Parsnip

Hey yall,
yesterday i was cruising along just fine and started to notice something that smelled like burning fluid of some sort....coudlnt tell what but it was a very plastic/fluid scent, and my motor started running rough, like it was missing a fire every couple seconds...well, i come to stop at a stop light, sure enough- she dies. no sputter, no soft lay down, just a sudden stop. checked my battery (sadly its still a side post), tried re-tightening the terminals, i could get power, but i was around 9v, would crank some but then just go into the starters clicking.

so once i got it back home (towing guy was a jeep guy too so he had somethin to talk about atleast). i took the battery to get tested- it passed, just needs a charge. next, we tried using the battery out of my mothers van (ford freestar, has a 4.2l v6, batteries are more or less the same strength) and tried using jumpers straight onto my batt cables to see if it would kick over. it didnt, all i got was more starter clicking, like it wasnt getting enough juice. i plan to check all connections, but im also trying to think what would have caused sucha sudden kill, maybe its that advanced auto ign coil going bad? i know renix's like to eat them like candy so ive heard, ill also double check the cps and fuel pressure, even tho i am getting a running fuel pump so i dont feell like thats the issue.

anyways, thanks for any help/advice i can get, you guys are great

RTorrez1

First start by checking and cleaning all the grounding cables. Not just at the battery. Check the one on the oil dipstick and the one one the back of the head to the firewall and go from there.

Parsnip

All grounds were checked plus a 2gauge wire from the battery terminal to the radiator mounting bolt was added about a month ago just as a backkup ground

sthon

So you haven't actually hooked up a charged battery? Jumper cables to your battery terminals without having a battery is probably why you're not getting it started. If your battery is good get it charged and try again. Might also want to test your alternator.

Once you get it to crank check for spark and fuel and report back.

Parsnip

Will do, like i said (im not doubting or tryin to be an a hole) i did try it with the battery in and on jumpers, but my thought is the alt finally went maybe, in my mind that would explain the sudden stop maybe...ill get er charged and come back

sthon

Jumper cables don't always work, I've drained my battery to the point where jumper cables couldn't provide enough cca to crank my starter. I was using some pretty crappy jumper cables though.

The fact that your battery was reading 9.x volts leads me to believe the alternator is bad, that or you drained the battery trying to start it...

Parsnip

I can agree with that supposition

tgordon

Me, too. Please keep us aprised of the situation. At least what fixes the prob.

Parsnip

ladies and gents. the jury finds the alternator guilty of seizing up and causing the motor to turn extremely slow, also my battery terminals werent getting a good connection, dielectric grease and a little tightening fixed that up. But the alt itself wasnt turning, the motor did start though- follwed by screeching and smoke from the belt not turning and just rubbing over the alt pulley. So anyways...

Tomorrow morning im getting the new alt

DFlintstone

I'm not so sure about that.^ Granted maybe allot might be changed with a bad CPS though. My 90 coil is stock. If your battery is hammered and it won't get it with weak cables, it WILL eventually work it you give the crap connection/"conduit" time to fill the battery. (even small wire joining cigarette lighters will do it...given time) Dang that alt bearing. They are WAY up from $4. Glad you got'r.

Parsnip

yea, only thing is i cant tell if its the bearing or something internal on the alt that is seized up, id assume its the bearing, but not 100%, so probably just gonna replace the whole unit, and by replace i mean upgrade to the 117 amp one