electrical problems
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
electrical problems I'm stumped, help please!! The car is an '01 WS6 and none of the problems I'm experiencing are throwing any codes. Everything started when I drove through an automatic car wash about a week ago and about halfway through it the car died and wouldn't start back. It would turn over a couple of times, run for about 2 seconds, backfire sometimes, then die again. This went on for about 5-6 minutes then it started and ran fine. It jerked and stumbled a couple of times pulling out of the parking lot then smoothed out. At the next red light I noticed that every light on the car was flashing (not on and off, just dimming and brightning) about 3-4 times a second, and when I left the red light the engine was surging to that same pattern under light throttle through third gear. I'm sure it was doing it past third, but I couldn't feel it anymore. The voltage gauge was sitting about 2 volts higher than normal around 16 and the needle was dancing to the lights flashing so I pulled in Autozone to have it and the battery tested only to be told that they were both fine. So I drove home hoping that whatever was causing it would be dried out by morning. When I went out the next day to start it, same process except this time none of the gauges even moved until it finally started and ran for about 10 seconds. The flashing and pulsing was still there but otherwise it ran fine up until it rained yesterday and I had to go through all of this again. My alternator doesn't seem to be cycling on and off at all, it's just the needle moving slightly. I'll check it with a DMM tonight to see what it's really putting out, but if it really is fine what else could be causing this?
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
Anybody? It hasn't rained here in a couple of days and other than the lights flashing the car has been doing better until yesterday. Now it dies every time I go around a halfway sharp curve. Fuel pump?
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
Alright, I had my alternator rebuilt over the weekend and that seems to have solved my lights flashing, engine pulsing problem. And I finally got some codes. I can't remember exactly what codes they were, but one was engine not reaching threshold operating temp, one was a random cylinder misfire, and I had two crank position sensor faults. So this weekend I'm going to try replacing the crank sensor to see if that solves it. Wish me luck.
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 5,399
Likes: 3
From: Jacksonville, FL
I'd reset the PCM/clear all the codes and see if any come back first. Were they current or history codes? If you replace the CKP sensor thinking you'll need a variation learn procedure with a scan tool.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
The codes were current, I had it checked twice before my SES light finally came on and there were none stored. As far as the learn procedure, I'm going to be better off just taking it to a shop then, right?
Trending Topics
my best friends lt1 camaro did the same thing when i was riding with him. It was the alternator. What is does when it breaks down and starts overcharging it also sends more voltage to the pcm which makes it run very spuratic untill the computer recognizes it and switches back into open loop which is preset runing conditions. Also if you run like this for a period of time. We drove back to his house about 10 miles, it can overcharge the battery and it will blow up as we found out also.
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
Topdon ONE vs. Artidiag 800 BT2: Which is the Diagnostic Tablet For You?
Pouria Savadkouei
Gas Monkey Built a 6-Wheel Ferrari Testarossa With a Corvette LT4 Engine
Verdad Gallardo
7 Most Reliable High-Performance Engines GM Has Ever Built
Verdad Gallardo
Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin
Verdad Gallardo
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Staging Lane
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 79
Likes: 0
From: Jacksonville, NC
im having basicly the same prob. for the past 4 years my z28 goes through phases for about 3 mths of the year it will do the same thing. i have noticed that i get alot of corosion on my battery cables. i have been just scrubbing them off. that seems to do the trick but only for a short time. about 2 days ago it started again. i was thinking of having the alternator replaced. but i didnt want to spend that kinda money on something i wasnt sure about. after reading ur post im thinking that the alternator needs to be replaced.
