jeremy 71 Posted June 21, 2006 Basically my car either has an electrical fault or fueling problem, most likely electrical though. When the car starts it's fine, but very quickly when driven the power dies, all the needles on the dash drop (mainly when the engine is under load 99%), yet if I dip the clutch quick enough and plant the accelerator all spring back into life, however very shortly it all goes wrong again!!! What I am very confident is that it is not the plugs/leads/dizzy/coil especially as the coil has been replaced for a new one. Also my car has no immobiliser, so it could not be that. Any help will be greatfully appreciated. Jeremy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
futura 3 Posted June 21, 2006 Hi, Do the needles drop suddenly and go to zero, or is it progressive as the rev decreases? What does the engine sound like when this happens, any rattling, or other noises? Does this happen if you leave the engine on and don't drive the car? Also if you don;t dip the clutch, does it completely stall? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
futura 3 Posted June 21, 2006 And if it stalls, do you still get lights coming up on your dashbd? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
brianthemagical 1 Posted June 21, 2006 dodgy alternator causing loss of electicity. try putting a volt meter on the battery when the engine is running, should be about 13-14 volts. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jeremy 71 Posted June 21, 2006 The needles drop instantly, and if I did not dip the clutch the car would stall. As for the engine sound I will take it out down the road and check as from memory it just sounded as if the car was idling. I'm sure if it stalled I would still get all the lights on the dash, but will see about this too. If the alternator was dodgy will the volts read low all the time?? Thanks so far as my mechanical help as my helper Father in law is on gas installation in Singapore LOL. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pugpete1108 62 1 Cars Posted June 21, 2006 i would second the dodge alternator , give it a test Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
futura 3 Posted June 21, 2006 You can test the voltage (DC current) on the battery with engine not running. Then start the engine and read again at idle, then rev the engine and read at the same time, voltage should go up. If it reads almost always the same in the three cases then your alternator is probably nackered. You didn't say if the problem happens even when the car is not moving. If it only happens when the car moves, it could be a loose (ground) connection. Or also could be a positive being put to ground / dodgy ECU, AFM connection? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
brianthemagical 1 Posted June 21, 2006 futura: when the engine is running the voltage should be pretty much constant, not varying in rpm, thats what the regulator is for and the actual voltage is more important than it staying constant. is it jet or mo tronic, my mates beemer (motronic) had a dodgy mixture valve or something that keep making it stall. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jonah 1 Posted June 22, 2006 Pretty sure it'll be the engine earth strap between gearbox casing and n/s inner wing. A duff alternator wouldn't cause this, a car will run quite happily with all the gauges working with a dead alternator (until the battery goes flat anyway, but that would be a gradual thing). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pug_ham 244 3 Cars Posted June 22, 2006 Jeremy's car is a Jetronic afaik. I agree with Jonah, a broken connection, either the earth strap or the other option being the connections to the distribution block. IIRC m@tt had one similar to this recently on one of his breakdowns around the MOT & the nuts had worked loose so the positive lead wasn't making a good connection & when the car was under power it was breaking the contact. Graham. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
futura 3 Posted June 22, 2006 (edited) futura: when the engine is running the voltage should be pretty much constant, not varying in rpm, thats what the regulator is for and the actual voltage is more important than it staying constant. is it jet or mo tronic, my mates beemer (motronic) had a dodgy mixture valve or something that keep making it stall. Yep sorry my mistake. As Jonah said though a dodgy alternator wouldn't make the car stall from times to times and start fine again. When my alternator went two weeks ago, I only started to notice it when the headlamps and dashboard lights were becoming weak at idle. In the terminal phase, the petrol pump was struggling to work and the engine was running rough with rattles and then it stalled, and there was no electrical power at all to start it again. Edited June 22, 2006 by futura Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
