I think my car needs an excorcist

[RG5384]

Well this is quite interesting. First, I’m going to deviate off and discuss an earlier event that happened a couple months ago. I was coming home from work, and put on the rear defrost. No sooner did I do that, then my Jensen radio turn itself off. I think to myself "this is interesting", and turn it back on. Immediately after my defrost goes off. I turn my defrost back on, and my radio starts bugging out. It ejected the cd, switched channels, and did a really weird/cool display thing on it's screen. I gave up on the defrost at that point, and turned everything off. Next day everything worked perfectly (after a new fuse, anytime something like this happens, I immediately replace the fuse just so I can eliminate it). Now, for today’s story. I installed newer seats in my car, complete with power headrest capability. To use this capability, i have run a momentary toggle switch to the motor, and tapped into the cigarette lighter wiring for power. Well, today I hooked up the passenger headrest (after 6 months....). So as I’m testing them out, my windshield wipers begin to go. They only would do one wipe and then stop. It's not every time; I think it does this selectively. And it only does it when i use the power headrests.... I have noticed many times my windshield wipers will jump when the car starts, but normally only when it is really cold out (40's or so, hey, i live in Florida ok?). And my last strange problem for the day, if i press on the brake pedal with my door open, i get a sick cow like sound. And same if I turn on my turn signal with my door open. This car is starting to worry me........


Ryan

[leathermang]

Ryan,
You are in luck,,, I offer a NONdenominational excorsism service.... Cars are my biggest customers... but you must attach your car to the national electrical grid.. you can do that by getting one of those battery chargers that hook through the cigar lighter. At the proper time I will place my hands on top of my Sears 30 amp battery charger and begin the services...You should have your garden water hose handy in case it goes into convulsions.... just spray the windshield.... make sure there is nothing in the ash tray so it can not get choked. Just let me know what time to be at my Charger reading the HOLY words from the Factory Shop Manual......In the worst cases the head makes a 360 degree turn, shearing all the head bolts...but it does survive and prosper after that... Greg

[Capt Kirk]

That maybe a problem Greg, Texas has it's own Power Grid

[leathermang]

Well, that explains my lack of success outside Texas... I thought it was because those other states don't speak Texan.......Greg

[psfred]

Ryan:

W126 chassis cars exhibit all sorts of weird electrical symptoms when the voltage is low -- the classic is for the windshield wipers to swipe once or twice when attempting to start with a low battery.

You have either a very poor battery (in which case you would have starting problems), a dead cell in the battery (less than 12 volts with the engine off), or corrosion on the main accessory/ignition buss connections that causes current/voltage supply problems, so that when you have a high draw accessory on (rear defroster, etc), the voltage on the rest of the buss drops and strange things happen.

I would take another look at the fuse box connections (remember the sunroof?), then inspect the positive battery cable connection at the starter -- if this connection is loose or corroded, you will have a poor connection for the electricity supply to the rest of the car. There are two, three, or four (depending on model) small red wires connected with large loop connectors at the battery cable on the starter.

Good luck!

Peter

[RG5384]

ahhh crap. I was hoping it was just a fluke problem. There is always some logical explanation for this stuff. I dont think it's a bad battery(just replaced a couple months ago), and i JUST spent close to 250$ on an alternator w/a lifetime. I had the thing installed(didn't have time myself-this is why I now do ALL my own repair work if possible), so i'll probably take it back to the shop and say "fix it". That way my hands dont get messy. lol. Thanks for the explanation, i'll breifly look at all my connections.
Thanks
Ryan

[RG5384]

DOH!!!! i'll bet a ground cable just sitting on the terminal of the battery could cause this huh? i guess i forgot to tigthen it after replacing my dash...oops.
Ryan

[RG5384]

well, the loose battery connection WAS NOT the problem I looked at the "bus system", if what you mean is all the wires inside the black plastic box connected with philips head screws. I loosened all of them, and re-tightened them but to no avail. The wipers still swiped.... If i drive the car am i running the risk of getting a dead battery? I should also add that I am running an amp and subs, but all wiring is done correctly( 4 guage wire, good ground etc). I tested my battery and it's reading at a 12.7 respectively with the engine off, i havn't checked my alternator output as i dont believe that means jack crap unless you have an amp meter. All of the alternators that have gone bad in my cars have always read "good" on the voltmeter, but were crap on the amp-meter.
Ryan

[psfred]

Ryan:

How do you have your amps connected to the main buss?

