TECH TIPS FOR MAY. 1998

THE STARTERS FITTED TO 1994-1996 BUICK ROADMASTER EQUIPPED WITH THE 5.7L (P) ENGINE TAKE 2 DIFFERENT STARTER MOUNTING BOLTS. THE BOLTS FROM A 1994 CAR ARE TOO LONG FOR THE LATER YEARS AND WILL NOT HOLD THE STARTER IN PLACE AS THEY WILL BOTTOM OUT. THE BULLETIN STATES THAT THEY CAN EVEN CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE BLOCK.

THE ABOVE ITEM APPARENTLY APPLIES TO ALL CARS OF THOSE YEARS EQUIPPED WITH THAT PARTICULAR ENGINE.

CHRYSLER CARS 1989-1993 EQUIPPED WITH THE 2.3/2.5L ENGINES CAN EXHIBIT BELT NOISE OR "WALKING" DUE TO MISALIGNMENT AT THE ALTERNATOR BRACKET. THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN DATED SEPT/93 COVERING THE PROBLEM AND THE CURE.

1996 GMC K1500 W/5.7L, COMPLIANT WAS BATTERY CONSTANTLY GOING FLAT. EVENTUALLY THERE WERE 2 PROBLEMS FOUND RELATED TO THE REAR A/C BLOWER. FIRST THERE WAS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN THE CONTROL CIRCUIT FOR ALL THREE RELAY/ SPEEDS CONTROLLERS. SECOND, A SHORT HAD BEEN CREATED IN THE RELAY FOR THE REAR A/C BY SOME ONE PROBING THE WIRING.

1987 VW JETTA 1.8L WOULD HAVE A FLAT BATTERY EVERY NOW AND THEN. THE BATTERY WAS FULLY CHARGED AND CHECK, FOUND OK, BUT WAS FLAT IN 2 HOURS. IT WAS FOUND THAT A PIECE OF PLASTIC TRIM IN THE TRUCK WAS BROKEN AND WOULD KEEP THE INTERIOR LIGHT ON.

1986 LINCOLN TOWN CAR W/5.0L HAD A BATTERY THAT WOULD GO FLAT ONCE OR TWICE A MONTH. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE PROBLEM WAS IN THE REAR WINDOW DEFOGGER CIRCUIT AND FINALLY THAT THE SWITCH WAS THE REAL CULPRIT.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT ALL OF THE PRECEDING 3 PROBLEMS WERE INTERMITTENT. THEY ALSO REQUIRED A "CHECK EVERYTHING" DIAGNOSIS TECHNIQUE. IN ADDITION THE CUSTOMER MUST BE MADE TO UNDERSTAND THAT "YOU CAN'T FIX WHAT AIN'T BROKE".  FROM A BUSINESS PERSON STAND POINT YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO LEARN TO BITE THE BULLET AND CHARGE FOR ALL DIAGNOSTIC TIME.

THE NEXT ITEM IS FROM MY "WILL SOME ONE TRY THIS AND TELL ME IF IT WORKS" FILE. TO BEGINS WITH A QUICK REVIEW: IN ABOUT 1984 CHRYSLER WENT TO THEIR, NOW FAMOUS, REGULATOR IN THE COMPUTER SYSTEM. AT FIRST WHILE THE REGULATOR WAS IN THE COMPUTER, IT DID NOT INTERACT, SO WHEN IT QUIT WE COULD INSTALL AN EXTERNAL REGULATOR AND THE SYSTEM WOULD WORK JUST FINE.

AFTER ABOUT THE 1988 MODEL YEAR THE COMPUTER INTERACTED WITH THE REGULATOR, AND DRIVEABILITY PROBLEMS COULD RESULT FROM GOING TO AN EXTERNAL REGULATOR.

WITH REBUILT COMPUTERS BEING OVER $200.00, IF THEY ARE AVAILABLE AT ALL, HERE IS WHAT I HEAR WILL ALLOW THE USE OF AN EXTERNAL REGULATOR IN "SOME" OF THE LATER MODEL CHRYSLER PRODUCTS. YOU WILL NOTE THE "SOME", MY SOURCE WAS NOT SURE ABOUT "ALL" OR UP TO WHAT YEAR.

IF YOU ARE SURE THAT IT IS THE REGULATOR AND NOT THE ALTERNATOR THAT IS BAD, REMOVE THE 2 SMALL WIRES FROM THE BACK OF THE ALTERNATOR AND JOIN THEM USING - A 1000 OHM. 1/2 WATT RESISTOR. INSTALL AN EXTERNAL REGULATOR AND USE A DIFFERENT IGNITION SOURCE TO TURN THE REGULATOR ON. ONE OF THE 2 SMALL WIRES THAT YOU JOINED IS "IGNITION", DO NOT CONNECT TO THIS WIRE, LOCATE AND USE A DIFFERENT IGNITION SOURCE. DO NOT USE ANY OTHER RESISTOR THAN WHAT IS SPECIFIED.

I HAVE THE EXTERNAL REGULATORS THAT CONNECT DIRECTLY TO THE ALTERNATOR (NIPPONDENSO OR BOSCH) AND THE RESISTORS IN STOCK, BUT SINCE I DON'T DO SERVICE, WHAT I NEED, IS SOMEONE TO TRY THIS AND LET ME KNOW IF IT WORKS.

A GM BULLETIN REPORTS THAT ON THE QUAD 4 ENGINE, COOLANT CAN LEAK INTO THE CYLINDER AREA AND CAUSE A LOCKUP. THIS LEADS TO EITHER VERY SLOW CRANKING OR THE DRIVE END HOUSING BREAKS. ABOUT 30% OF THE CORES WE HAVE RETURNED FROM CARS USING THIS ENGINE HAVE BROKEN DRIVE END HOUSINGS.