Electrical Gremlins Shutting engine off
04-27-2017, 06:38 AM
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Electrical Gremlins Shutting engine off
Okay so I'm a second owner of my 91 Camaro. Guy before me installed a audio system and a alarm system. No idea what was chopped up or anything. Before for a while id have a little gremlins come around every once in a while shut off my engine, make it run like if it was missing cylinders, and cause my engine to surge in RPM. No big deal happened every once in a while. Now my window switches shut off my new radio and pulling my headlights on shuts off the engine for a bit while its running but not enough to stall it.
Seems to me that it has to do with that crap wiring that's behind the radio. Just jumped cables everywhere and if the radio is moved around it will shut the engine off or reset the radio.
So what am I looking for? Is it electrical overload? A wiring shorting out somewhere? Anyway way I can find the guy who previously owned my Camaro and have a couple words with him?
But really any leads on what to look at would be great.
Seems to me that it has to do with that crap wiring that's behind the radio. Just jumped cables everywhere and if the radio is moved around it will shut the engine off or reset the radio.
So what am I looking for? Is it electrical overload? A wiring shorting out somewhere? Anyway way I can find the guy who previously owned my Camaro and have a couple words with him?
But really any leads on what to look at would be great.
05-01-2017, 05:06 PM
#2
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Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Mooresville NC
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Car: LOWERED ♦ CRIMSON METALFLAKE
Engine: ► 400 KUBES ◄
Transmission: 765R4
Axle/Gears: EATON POSI 4.56
Goonies Gotcha
No telling what the PO did but it does sound like there is at least one wire behind the radio shorting to ground.
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HEADLIGHTS vs. RPM:
If the idle is a bit low to start with it is normal for the headlights to reduce the RPM.
Also make sure the headlights are the original type.
If the PO had poor night vision he might have tried to compensate by installing ridiculous overbright headlights (drawing too much current) that you see so many doffuses running these days.
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WINDOWS:
The windows have a common circuit amp breaker instead of fuses.
Check the breaker for 12 volts in and out.
The breaker is located in the fuse block to the left of the steering column.
If the breaker is OK use a test light (the type for testing for voltage, not a continuity tester)
or voltmeter to see if you have power at the pink wire going to the switches.
Is there power there?
The breaker is located in the fuse block to the left of the steering column.
The fuse block is located behind the knee bolster inside a door which is a part a the knee bolster.
If the problem is sporadic enuff that you don’t have time to do the above you can connect an alligator clip to the output of the breaker connected to a test light, and have the light in a place you can see while you’re in the driver’s seat.
Now the next time the windows fail the test light will notify you if the breaker has opened.
◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙
Happy Racing !
◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙
Make Noise, Turn Left, Repeat
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
HEADLIGHTS vs. RPM:
If the idle is a bit low to start with it is normal for the headlights to reduce the RPM.
Also make sure the headlights are the original type.
If the PO had poor night vision he might have tried to compensate by installing ridiculous overbright headlights (drawing too much current) that you see so many doffuses running these days.
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
WINDOWS:
The windows have a common circuit amp breaker instead of fuses.
Check the breaker for 12 volts in and out.
The breaker is located in the fuse block to the left of the steering column.
If the breaker is OK use a test light (the type for testing for voltage, not a continuity tester)
or voltmeter to see if you have power at the pink wire going to the switches.
Is there power there?
The breaker is located in the fuse block to the left of the steering column.
The fuse block is located behind the knee bolster inside a door which is a part a the knee bolster.
If the problem is sporadic enuff that you don’t have time to do the above you can connect an alligator clip to the output of the breaker connected to a test light, and have the light in a place you can see while you’re in the driver’s seat.
Now the next time the windows fail the test light will notify you if the breaker has opened.
◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙
Happy Racing !
◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙◙
Make Noise, Turn Left, Repeat