probably ground problem but need input anyways(UPDATE)

[sad_rocc@veedub.com (Dan Smith)]

--- DieingSwan@aol.com wrote:
>In a message dated 2/8/03 7:39:04 PM Eastern Standard Time,=20
>sad_rocc@veedub.com writes:
>
>> Last night I was driving a friend somewhere and my car lost power for a=
=20
>brief=20
>> second. It was -15F outside and the temp needle was just about to leave =
the=20
>> white box. The oil temp was about 1/3 of the way to the first listed num=
ber=20
>(
>> I can't tell exactly where, it was dark). The car jolted and my stereo a=
nd=20
>> headlights and everything blinked out for just a second. Things seemed o=
k=20
>> after that, but my destination was only about another minute or so away.=
=20
>When=20
>> I got back in the car a few hours later and fired it up, the battery lig=
ht=20
>> was on. I turned off my fogs and highbeams and after a few, the light we=
nt=20
>> out. I turned back on the fogs, the light came back. The car felt fine, =
no=20
>> loss in power, lights didn't seem dim. I haven't tried it in today's war=
mer=20
>> temps and I haven't popped the hood yet. Did a ground come loose perhaps?
>>=20=20
>>  Dan
>
>Oh geez... if it's not a ground, sounds like it COULD be a short inside th=
e=20
>alternator. This exact thing happened with my boyfriend's '87 Chrysler New=
=20
>Yorker, and what you describe is just how it started. Definitely keep an e=
ye=20
>on that/test the alt, because a dead short like that will take down other=
=20
>components with it (in my BF's case, it fried the spark control module- a=
=20
>nice $80 part).
>
>Good luck,
>Courtney

Sweet, just what an unemployed poor college student wants to hear. Well, I =
took it for a short drive today, here's what happened. Started up fine, let=
 it warm up for about 5min without a problem. Threw the lights on, stereo, =
ect and it was ok for a few but then the battery light started flickering o=
n and off. After a few, it went solid on and the heater, which was on high,=
 slowed down considerably. The light went off and on during my 10min drive =
but stayed more on than off. I turned the heater down to 2, shut off the fo=
gs, stereo and radar detector and it went back to just flickering and/or co=
ming on for a few seconds and then going off for a little longer. I still h=
aven't popped the hood to check battery connection and stuff. All the lines=
 to the battery should be tight and I'm not familiar enough with these cars=
 yet to spot something wrong unless its real obvious. Here in Steamboat, we=
 don't have an Autozone or anything to test the alt. I have to go to Denver=
 tommorrow (2 1/2hr drive, half of it in middle of nowhere land). Wish me l=
uck.

Dan

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