, there was a 3 wire terminal hooked up to a 2 wire terminal, clearly they werent meant to be. I unhooked them and everything is fine now. Everything works as it is supposed to. Thanks for the help

Mike

Glad to hear that you found the problem, But did you find what the extra wire went to?
There was a reason for it at one time, and it may be needed.

PB