I suspect you need to wire them directly to the battery cable connection via a relay, and not directly to the "ignition" switch. The MB wiring is not heavy enough to handle that kind of load. Also, the instructions (if any) from the manufacturer of the amps are likely to be mostly useless.

A quick test would be to disconnect the amps, etc and see if the problem still exists. If not, then you know where to start.

You probably only have 60 amps output on the alternaltor -- check this (probably in the onwners manual) -- if you draw more than that with all accessories on (A/C, rear defrost, stereo, etc) you will eventually drain the battery.

I hope you are wearing earplugs when you have the stereo cranked -- if not, start saving up for hearing aid batteries, you will need them shortly! (I wear 30 db down industrial earplugs when I go to dance bars!)

Peter

[RG5384]

I only have one amp, it is a 300 watt amp. It is wired directly to the battery via a 4 gauge wire. It has an inline fuse, but no relay, it is turned on and off b the power antenna line from the radio. My radio actually isn't that loud. The subs are in the trunk, and the only way to get any bass into the cabin is to run such a system. I did not want to mutilate the factory look inside the car, but i wanted decent sound(yes, that excuse worked on my father, wont you beleive me??) In all seriousness, it really isn't that loud. I may go try that with the amp and see if the wipers still "wipe". A quick intesting story: When i first got my amp, my alternator was going bad. I was dumb and hooked it up anyway saying i would only use it when the a/c wasn't on and the lights were off. To make a long story short, after i installed the amp i didn't ever have to be jumpstarted, and my lights didn't dim when the amp and a/c were on. Before the amp they used to dim like crazy with the a/c and radio on! finally replaced the alternator when it locked up and smoked the two belts I have had the amp in the car for quite a few months and this just now started happening, so i dont think it's related, but i will give it a shot.
thanks
Ryan

[psfred]

Ryan:

Sounds like a bad connection at the supply side of the accesories circuits. That or a short somewhere.

Have fun!

Peter

[RG5384]

oh boy, sounds like fun. Could this contribute to my intermittant speedo? if so, i hope to kill two birds with one stone, i love it when i can do that
R

[RG5384]

Well on the way to meet up with some friends, My a/c fuse(s) blew, as well as my sunroof fuse. After I replaced those 3 fuses, all was well, no more wiper swiping etc. I'm still concerned but i'm not going to do any more investigation until something else happens. I'll just keep a flashlight and plenty of fuses in my car! thanks for your help Psfred, and thanks leathermang for the humor!
Ryan

[RG5384]

Well, as I suspected the problem has returned. I was out with my girlfriend when it happened tonight, and i did not even touch the headrest. My girlfriend was quite surprised and it gave us a good laugh though My thoughts are tomorrow to check all the ground wires behind the IC, to double check all of my fuse connections, both with the fuses and the actual wires. To take off and reattach both battery cables/terminals. To clean/degrease etc the starter cables. IF it still happens after I do ALL THAT I will take it to my local indy and have him check the alternator/battery, and if that turns out good I will then give up on the problem! Thanks for your help psfred, it is greatly appreciated, I would not be able to afford this car w/out people like you helping me.
Ryan

[psfred]

Ryan:

Glad to help!

I would bet that you have a shorted wire under the dash somewhere (didn't you just replace the dash?) or someplace else, common to the two fuses for the AC and the sunroof. Blown fuese almost always mean a short.

The only other thing I can thing of is the main connection to the battery cable on the starter being corroded and causing excessive current draw, but I don't see why that would blow a fuse.

PEter