Everything Electrical & Electronic Have an electrical problem? Lighting, Alternators, gauges, DIC, HUD, etc? Post it here. Please post Audio problems in the Audio forum, and Engine control problems in the appropriate Mechanical forum for your year.

Losing power

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 09-28-2006, 11:04 AM
  #1  
Senior Member
True Car Nut
Thread Starter
 
tallbump's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Erie Pennsylvania
Posts: 3,808
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
tallbump is on a distinguished road
Default Losing power

Not sure what is going on, but I know what'* NOT wrong.
Been having electrical issues for months, have made many changes, but still no luck. Things improve for a while but still haen't gotten to the main problem.
First off, the basic problem is I am losing power while the car is idling. While sitting at stop lights, you can watch the battery guage just bounce back and forth between the white lines for 8 and 12 or 14 or wahtever it is. Sometimes it will even stall out. This usually happens right after starting the car and say backing out of a parking spot or something. It will restart right away (so far) but then the check engine light will come on. It will drive fine for a while then the problem returns.
Second, here'* all I have done so far to correct this.
New plugs and wires.
New battery
New coil, other two are fine
Alternator is less than 2 years old.
I have have had the alternator and battery tested several times to make sure they are fine, and they are ok. I just had this done the other day and with the car off the battery tested at 12.8 volts or so. SO, I know the battery is good and the alternator works or the battery would have died by now.
I know I am gonna need to get it put on a computer and tested, but the garage I called wanted $55. Ouch!
I don't have any good garages around me I trust that have computers, so I am not sure whre to go.
Any suggestions?
Thanks
Old 09-28-2006, 11:46 AM
  #2  
Senior Member
True Car Nut
 
Cheetah's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Somewhere different on the globe every month....
Posts: 2,896
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Cheetah is on a distinguished road
Default

Do you have OBD I, 1.5 or II ?
Old 09-28-2006, 12:02 PM
  #3  
Senior Member
True Car Nut
Thread Starter
 
tallbump's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Erie Pennsylvania
Posts: 3,808
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
tallbump is on a distinguished road
Default

Not quite sure, I think its the OBD 2. The one that Autozone can't read for me!
Old 09-28-2006, 02:15 PM
  #4  
DINOSAURUS BOOSTUS

Expert Gearhead
 
BillBoost37's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Enfield, CT
Posts: 41,391
Likes: 0
Received 8 Likes on 8 Posts
BillBoost37 is a glorious beacon of lightBillBoost37 is a glorious beacon of lightBillBoost37 is a glorious beacon of lightBillBoost37 is a glorious beacon of lightBillBoost37 is a glorious beacon of lightBillBoost37 is a glorious beacon of light
Default

Have you checked the battery cables by pulling them at both ends of all cables..cleaning..pulling the boots..looking for corrosion and reconnecting?
Old 09-28-2006, 02:31 PM
  #5  
Senior Member
True Car Nut
Thread Starter
 
tallbump's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Erie Pennsylvania
Posts: 3,808
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
tallbump is on a distinguished road
Default

ummmm.....not yet. Nothin like overlookin the easy, huh?
Now, if the d@#n rain would ever stop....
I'll keep ya'll posted.
Old 09-28-2006, 03:09 PM
  #6  
Senior Member
Certified Car Nut
 
1993 SLE's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 19,756
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
1993 SLE is on a distinguished road
Default

Originally Posted by tallbump
Not quite sure, I think its the OBD 2. The one that Autozone can't read for me!
you are OBD 1.5
Old 09-28-2006, 03:57 PM
  #7  
DINOSAURUS BOOSTUS

Expert Gearhead
 
BillBoost37's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Enfield, CT
Posts: 41,391
Likes: 0
Received 8 Likes on 8 Posts
BillBoost37 is a glorious beacon of lightBillBoost37 is a glorious beacon of lightBillBoost37 is a glorious beacon of lightBillBoost37 is a glorious beacon of lightBillBoost37 is a glorious beacon of lightBillBoost37 is a glorious beacon of light
Default

BTW..there is no code for clean and tighten cables.
Old 09-28-2006, 06:56 PM
  #8  
Senior Member
True Car Nut
Thread Starter
 
tallbump's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Erie Pennsylvania
Posts: 3,808
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
tallbump is on a distinguished road
Default

Yeah, I was wondering what code that would be.
But, actually that was the problem. I checked the terminals. The positive was so loose I could take it out by hand. The neg was loose to butnot that bad.
Would this make the check engine light come on?
Old 09-28-2006, 08:34 PM
  #9  
Senior Member
Certified Car Nut
 
1993 SLE's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 19,756
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
1993 SLE is on a distinguished road
Default

Originally Posted by tallbump
Yeah, I was wondering what code that would be.
But, actually that was the problem. I checked the terminals. The positive was so loose I could take it out by hand. The neg was loose to butnot that bad.
Would this make the check engine light come on?

well when the PCM dosent get all the Power that is wants, it will act funny....and we all know how the 95 PCM'* like to fail...
Old 09-28-2006, 10:56 PM
  #10  
Senior Member
True Car Nut
Thread Starter
 
tallbump's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Erie Pennsylvania
Posts: 3,808
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
tallbump is on a distinguished road
Default

Well, I was wrong. Sorta anyway. The cables were loose. But I dorve to a store about a mile away and it seemed fine. I waited outside while my wife ran in for about 10 miutes. She came out and I went to leave and drove a few hundred feet and it stalled. It happened twice more before I got out of the parking lot. Not sure what is going on.
Any thoughts?
It does start up right away after this happens. I guess that'* because the battery is good. So annoying.


Quick Reply: Losing power



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 02:42 AM.