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Electrical problems

Old Oct 3, 2005 | 10:17 PM
  #1  
kileschilke4's Avatar
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Joined: Dec 2004
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From: Hutch, KS
Car: Firebird 1987
Engine: 350 sbc chevy
Transmission: Turbo 350
Electrical problems

well tonight while driving my car my car died and wouldnt start up acted like it had a dead battery well i got it started it finally died again and then as we were pushing it the lights shut off the interior lights and everything was off i have no power and i've been charging it for hours now is this an altenator problem?
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Old Oct 3, 2005 | 10:20 PM
  #2  
84z28350's Avatar
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,004
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From: Yellowknife, NWT, Canada
Car: 84 Z28
Engine: 357
Transmission: TH-350C
Axle/Gears: 3.43
Could be an alt or a dead battery.
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Old Oct 3, 2005 | 10:21 PM
  #3  
ploegi's Avatar
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Joined: Jul 1999
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From: Adrian, Mi, USA
Car: 1988 Pontiac Firebird Formula
Engine: 5.7 TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Check your battery terminals, make sure they are CLEAN and tight.

Check the ground terminal on the engine. (follow the black cable from the battery down to the engine) Clean this, and make sure it is tight as well.

My guess is, with a charged battery, your car will now start, and run. Once it is running, check and see what battery voltage is, should be above 13.5 volts at idle. If you are only seeing 12, or less, chances are you alternator went south.
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Old Oct 4, 2005 | 10:03 PM
  #4  
montesa311's Avatar
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Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 143
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From: colorado springs, colorado, USA
Car: 83-84 camaro, 95 formula firehawk
Engine: 305, 305ho, 350tpi, 350 lt1, 383lt1
Transmission: 700r4, t-5, t56, m6
Axle/Gears: 3:90, 4:10, 3:50, and more
sounds liek bad batt. terminals to me, beacuse you said the lights turned off.. that sounds to suden to be a dieing batterie, so it has to be a short, the alt has nothign to do with the batt wile the car is off, so im guessing bad connection on the terminals, or the terminals on the batt are brokin inside
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Old Oct 4, 2005 | 10:04 PM
  #5  
Stekman's Avatar
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Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 4,803
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From: Grand Rapids, MI
Car: Z28
Engine: Sb2.2 406
Transmission: Jerico 4 speed
Axle/Gears: Ford 9" 3.60
Check out the fusible links too....they seem to go bad at the worst times.
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Old May 13, 2006 | 08:41 PM
  #6  
kjvail1204's Avatar
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From: Amherst NY
i keep reading about fuzeable links but im not sure how to test them or even what they look like is it the fat black on the red wires, and how do you know if they are good just a light test on both sides?
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