As posted in another thread my coil is throwing sparks without a coil lead connected.
Also i have noticed that the voltmeter in the car is showing that the battery isn't charging, could these two be related? or is it time for a new alternator?
I'm not sure maybe one of the relays to the side of the battery has gone and is causing this problem.
It seems to be one thing after another with it. :x gotta love it though :D
I bought a little device that you hook up to the car and it tells you whether the battery is working or has dead cells, as well as the alternator and the coil. this is how i found out that i have the problem with the coil.
But it also shows that the battery was ok and the alternator was working.
Could running a car with a dead cell battery kill the alternator?
As i tested the battery with a hydrometer and found out that it did have a few dead cells in it. And not long after i noticed the guage showing nothing above 10. :x i'm stumped.
any help or advice would be appreciated.
drew :D
still coil probs
still coil probs
- el schmicko detailer -
MelbStazz,
about the best way to stuff a coil is spark it without the coil lead connected :( The energy has to go somewhere. I would not do that too often.
You should have the coil lead connected and put the other end against the body of the car or leave a small gap for the spark to jump if you want to see if it's working. Then if the spark is still jumping around the coil somewhere then you have a problem.
I haven't read you other posts but with a fully charged battery you can run the engine no problem without the alternator. Obviously the battery will go flat after a while but you can still see if it's running properly.
A basic charging check is to read the battery voltage (at the terminals) with a multimeter with everything off, then start the car and while it's running read the voltage on the battery terminals again it should read higher if the alternator is working.
Remember it's possible for everything to be ok but for the voltage to the gauges to be low because of other wiring problems. The main thing to check is the voltage on the battery and work back from there.
You need at least a multimeter don't rely on the voltmeter.
about the best way to stuff a coil is spark it without the coil lead connected :( The energy has to go somewhere. I would not do that too often.
You should have the coil lead connected and put the other end against the body of the car or leave a small gap for the spark to jump if you want to see if it's working. Then if the spark is still jumping around the coil somewhere then you have a problem.
I haven't read you other posts but with a fully charged battery you can run the engine no problem without the alternator. Obviously the battery will go flat after a while but you can still see if it's running properly.
A basic charging check is to read the battery voltage (at the terminals) with a multimeter with everything off, then start the car and while it's running read the voltage on the battery terminals again it should read higher if the alternator is working.
Remember it's possible for everything to be ok but for the voltage to the gauges to be low because of other wiring problems. The main thing to check is the voltage on the battery and work back from there.
You need at least a multimeter don't rely on the voltmeter.
1st the coil and more to come
Well i guess that tomorrow i will go and get me a multimeter and check it again. On closer inspection of the coil it looks as though it has been patched up in the past with some rather thin looking insulation/elecrical tape.
Could that have any thing to do with it. Everything was fine until the car sat at work while i painted a few things, then one day i go to move it and the radiator goes then, this( coil ) and now the brake and clutch cylinders are leaking. :x i got a price for a new brake booster $400
and $69 for the clutch. :) not too bad, i thought.
A new battery is on the cards as well, what type of CCA would you recommend? as the one in the car has some dead cells in it. Could that cause the car to run rough if the alt was shot as well?
i think it so as there wouldn't be enough spark to give a good fire in the cylinder. I have ordered new Top gun 8.8mm leads 2day and should have them soon.
i'm on hols at the moment and the cars stranded at work, trying to get it going so i can do some work to it. Fit up the new Blitz Boost guage and a few autometer ones too, i think that they will look nice in the newly custom painted console( heavy coarse silver metallic with a aquamarine/amythest pearl clear coat).
Thanks for all your advice and i'll keep you posted hopefully tomorrow.
Maybe i will get it to move.....and finally home. :) but then again :x who knows...
cheers
drew/melbstazz
Could that have any thing to do with it. Everything was fine until the car sat at work while i painted a few things, then one day i go to move it and the radiator goes then, this( coil ) and now the brake and clutch cylinders are leaking. :x i got a price for a new brake booster $400
and $69 for the clutch. :) not too bad, i thought. A new battery is on the cards as well, what type of CCA would you recommend? as the one in the car has some dead cells in it. Could that cause the car to run rough if the alt was shot as well?
i think it so as there wouldn't be enough spark to give a good fire in the cylinder. I have ordered new Top gun 8.8mm leads 2day and should have them soon.
i'm on hols at the moment and the cars stranded at work, trying to get it going so i can do some work to it. Fit up the new Blitz Boost guage and a few autometer ones too, i think that they will look nice in the newly custom painted console( heavy coarse silver metallic with a aquamarine/amythest pearl clear coat).
Thanks for all your advice and i'll keep you posted hopefully tomorrow.
Maybe i will get it to move.....and finally home. :) but then again :x who knows...
cheers
drew/melbstazz
- el schmicko detailer -
The car will run pretty shit without the alternator working/attached. just check the connections to make sure it is still attached (i thought i had a stuffed alternator once, turns out it was just a snapped terminal) and have a look at the voltage at the terminals of the battery when the engine is running, it should show about 13.8V - 14.4V (anything outside of this and you need either a new regulator or new alternator). If it is above this it may cause damage to the battery by charging it too quickly. It is common for voltage regulators to go and then stuff the battery.
