Gremlin

[Dirtyowlnumber4]

So heres what I got goin on;

 

I was driving and i saw the volts go down to zero so I turned around and started heading home. I figured it would keep going as long as i didn't stop it, but as soon as I let off the gas it died. Nothing from the starter motor. My brother came over and towed me up a hill to try and bump start it, but we got nothing. While I was getting towed home I tried a few times to clutch start it but it wasn't having it. I tried one last time right before we got there and it starts right up (what the hell) and I drive it the rest of the way home. The thing is idling fine too now. But when I try to restart it nothing.

 

Battery wasn't charging on my charger so I figured it was done. Got a new battery and it worked fine for a while but wasn't really charging. Also, the headlights have stopped working (not big surprise the fusebox is trashed), but more perplexingly the rally lights aren't working (connected straight to the hot of the alternator).

 

Any apparent reason the battery wouldn't be charging? It is brand new, and so is the volt. regulator. Maybe newer alternator doesn't need a voltage regulator? or it is faulty out the box (chinese alternator from oreilleys) new volt regulator bad?

 

Some additional information:

some of the wiring harnesses under the dash are melted 

the fusebox is shit

i am not competent (i hook stuff up wrong)

 

I don't have the car now or I would get a volt metre on it, just trying to puzzle it out from afar for now

 

P.S. how difficult is it to find and then install a new wiring harness?

Edited September 22, 2018 by Dirtyowlnumber4

[datzenmike]

This for a B-2109? What year? You should post all this.

 

4 hours ago, Dirtyowlnumber4 said:

 

Any apparent reason the battery wouldn't be charging? It is brand new, and so is the volt. regulator. Maybe newer alternator doesn't need a voltage regulator? or it is faulty out the box (chinese alternator from oreilleys) new volt regulator bad?

 

 

Asked...

 

4 hours ago, Dirtyowlnumber4 said:

 Some additional information:

some of the wiring harnesses under the dash are melted 

the fusebox is shit

i am not competent (i hook stuff up wrong)

 

 

... and answered. Trouble shooting a melted wire harness and trashed fuse box is impossibly difficult.

[BambooU]

As mike  said, impossible to troubleshoot with a corroded and junky box. 

 

If the fuse box is shit, then it could be any of a hundred problems coming from there. I would dunk the box in vinegar, clean up any sketchy contacts, then take a volt meter to your alternator. If car is stock, you'll still have a voltage regulator and can trouble shoot with that.

A "fix" that I've seen from many people is to cut out the volt reg. and put in an internally regulated alternator. It's not as much work as you think, but might not be the issue you have. 

When you connect your battery, check to see if you get a spark on the negative connector (with the pos. still plugged in). If yes, then something in your system is constantly hot, and would explain why the car died. 

 

I think that finding the real problem and soldering here and there would be easier than buying a new harness.