Stumped car acting strangely

[94BCSHO]

My car (94 ATX) is acting really weird. To day I was coming home from work and the battery light came on. So I turned off everything but the auto lamps ( it was dark) and the wipers ( it was raining). The light shut off so I turned everything back on and then it came back on. So I shut off everything but the wipers and the auto lamps again.

Then the car started acting really weird, it would try to die but comeback and all the dash lights would come on like you just turned the key on. so i pulled over and shut the car off and checked the battery terminals. I tried starting the car and it started without hesitation. so i went to set off and it died so tried to restart it and it started fine again. It moved a few inches and then died again but it started fine again, it did this 3 or 4 more times. After that it was fine for a while but the light was still on. It then died again but started fine again but only made it a little farther down the road and died again. It then started back up and I was able to make it home.

I'm stumped because it starts fine but the light is still on. I replaced the alternator & battery in April, so I don't think its that. I should note that in the past few weeks the check engine light has come on but it doesn't stay on for very long and it doesn't do it every day. So it was something I was going to check but i figured it was urgent, plus during this occurrence it never come on. I should also note that it was having trouble starting recently but I figured it was because I was running the too low on fuel and I put in injector cleaner and it seemed to do the the trick. I should add that during those starts neither the check engine or battery light came on.

I'm stumped and could really use some help. Thank you in advance.

 

[intimdatr]

Well first i would go with checking codes, good place to begin and may help with diagnosing whats wrong.

Heres how to pull them: SHOtimes EEC Self-Test Procedure

And heres what they mean: Three Digit EEC Codes

 

[rubydist]

your symptoms are typical of a bad voltage regulator and/or bad alternator. replace the alternator and you will be fine.

 

[shocar]

If you put an aftermarket alternator in it last April, it doesn't matter. I had one go bad in 6 months ,,,, bite the bullet and bought a Ford OEM alternator and haven't had any issues. Run a test at the auto parts store. Bet that's the problem

 

[msteiny]

Have the battery cables been changed? Ive seen cables go to shit from the inside out. One little pin hole to let moisture in will do it.

 

[94BCSHO]

When I physically checked the car that night it was dark so I couldn't see everything that well. I checked the car this morning and what the problem was. When I installed the positive battery cable to the alternator I either installed it too loose or in the wrong position because then connector was touching the the alternator bracket. It was shorting out and that what was causing the problem.

Also my dad bought a code reader and there was no KOER or continuous codes. There was however two KOEO, one is that the auto trans fluid was too cold or too hot. Which was because the car had been driven today. The other that there is fault in the Idle Air Control solenoid circuit. I had this code come up before when I checked the codes when I was going to school to be a mechanic. My instructor said that I should just clean out the throttle body with carb cleaner because it was probably just because of carbon build up in the throttle body. So I just cleaned it again.

So problem solved, Thank you for your help everyone

 

[rubydist]

if your instructor at tech school told you to clean a throttle body with carb cleaner, he is an idiot and you should find a new tech school. throttle bodies have a special coating to help prevent buildup of dirt and crap, and carb cleaner will remove this coating and result in the throttle body getting dirtier and therefore working less well rather than better.

 

[itwonder]

if your instructor at tech school told you to clean a throttle body with carb cleaner, he is an idiot and you should find a new tech school. throttle bodies have a special coating to help prevent buildup of dirt and crap, and carb cleaner will remove this coating and result in the throttle body getting dirtier and therefore working less well rather than better.

I'm pretty sure this is an urban myth propagated by manufacturers who want to sell much more expensive specific throttle body spray cleaners. In any case, I have never noticed any evidence of an anti-stick coating on our vintage throttle bodies.

 

[94BCSHO]

if your instructor at tech school told you to clean a throttle body with carb cleaner, he is an idiot and you should find a new tech school. throttle bodies have a special coating to help prevent buildup of dirt and crap, and carb cleaner will remove this coating and result in the throttle body getting dirtier and therefore working less well rather than better.

He said that although they originally came with coatings. That it would have worn off after all these years so, I didn't have to worry about it.

 

[d2freak82]

I vote bad alt had same issue while alt shorted out and roasted off stud... Ran around with no alt, needless to say the car acted up

 

[94BCSHO]

I vote bad alt had same issue while alt shorted out and roasted off stud... Ran around with no alt, needless to say the car acted up

I already figured out the problem. The postive battery cable connector on the back of the alternator was contacting the alternator bracket which caused it to short out. I should add that what I did not say in my earlier post that it also partially melted the negative battery post and it also melted battery cable end so badly that it fell out of the connector. So I figure the only reason the car made it home was that it was contacting some metal piece of the car and completing the circuit allowing the car to run. So when the car died I figure it wasn't contacting metal for a second.