Wtf?????????????????

tonybrooklyn

tonybrooklyn

New member
So i am coming home last night just picked up my girlfriend. Light turns green guy next to me in an Impala wants to go. So i hit it nice 1-2 tire chirping shift. Then it happens lights out. The whole dash gauges everything black out. Only thing that stayed on is the headlights an i think the taillights were on too. I keep my foot in it as we are neck and neck 2-3 shift grabbed rubber again. i am rolling down the road looking for a spot to pull over and see whats up. Just about to get out of the car. Bam everything lights back up. The abs light and T/C lights are on. So i turn off the key restart and they go out all is well. While everything was out the air bag light was flashing the whole time as well. Bad news i tried a half dozen times and could not get it to happen again. Good news we won the race lol. It was the weirdest thing ever maybe the module i dunno.
Any thoughts thanks in advance.
Regards
Tony
 
tixer

tixer

Lincoln Evangelist
Congrats on the win!

Things that cross my mind.. battery cables (positive, round..) check the clamp for the battery, too, in case it's shifting, causing something else to move..

Voltage regulator in the Alternator.. (High electrical demand of driving at night, plus a burst of RPM..) /maybe/ the regulator is weak..

Really, I'd put my money on a loose connection somewhere
 
tonybrooklyn

tonybrooklyn

New member
tixer said:
Congrats on the win!

Things that cross my mind.. battery cables (positive, round..) check the clamp for the battery, too, in case it's shifting, causing something else to move..

Voltage regulator in the Alternator.. (High electrical demand of driving at night, plus a burst of RPM..) /maybe/ the regulator is weak..

Really, I'd put my money on a loose connection somewhere
Click to expand...
You know i thought about the lose connection as well but then i remembered the headlights stayed on the whole time. i did check every damn connection there is. All is well so i am stumped. I am gonna say i think you hit it with the voltage regulator. I once had a Lincoln and the alternator was over charging something like 17 volts. The whole dash and gauges went dead. I guess this is to protect them from the surge. The alternator is fairly new one of those D B electrical 200 amp jammys. i dropped it in last summer i gotta say it has maybe 5,000 miles on it. That really means nothing parts can fail at any time. Especially in a car that sits dormant for such long periods of time. Oh well i guess i gotta figure out a way to retire 10 years sooner. Move out west to southern California. Then i can drive her all year long. Thanks for your help.
 
M

MarkVIIIMarc

New member
"The alternator is fairly new one of those D B electrical 200 amp jammys." My vote is on this. It is a new part.

It would take ingenuity but I'd be tempted to drive around with a multi meter hooked up and see what the voltage reading was. Perhaps wire into the cigarette lighter or fuse panel? You can even try to recreate the race solo.

On a Chevy SB Stroker I had the shifts were at 6600 rpms or so and my Turbo350 was pretty violent. Boy did I toss some V belts before I figured out my belt alignment wasn't great. Wonder if yours skipped and caused a momentary whatever.
 
driller

driller

El Presidente
Is it possible you over-revved the alternator?

I have killed a handful of alternators doing "spirited" testing and tuning on the street.

If the car looses traction and spins into the 2-3 shift, it can and often will 'overshoot' and may even hit the rev-limiter. It is then likely to over-rev the alternator - especially with aftermarket pulleys (though I have tried to keep my pulley selection as close to the stock alternator rpms as possible).
 
tonybrooklyn

tonybrooklyn

New member
driller said:
Is it possible you over-revved the alternator?

I have killed a handful of alternators doing "spirited" testing and tuning on the street.

If the car looses traction and spins into the 2-3 shift, it can and often will 'overshoot' and may even hit the rev-limiter. It is then likely to over-rev the alternator - especially with aftermarket pulleys (though I have tried to keep my pulley selection as close to the stock alternator rpms as possible).
Click to expand...
Yes that is another great point. The shifts are right on the redline. With the traction control off as it was. { I drive like that on purpose} The back does kick out on the 1-2 2-3 shift causing an over rev situation. You know i tried driving it with the traction control on but its just no fun lol. Thanks for your help JP.
 
M

MarkVIIIMarc

New member
What's the easiest way of checking your voltage? Hook up a voltage gauge to the cigarette lighter wiring?

I don't recall if my blue tooth OBDII scan tool gave that reading before I dropped it one too many times. I do recall it had a lag I did not like but an astute passenger can figure it out while you drive.

Be careful out there. My family is on those streets.
 
tonybrooklyn

tonybrooklyn

New member
driller said:
LOL... of course.

Traction control off, check.

OD off, check.

Hang on! :big-grin:
Click to expand...
Got in the car this morning taking my girlfriend to work. :love-it:
I repeated verbatim what you wrote.:cool:
Poor thing was laughing so hard she could not sit still a couple of minutes before she could buckle up.:fart
Needless to say anytime i make her laugh, well lets just say i am gonna have a lot of fun tonight!:thumbsup:
Thanks again JP
 
tonybrooklyn

tonybrooklyn

New member
Back on topic.
I would really like to be able to say.
I FOUND IT!
I spent many hours searching for the lose wire or busted ground strap.
But came up empty. I have been grabbing rubber since it happened trying to re create the scenario.
Once again i have come up empty.
I think the spike in voltage theory due to an over rev condition.
Is the best explanation at this point.
Thanks everyone for all you help and thoughts.
Best Regards
Tony
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top