Ok, so I didn't even get a chance to get to the bottom of the first problem before more arose. Bear with me as I go through the scenerio:
A few nights ago, I went out to eat and I thought I could hear the fuel pump wining. Well something was humming, anyway. And it would raise and lower in tone with the engine idle. Maybe it was just me, but the interior lights seemed a bit dim, too. Well, later on that night, I ran out to the convinient store to grab some odds and ends. On my way home, ever time I hit the brake pedal, there was a "thump-thump-thump" coming froming my speakers with a lot of bass which wouldn't stop till I took my foot off the pedal, and the howling/wining sound was louder. It made it home fine.
Next morning when I went for breakfast, I start the thing and she fires right up......and then died after about 30 seconds. I started it again, she fired right up, and died again almost immediately after. I started her a third time and kept my foot on the accelerator. It stayed running, but the RPMs were fluctuating up and down pretty dramatically. After a while of keeping my foot on the pedal, it seemed to gradually smooth out. I slowly backed the pressure off, and it was running ok on its own. I made it to breakfast and back.
An hour later, it was time to go to work. I get in the car, turn the ignition, and the thing just cranked for a few seconds and then stopped trying. I'm like WTF!? The lights were pretty strong and the window lowered pretty quickly even without the car running, not to mention it started an hour ago, so I'm thinking it can't be the battery. It kept doing this, weakening the interior lights with each try. I gave up and took the AWD 6000 to work. When I came back, I went to jump the thing in case it was a charging issue. But the lights just kept getting dimmer. It wouldn't take the charge for some reason. Finally, it had nothing left.
Tonight, I swapped the battery out with a fully charged one. She cranked for a few seconds and turned over. I'm like ummm ..... oookaaay? I went for a test drive, but it was running horribly. Power kept fluctuating in the acceleration at low speeds till the gauge showed the boost getting in the positive. Felt the tranny clunk into gears a few times at the lower RPMs. Yet, I felt plenty of smooth power when I really got on the gas. The engine was howling again, and there was a whistling sound when the turbo reached boost (no, it wasn't spooling. This was an entirely different sound). I took her back home before she ended up leaving me stranded. It almost died when I threw it into reverse to back into the pakring space. So......
I'm a bit confused where to attack this from. I'm partially thinking fuel pump or injectors going out because of the way acceleration is behaving. Maybe even the torque converter or EGR valve? I mean, it definitely sounds like a feul delivery problem, but then why is the battery dieing? I'm not familiar enough with other complications a turbo set up may cause in regular engine operation, so I'm confused when something goes wrong on the TGP.
I can't help it kids .... I ... I'M JUST NOT A MECHANIC! :cry:
<Runs away, crying hysterically>
I haven't experienced anything like that with my TGP yet but that sounds a lot like what happened to me in my Pulsar way back in the day when my alternator went out (actually I should say alternators, it happened to me twice). The car just started doing all kinds of crazy things very similar to what you describe. Something to check for. Not sure if you know this but to check for a faulty alternator you start the car, disconnect the positive terminal on your battery, and if it stays running your alt is fine. If it dies, you got problems.
Yeah, I have a feeling that's what it might be. Or at least one of the problems. :roll: It was pretty late by the time I got everything back together and took it for a spin, so I didn't really try to test for anything else. This was a fully charged battery, so if it doesn't start tomorrow, I guess that still answers the question of what's at fault charging wise. It looks like the original alternator, which is scarry knowing how the damn GM alts are. If it turns out to be the alternator, I'll be getting an Iceberg replacement for it.
I still think there may be a fuel delivery problem. It's been doing that odd power stuttering thing from the first day I got it. Especially first thing in the morning, while the engine is still cold. But pretty much only at lower RPMs, which is confusing.
I had the same problem with the thump sound coming from the speakers, it was the connections on the alternator.
You have to understand the extreme draw of electricity the TGP's have. If your alternator is dying that would do exactly what you said. The noise in the speakers could be from a dead diode on the alternator which inturn would be the reason your alternator is not charging the battery and keeping the juice in the electrical system. If you have a volt meter start the car and see what Volts are returned to the battery. Anything less than 13VDC would be reason for concern that the alt is dead or dying. Also you may be a victim of corroded terminals or the ground straps going to the motor may need cleaned. If you do not have a descent path for the electricity to flow...you will not charge... 8)
Well, I FINALLY had a few minutes to test the trick you suggested, 4PASNU. Except.......I disconnected the negative instead of the positive :oops: . It was the only one I could get to without dissassembling the intercooler hose, and washer fluid reservoir, etc (I said I only had a few minutes). Will that work the same for this test, or does it have to be the positive? It did die as soon as it lost full contact with the battery. I put it back on, turned the ignition, and after some struggling, it did start once again. Just idling horribly.
If the car dies after you take lose the battery...your alternator is shot.
The car should only use the battery to start the car. thatn the alternator takes over.
I have actually jumped cars that way on the highway when I didn't have cables. Leave one car runnning...take out the battery....put it in the other car...start it then put it back into the original car while both are still running. ...(Had to be extremely cautius not to let the hot lead touch anything.
I realize it's the alternator if it dies when you take the battery off. I just wanted to make sure removing the negetive instead of the positive cable is valid for this test, too, since 4PASNU had specified positive. A buddy I IM was saying his SAAB manual says you'd fry the alternator if you took the cables off while the engine is running on his car :shock: .
Quote from: TimIf the car dies after you take lose the battery...your alternator is shot.
Absolutely!! Positively!! Without a doubt if the car dies when the battery terminals (either + or -) are disconnected...
the alternator is dead! 8)
Excellent. Well, not excellent, but it is kind of good in away. I thought I may have a much more expensive repair ahead of me. At least an alternator will get it up and running, then. Iceberg it is!!!! Cost the same as any GM alternator, but 10 times better!!! They also have a 140 amp available in this size casing. Mmmmmmm..........more power.
Quote from: 6000STE/AWDA buddy I IM was saying his SAAB manual says you'd fry the alternator if you took the cables off while the engine is running on his car :shock: .
I am not sure about SAAB electricals...but any car I have ever worked on has never fried anything by pulling the cables when running. Of course you don't want to arc the hell out of the terminals as you are removing them! :shock:
I have bought cars and drove them for 150+ miles with no battery in them and had no issues (as long as it didn't stall or turn it off when getting gas). An alternator should be strong enough to run all electricals, lights, heater fan, etc and still send a mild charge to the battery. So if the battery is out of the elecrical loop...the alternator will happily keep the rest running.
I have heard about the Iceberg alternators and they sound like a great alternator for the money! 8)