[16V Electrical] - Gremlins man, Gremlins!

[jkarlsso@metabolex.com (Jonas K.)]

On 5/10/02 6:15 AM, "DAN" <sciroccodriver@yahoo.com> wrote:

> Yesterday, while waiting for an
> appointment, I'm sitting in a parking lot with the key
> in the accessory position listening to the radio and
> all hell breaks loose.

You should be aware that there is no "accessory" position, you were sitting
with the key in the "Run" position. Everything was powered up. Big
difference.

> First the fuel pump Buzzes a
> few times for a few seconds each.... just like when
> you go to start the car.  While this is happening I
> notice my voltage guage dipping down to 9volts.  Then,
> while all this other stuff is NOT happening, I notice
> my RPM needle moving around below 1000rpm though the
> car is still not running.

Weird, never experienced anything like it, but I recognized that both the
fuel pump relay and the tachometer are triggered by the negative terminal of
the coil. If there was a sporadic short to ground I guess it could get the
tach to jump, as well as getting the fuel pump to run. Weird stuff happens
to voltage when there stuff shorts out.

This may be happening more often that you realize, only that when the car is
running, it has little effect, and you don't notice it.

Your plan sounds good, replace the fuel pump relay. Save the old one in case
it wasn't the problem.

After that, you'd need to bust out the ol' DMM and start tracing circuit
diagrams. 

Good luck, 
Jonas