TECH TIP FOR DECEMBER, 1996

just a friendly reminder........

WE WILL BE CLOSED FROM DECEMBER 21,1996 @ 1:00pm TO DECEMBER 30, 1996 @ 8:00am

FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON, I'M GOING SOME PLACE WARM. WE HOPE THAT EVERYONE HAS A JOYFUL HOLIDAY SEASON AND WISH YOU THE VERY BEST FOR THE NEW YEAR.

NOW THAT THE IMPORTANT STUFF IS OVER... THERE IS TOO MUCH TO REMEMBER IN THIS INDUSTRY. ALTHOUGH I WROTE A TECH TIP ABOUT IT A WHILE AGO, I WAS CAUGHT THE OTHER DAY AND IT TOOK SOME TIME TO REMEMBER THAT HONDA CIVICS & CRX FROM 1988 TO 1991 CAN USE AN ALTERNATOR EQUIPPED WITH A REGULATOR THAT WILL SHUT THE CHARGING SYSTEM OFF IF THE BATTERY IS AT FULL CHARGE, UNTIL A LOAD IS APPLIED TO THE SYSTEM.

IF YOU HAVE THE VEHICLE IDLING, WITH THE BATTERY VOLTAGE AT 12.3 OR MORE, AND NOTHING TURNED ON; THERE IS A VERY GOOD CHANCE THAT YOU WILL FIND THE ALTERNATOR NOT WORKING. TRY STEPPING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL FOR A FEW SECONDS. THIS WILL LOAD THE SYSTEM AND THE ALTERNATOR SHOULD START TO WORK. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE PURPOSE OF THIS IS TO ELIMINATE THE HORSEPOWER DRAIN CAUSED BY THE ALTERNATOR AND THEREBY SAVE GAS.

ABOUT ONCE A MONTH WE ARE ASKED FOR THE CONNECTOR WHICH GOES ON THE MAIN BATTERY TERMINAL OF A STARTER OR ALTERNATOR. THE DELCO CS SERIES OF ALTERNATORS IS FAMOUS FOR CLAMPING THE CONNECTOR SO TIGHT THAT IT'S EASIER TO CUT THE WIRE THAN WASTE TIME TRYING TO UNDO THE NUT. BESIDES IN MOST CASES, IF THE NUT IS THAT TIGHT, ALL YOU WILL DO IS SPIN IT INSIDE THE ALTERNATOR.

UP UNTIL RECENTLY WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE WHAT WE FELT WAS AN ADEQUATE CONNECTOR AND SO SENT PEOPLE ELSEWHERE. NOW WE HAVE THEM, JUST A BIT AGO I WAS ABLE TO FIND EYE CONNECTORS FOR 4, 6 & 8 ga WIRE WITH 1/4, 3/8 & 1/2 in. HOLES. THESE ARE REALLY HEAVY AND OF GOOD QUALITY. I AM KEEPING A LIMITED STOCK ON HAND BUT CAN GET LARGER QUANTITIES IF NECESSARY.

A REBUILDER FRIEND POINTS OUT IN HIS LATEST TECH TIP THAT ON LATE MODEL GM PRODUCTS IT IS NOT UNCOMMON FOR THERE TO BE TWO POSITIVE BATTERY CABLES ATTACHED TO THE BATTERY WITH A LONG BOLT AND A SPACER. ONE CABLE IS TO SUPPLY CURRENT TO THE STATING SYSTEM WHILE THE OTHER SUPPLIES POWER TO THE MAIN FUSE PANEL.

HE HAS HAD SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHERE A NEW STARTER HAS JUST "CLICKED" AFTER INSTALLATION AND INSPECTION REVEALED A CORRODED CONNECTION AT THE BATTERY POSITIVE. SINCE THE OTHER CONNECTION IS STILL CLEAN THE REST OF THE VEHICLE WILL WORK PROPERLY. HE FINDS THIS MOST OFTEN WHERE THE MECHANIC HAS OPERATED CORRECTLY BY REMOVING THE NEGATIVE CABLE BEFORE REPLACING THE STARTER. UNFORTUNATELY THIS LEAVES THE POSITIVE CABLES UNINSPECTED.

IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN, IF THE ORIGINAL STARTER WAS ALSO JUST "CLICKING", WAS THE REPLACEMENT OF THE STARTER NECESSARY IN THE FIRST PLACE, OR COULD INSPECTING AND CLEANING THE CABLES HAVE SOLVED THE PROBLEM.

I DO NOT DO ON-VEHICLE SERVICE, BUT IT WOULD SEEM TO ME, THAT SERVICING THE CABLES AND BATTERY, CHARGING THE BATTERY AND DOING VOLTAGE DROP TESTS, WOULD BE THE FIRST STEP IN DIAGNOSING A STARTING OR CHARGING PROBLEM.

I HAD A MECHANIC COME IN THE OTHER DAY AND DISCUSS WHAT HE HAD DONE TO CHECK A CHARGING SYSTEM PROBLEM. IN THE COURSE OF HIS DESCRIPTION HE TOLD ME THAT HE HAD "HAD CHECKED ALL THE WIRES AND CONNECTIONS",...... WITH A TEST LIGHT! AFTER A BRIEF DISCUSSION HE USED A SET OF JUMPER CABLES TO MAKE THE CONNECTIONS TO THE SOLENOID AND THE GROUNDS. SHORTLY THERE AFTER, I MADE HIM A REPLACEMENT MAIN BATTERY CABLE, AND RETAINED THE ORIGINAL UNDER MY COUNTER. A DVOM WILL SHOW CONTINUITY AND 12 VOLTS BUT THE CABLE WON'T PASS MORE THAN ENOUGH CURRENT TO LIGHT A SMALL BULB.