Help with this electrical problem!

[BadBowtie]

Hey guys.

Yesterday my truck started acting up.

It was backfiring and heasitating and really low on power.

this moring i went to take my bro to work and it started fine but after like 30 sec it started to act up again.

Si when i droped him off at work i change the timeing a little and it seemed to help but then half way home it started acting up again. ( the drive is only like 5 minute to his work and back)

So when i got home i went and checked the timing it was a bit high but not bad so set the timing. cleared the code from the computer by pulling the fuse for 15 sec. The truck is using a TBI system for referance.

Then after clearing the code it would start until i got a boost. then it ran great so i took it for a test drive and it started again.i only drove a a minute from home and on the way home the truck stalled and wouldnt start. got another boost and got home only to have the same things happen on the way home. So im pretty sure my battery is not getting charge properly.

But i also have a problem with all my guages not workinh that happened the day before.So im thinking i have a bad ground. (my truck seems to have them morethan normal) is there a ground wire somewhere that could be giving me problems?

Other than bad ground,or altornator or bad battery is there anything else i should check?



Sorry for the long message just wanted to ive as much info as possible.



Also the truck is a 1987 s10 blazer with a 350 and TBI system from a 1989 fullsize pickup.

[Mike]

just start checking them all, start from the battery post and work your way through the system. the most overlooked wire is the ground wire from the battery, may look good near the battery but could be falling apart inches away.

seen people replace batteries, starters, alternators and still have the same problem, it was the ground cable. it\'s about the cheapest part in your system, if you haven\'t replaced it in awhile i would do so, if the problem is still there, you didn\'t loose much.

[basementdweller]

Hmm.. when you set your timing... you ARE unplugging the wire for the advance correct? If not .. theres your first problem... if you ARE.. then.. if you can get the truck running.. disconnect the battery while its running.. if it stalls, your alternator is no good. If it keeps running, be happy your alternator is good! http://www.s10v8.com/images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif But it sounds like an alternator problem since it\'s starting up after you boost it. There\'s a slight chance that there is a bad connection inside your starter solenoid but that doesn\'t happen very often.

Keep us posted!

[fasrnur]

Another thing to check with the groud is the wire from the engine to the fire wall as well as the smallwire from the ground side of the battery. These will drive you crazy. These can lead to alot of problems in the system including your gauge problems.



Good luck.



Jeff......

[BadBowtie]

The starter seleniod is only about six months old. i had to replace it when swapping engines cause i broke it.

I had the battery chargin over night so it will be fully charged this morining.

How long should the engine run on a fully charged battery and no alternator?



I havent had the firewall ground strap on for over a year and everything has been fine. and the battery is only about a year old so it should be good.

I quess the alternator should be tested then.

[BadBowtie]

Ok i got it figured out sorta.

The fuse for my ingnition and gauges was blown and there for not putting out power to the alternator.

So i put in a new fuse and drove for a few minutes and it hasent blown yet so well wait and see.

[mommasboy]

Did you pull off the positive battery cable yet?



If so did it stay running?



And to answer your question about how long it should run with a fully charged battery, about 20 min or so in the day, but at night with the lights on i made it about 3 miles before it was dead.



It should run forever with out the batter hooked up (day or night) as long as the alternator is good.

[BadBowtie]

yeah i pulled the positive able and the truck died.

On my altornator there is a pink and black wire that comes from the ignition system to turn the alternator on. the ignition and gauge fuse was blown so i replaced it and its working fine now.

I still dont know why it blew the fuse in the first place but it hasnt blow again so im leaving it for now.

[martin777]

Removing the battery while it\'s running can be CATASTROPHIC to your electrical system! Sure-it will stay running due to regenerative feedback but you now have removed the battery reference voltage the alt. uses to regulate to. The alt. doesn\'t know when to stop charging and could jack it\'s output voltage up to max-maybe 20VDC+! Just get a decent volt meter and monitor the bat. voltage at the battery. You can watch that voltage go right on up after the motor starts and a fully charged bat. should read ~13-14VDC. Batteries fail more often that alternators and most alt. failures can be traced directly to a funky battery/connections. Do a good load test on ANY suspect battery.



p.s.-A lot of guys (including me) forget to CHECK THE DAMN WATER in that battery! http://www.s10v8.com/images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif







There\'s no replacement for displacement!

Big Blocks Rule!

[mommasboy]

We\'re not telling his to pull the cable and leave it off. Just to pull it off for a second and if the truck dies the alternator is shot, if it stays running for 30sec or more it\'s good.

[4more]

that test is ok on older stuff or ones with very little other electrical crap but do not try it on newwer efi cars you cause a trouble the volt meter on the battery running is a decent \"nice\" way to see if it s \"somewhat\" working

[martin777]

If you ever move the battery to the back and use an emergency cut-off switch (required by NHRA on ALL remote batteries) make sure to get the type that has the extra terminal to switch off the alternator.