Car dies and loses all power?
February 13th, 2015, 2:25 PM
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Car dies and loses all power?
My 99 Monte with 178k miles just started with her new issue.
When I crank it up, she hesitates and either drops low revs or revs really high on it's own. If I put it into gear or reverse, she sputters, if I dont hit the gas it cuts off. When it does cut off I lose ALL power. No ignition, no power locks, headlights, radio nothing, almost as if you took that battery out. It stays like that for 5-60 mins? and then cranks up and then stalls or runs rough and keep dying.
I thought it might be water in gas, but that doesn't explain the zero power issue after it dies. Sometimes I can restart the car after it dies, but it just runs rough or dies again shortly after and then eventually back to 0 power again.
Its a 1999 Monte Carlo Z34 with the 3.8L. Runs great before this. I always keep the maintenance in check and change fluids when needed. I feel like this is a small issue, short, fuse, sensor? that I can do on my own?
UPDATE: We put a multi meter on battery. read 12.5v, turned car on 14-15 like it should soon as I turn radio and heater on it dropped to 7-8v and soon as I put it in gear it dropped to 1.6-4v and hesitated like crazy revs all over. When I turned car off it took about 20-30 secs for the batt to read 12v again. which would explain why no power when it dies. has to be alternator?
When I crank it up, she hesitates and either drops low revs or revs really high on it's own. If I put it into gear or reverse, she sputters, if I dont hit the gas it cuts off. When it does cut off I lose ALL power. No ignition, no power locks, headlights, radio nothing, almost as if you took that battery out. It stays like that for 5-60 mins? and then cranks up and then stalls or runs rough and keep dying.
I thought it might be water in gas, but that doesn't explain the zero power issue after it dies. Sometimes I can restart the car after it dies, but it just runs rough or dies again shortly after and then eventually back to 0 power again.
Its a 1999 Monte Carlo Z34 with the 3.8L. Runs great before this. I always keep the maintenance in check and change fluids when needed. I feel like this is a small issue, short, fuse, sensor? that I can do on my own?
UPDATE: We put a multi meter on battery. read 12.5v, turned car on 14-15 like it should soon as I turn radio and heater on it dropped to 7-8v and soon as I put it in gear it dropped to 1.6-4v and hesitated like crazy revs all over. When I turned car off it took about 20-30 secs for the batt to read 12v again. which would explain why no power when it dies. has to be alternator?
Last edited by DnaAngel9; February 13th, 2015 at 4:52 PM.
March 1st, 2015, 5:35 PM
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Start at the battery . Pull both cables . Look for corrosion . On the clamps and inside the cable , under the insulation . Neutralize acid with bicarbonate of soda ( Arm & Hammer or generic , and warm water ) .
After you have cleaned off all the corrosion , coat the battery posts & terminals / clamps with something like wheel bearing grease .
Continue following the two battery cables to the opposite ends . Looking for problems . Keep looking until you can not trace it down any further .
Buy a book on the car . Look for fuse-able links that may be burned under the insulation .
And , yes , look for bad grounds , everywhere you can find a place where wires are grounded to the frame or body .
Look for bad fuses . UN-plug each fuse , one at a time . Look for corrosion , dust , dirt where the fuse plugs in . Use compressed air to clean out those connections .
God bless
Wyr
After you have cleaned off all the corrosion , coat the battery posts & terminals / clamps with something like wheel bearing grease .
Continue following the two battery cables to the opposite ends . Looking for problems . Keep looking until you can not trace it down any further .
Buy a book on the car . Look for fuse-able links that may be burned under the insulation .
And , yes , look for bad grounds , everywhere you can find a place where wires are grounded to the frame or body .
Look for bad fuses . UN-plug each fuse , one at a time . Look for corrosion , dust , dirt where the fuse plugs in . Use compressed air to clean out those connections .
God bless
Wyr
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