Insulation tape is a bit of a myth, it pretty much has bugger-all insulating properties at all. It's supposed to be used for taping insulated wires together to make things look neat... not as a replacement insulator.
With the battery you don't need to get anything too huge, but if your car has a problem starting get one with a high cold crank amps... but otherwise the standard one will do (just check in one of the catalogues).
good luck!
Steve.
Insulation tape is a bit of a myth, it pretty much has bugger-all insulating properties at all. It's supposed to be used for taping insulated wires together to make things look neat... not as a replacement insulator.
With the battery you don't need to get anything too huge, but if your car has a problem starting get one with a high cold crank amps... but otherwise the standard one will do (just check in one of the catalogues).
good luck!
Steve.
There is no reason why it will run "pretty shit" without the alternator provided the battery is charged. I said "run the engine" to check for missfire and such ie. for a short period. Like at idle and to rev it up a few times to see if it's missing.Paradoxx wrote:The car will run pretty shit without the alternator working/attached.
You are both kinda correct about the alternator. I asked my Auto elec and he told me that the car will run without the alternator working and with a decent battery. Though after driving the car for a long period the battery will lose it's charge without relying on the alternator to top up the used power. This causes the spark to be less and the car will run rough as the fuel isn't being burnt off properly.
I also asked about the coil and it throwing the spark without the coil lead attached, it's going to do that as the spark has to go somewhere. So the coil is okey dokey, even though it has the dodgy electrical tape.
Though i have got my hands on another genuine replacement coil for $22. With the new leads ( top gun 8.8mm $59) on and the new replacement coil the car's still not making charge, or running well. The reason for the new leads was a close inspection of them at night with the engine running, i noticed a spark jumping from the 4th lead to the rocker cover and the 3rd lead zapping across to the 4th! not good. :x
Me thinks that the alternator must be shot. So i have to get my hands on one, i'm waiting for the new alt before i put the new battery in. I don't want to risk anything.
cheers for all of your assistance
drew
I also asked about the coil and it throwing the spark without the coil lead attached, it's going to do that as the spark has to go somewhere. So the coil is okey dokey, even though it has the dodgy electrical tape.
Though i have got my hands on another genuine replacement coil for $22. With the new leads ( top gun 8.8mm $59) on and the new replacement coil the car's still not making charge, or running well. The reason for the new leads was a close inspection of them at night with the engine running, i noticed a spark jumping from the 4th lead to the rocker cover and the 3rd lead zapping across to the 4th! not good. :x
Me thinks that the alternator must be shot. So i have to get my hands on one, i'm waiting for the new alt before i put the new battery in. I don't want to risk anything.
cheers for all of your assistance
drew
- el schmicko detailer -
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woah
8.8mm leads and they're jumping? You either haven't put the lead plugs in tight enough on the spark plugs or you have a serious problem. Make sure you really push down so they are sealed, they will go on and seal, then push and they kinda suddenly slide and stick on to the plugs, once on, they're on there pretty solid. make sure that the plugs on the leads are actual Starion spec too.
Check that battery voltage when car is running, as mentioned before about the voltage regulator - if that is stuffed and the car is being fed say 16V, this is multiplied by the coil which may be causing the spark madness.
Yes a car will run alternatorless until the battery goes flat.
To test the alternator if the alternator/regulator is your problem, just unplug the bastard.
8.8mm leads and they're jumping? You either haven't put the lead plugs in tight enough on the spark plugs or you have a serious problem. Make sure you really push down so they are sealed, they will go on and seal, then push and they kinda suddenly slide and stick on to the plugs, once on, they're on there pretty solid. make sure that the plugs on the leads are actual Starion spec too.
Check that battery voltage when car is running, as mentioned before about the voltage regulator - if that is stuffed and the car is being fed say 16V, this is multiplied by the coil which may be causing the spark madness.
Yes a car will run alternatorless until the battery goes flat.
To test the alternator if the alternator/regulator is your problem, just unplug the bastard.
1997 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IV 4G63BT
1996 Nissan Maxima VQ30DE (for sale, suit someone who likes the feel of boats when driving)
1996 Nissan Maxima VQ30DE (for sale, suit someone who likes the feel of boats when driving)
the leads are on the car tightly, they are so tight that i couldn't almost get them off. Yes even top gun leads can throw a spark.( especially if they are shot!!!) Turns out that one of the leads is shot and is causing that problem. I've taken the top gun leads back and got me some Bosch leads. According to my mechanic these new bosch black leads crap all over the topgunners. Hmm have to wait and c. The alternator was the problem and a new one is on its way to be fitted. :D
should be running without a miss shortly, that just leaves me with the brake and clutch masters to do next :x
joyful...
should be running without a miss shortly, that just leaves me with the brake and clutch masters to do next :x
joyful...
- el schmicko detailer -
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