Hello all, my name is Scott and I have an '83 Trans Am with the Cross-Fire Injection engine. A couple of weeks ago I was returning home and the engine just cut off after I pulled away from a stop sign. After I let it sit for a few minutes on the side of the road, I was able to start it back up and get home-BARELY. It stalled again just as I was turning into my driveway.

Well since then I have driven it several times and it has been OK. My luck, however, ran out today. After exiting the freeway today, it gave out again. The steering locks up, check engine light comes on and your stuck. After letting it sit for a while, it'll start up again, just like before.

Well to make a long story short, I noticed on my way back home tonight, my gauges looked dim, and my volts gauge on my dash was reading very low. Sure enough, my car will not start now. I know this is either the battery or the altenator. But my real question is could all this be related? Or are these two completely seperate problems? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks-

Scott

 

Likely the same problem. How are your belts looking? Are they all present and accounted for?

 

Since the SES came on, that means there's a code. Bridge the "A" and "B" terminals of the ALDL and turn the key to the "on" position, without actually starting the car.



Use a paperclip and stick one end in the "A" port, the other in the "B" port. With the key in the "on" position, it will bink the code 12 a few times and then the trouble code. Once you get the trouble code, you can work from there.

 

Yep, just replaced all my belts a couple of weeks ago. And I tried the paperclip trick and the ECM does not show any codes. It just gives me a code 12 over and over. Is that normal? Or should the code 12 stop after a while?

 

If your SES light came on while you were driving, it should have stored a code besides 12.

This is just a guess, but maybe the battery lost its charge and subsequently lost any codes you might have had as well.

Sounds like the alternator. Check it to see if it is on its way out.

 

Fix the obvious problem, first.

 

Guys, Come ON! The check engine light came on, because the ENGINE STALLED! The check engine light is ALWAYS on during a key on/engine off situation. There will not be a code.

To the original poster, what "contactpatch" said. Fix the charging problem first. Then get back to us.

-Tom