Cascade Crew

aaron_sK · Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2011 10:43 pm Post subject:

Are you certain that the trigger and sense wires are working correctly? Had a faulty trigger wire on a CS130 cause an issue like this one time.

kutison · Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2011 10:47 pm Post subject:

No idea, but now I have two new wires to be concerned about. Where are they and what do they do?

The 2 wires coming off the harness?

Al Hasse · Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2011 10:53 pm Post subject:

kutison · Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2011 11:00 pm Post subject:

hmm, ok, ill check in the morning after school. Thanks.

kutison · Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2011 11:32 am Post subject:

Car off, red is 12.72 brown is 0
Car on, both wires are 12.36

I checked with the harness detached

aaron_sK · Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2011 12:24 pm Post subject:

That is correct.

Are the terminals on the alternator getting a good connection?

kutison · Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2011 12:48 pm Post subject:

Looks clean enough to me, I assume any problem would be on the harness, the alternator connections are all new.

Not sure how I should properly clean them though. Wire brush? battery terminal spray?

Al Hasse · Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2011 1:11 pm Post subject:

For all I know, that was my problem too. I soldered a new connector onto the harness along with putting in an alternator from O'reilly's, couldn't get either NAPA unit to turn on. That connector did look pretty bad though. I also performed all my continuity checks from alternator to battery to starter prior to installing the new alternator, and while loosening the battery positive, it broke off inside. Fortunately, I could use a scribe to get what was left of the post to turn and backed it out and got a new one to replace it. While on topic with the battery, you might want to check your connections there and make sure they're clean.

kutison · Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2011 2:04 pm Post subject:

I just double check the connector and it looks fine. The contacts are nice and shiny. I tested the voltage on the contacts with the harness disconnected so it seems like it's working fine.

kutison · Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2011 5:48 pm Post subject:

Sigh, new battery check, new alternator tested good, installed both and.... Same problem Evil or Very Mad

I just so happened to notice an orange wire, to the immediate right of the battery that been destroyed. there is a black cylinder just up from the break. (fusible link?) So that needs to be repaired, but is it related to my current problem?

aaron_sK · Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2011 6:06 pm Post subject:

Just thought of something:

Check for resistance between the lug on the back of the alternator and the positive terminal on the battery with the engine off. Should be very little/no resistance.

kutison · Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2011 6:44 pm Post subject:

With the multimeter set to "200" the OHMs were around 180, car off, acc on.

More importantly, I twisted that orange wire back together to see what it did, and I got a reading of 14.62 with the car running. Seems like that was my problem.

I would solder in a piece of wire, but since I don't have a wireless soldering gun, and live in an apartment ill just twist and tape or heat shrink. Embarassed

aaron_sK · Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2011 6:59 pm Post subject:

Sounds like someone rerouted the alternator feed from the starter solenoid to the battery.

Al Hasse · Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2011 7:04 pm Post subject:

kutison · Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2011 8:07 pm Post subject:

I'm not sure what it was, but it didnt seem to come directly off the battery. Problem is fixed though, 14.4 with the car running.

Although in the process a headlight went out, and my window spray stopped working (heard a fuse blow) nither of which will keep me from the road though.

So thanks for the help everyone, I learned a lot and appreciate everyone taking their time to help me. +10 cool points to the crew.

DBL_TKE · Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2011 6:34 am Post subject:

This is a very informative thread, I've been having a similar issue where when the engines cold and on high idle the voltage reads normal but once the idle has settled down the voltage reads weak and drops with each additional load (headlights, radio, heater,etc). I'll be doing dome tests tomorrow.

kutison · Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2011 5:53 pm Post subject:

This was the wire I was talking about.

Al Hasse · Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2011 6:08 pm Post subject:

Don't put that back together, it's a fusible link that did its job. You need to replace the link which should include the length of orange wire, the black plastic piece and a short length of the red wire. Take the number off the plastic piece for the correct size and get a new link at the parts store.

kutison · Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2011 6:13 pm Post subject:

ok, but I thought the fuse was supposed to blow, not the wire. So much to learn...

Al Hasse · Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2011 6:27 pm Post subject:

On a fusible link, the wire is the fuse. The wire that separated is smaller than the wire it protects. Because it's smaller, it doesn't handle as much current and will "burn out" and separate before the larger one, thus protecting your harness.