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Commodore electrical fault



 
 
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  #1  
Old May 25th 06, 05:14 PM posted to rec.autos.tech
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Default Commodore electrical fault

Hi,

I have a VN commodore with some electrical trouble. It all started way
back when I had my airconditioner regassed. When I went to collect it
from the auto-elec he said that he regassed the airconditioner, but it
wasn't engaging. He said it engaged when he brided it directly to the
battery. So, he charged me for the regass that wasn't required and I
was on my way.. mumbling under my breath.

Being a hot summer I decided to run a wire directly from the battery to
the air con. When I started driving, then engine seemed to be working
quite hard, almost as if the air conditioner was seizing. When I
pulled up a few miles down the road, a heap of liquid was pouring out
from under the engine. I didn't stop to investigate further. The next
morning the battery was completely flat and I removed the wire bridging
the battery and the air con.

>From this point, the car began to overheat. It was fine at high speed,

though through the city it would boil. I put it down to the cooling
system needing flushing and kept along my merry way. Recently I had a
mechanic look at the car and he said that the thero fan wasn't kicking
in and that's why it was overheating. He said to get me out of trouble
he would bridge the relay under the bonnet with a bit of wire, but the
fan would run whenever the ignition was on. Yet again, being too busy
to properly address the issue, I continued to drive the car.

I have no idea when, but at some stage the thermo fan stopped running,
possibly around the same time the interior fan stopped running. Not
long after, I broke down from a flat battery.

I've since taken the car back to the mechanic and he sold me a new
battery. He also tried to bridge the relay again, but every time he
did, it blew the thermo-cooling fan fuse under the dash.

Now, my alternator light is coming on intermittently, the thermo fan
still doesn't run, and the headlights are pulsing with the engine on
high beam.

I have a access to a multimeter and some other equipment, but no
workshop manual. Can anyone suggest where I should start on this?

Cheers,

Ads
  #2  
Old May 25th 06, 05:24 PM posted to rec.autos.tech
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Default Commodore electrical fault


"crmay" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Hi,
>
> I have a VN commodore with some electrical trouble. It all started way
> back when I had my airconditioner regassed. When I went to collect it
> from the auto-elec he said that he regassed the airconditioner, but it
> wasn't engaging. He said it engaged when he brided it directly to the
> battery. So, he charged me for the regass that wasn't required and I
> was on my way.. mumbling under my breath.
>
> Being a hot summer I decided to run a wire directly from the battery to
> the air con. When I started driving, then engine seemed to be working
> quite hard, almost as if the air conditioner was seizing. When I
> pulled up a few miles down the road, a heap of liquid was pouring out
> from under the engine. I didn't stop to investigate further. The next
> morning the battery was completely flat and I removed the wire bridging
> the battery and the air con.
>
> >From this point, the car began to overheat. It was fine at high speed,

> though through the city it would boil. I put it down to the cooling
> system needing flushing and kept along my merry way. Recently I had a
> mechanic look at the car and he said that the thero fan wasn't kicking
> in and that's why it was overheating. He said to get me out of trouble
> he would bridge the relay under the bonnet with a bit of wire, but the
> fan would run whenever the ignition was on. Yet again, being too busy
> to properly address the issue, I continued to drive the car.
>
> I have no idea when, but at some stage the thermo fan stopped running,
> possibly around the same time the interior fan stopped running. Not
> long after, I broke down from a flat battery.
>
> I've since taken the car back to the mechanic and he sold me a new
> battery. He also tried to bridge the relay again, but every time he
> did, it blew the thermo-cooling fan fuse under the dash.
>
> Now, my alternator light is coming on intermittently, the thermo fan
> still doesn't run, and the headlights are pulsing with the engine on
> high beam.
>
> I have a access to a multimeter and some other equipment, but no
> workshop manual. Can anyone suggest where I should start on this?
>
> Cheers,
>

Whew, what a nightmare!
Your first and most important tool needed to correct the electrical problems
will be a good repair manual with appropriate wiring diagrams. Until you
have and can use the manual, all attempts to correct the problems will most
likely be frustrating and lead to failure. You might try searching
Amazon.com for a repair manual. Maybe your automotive repair shop would scan
or print out the necessary diagrams for you. Get back to us when you have
the manual in hand.

--
Kevin Mouton
Automotive Technology Instructor
"If women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy"
Red Green


  #3  
Old May 25th 06, 05:37 PM posted to rec.autos.tech
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Default Commodore electrical fault

Thanks Kevin,

I'll get one ASAP... hope my battery lasts that long!

  #4  
Old May 25th 06, 05:53 PM posted to rec.autos.tech
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Default Commodore electrical fault

crmay wrote:

> I have a access to a multimeter and some other equipment, but no
> workshop manual. Can anyone suggest where I should start on this?


Take a look at the v-belts for generator, ac-compressor and water pump
drive.

Regards,

Ralf
--
www.omnibusclub.de
Erfinder des Abgasturboladers Dr. Alfred J. Büchi: "Die Abgase,
deren noch inne-wohnende Energie bis dahin vergeudet wurde ..."
  #5  
Old May 25th 06, 06:08 PM posted to rec.autos.tech
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Default Commodore electrical fault

Hi Ralf,

The belt appears in good working order.

  #6  
Old May 25th 06, 07:34 PM posted to rec.autos.tech
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Default Commodore electrical fault

crmay wrote:

> The belt appears in good working order.


OK, whats about this wire from the battery to the air conditioner. Do you
mean the ac compressor, so the ac comp. clutch is all times closed?

Regards,

Ralf

--
www.omnibusclub.de
Erfinder des Abgasturboladers Dr. Alfred J. Büchi: "Die Abgase,
deren noch inne-wohnende Energie bis dahin vergeudet wurde ..."
  #7  
Old May 25th 06, 08:14 PM posted to rec.autos.tech
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Default Commodore electrical fault

Hi Ralf,

The wire from the battery to the A/C compressor has been disconnected.
The clutch is disengaged (if that's what you mean by closed?)

I just went out and tested the voltage across the battery:
- 14.2 - motor not running
- 16.2 - motor running

When the alternator light came on (only for a short time), the voltage
dropped to under 14 volts.

  #8  
Old May 25th 06, 08:28 PM posted to rec.autos.tech
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Default Commodore electrical fault


"crmay" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Hi Ralf,
>
> The wire from the battery to the A/C compressor has been disconnected.
> The clutch is disengaged (if that's what you mean by closed?)
>
> I just went out and tested the voltage across the battery:
> - 14.2 - motor not running
> - 16.2 - motor running
>
> When the alternator light came on (only for a short time), the voltage
> dropped to under 14 volts.
>


Those readings would indicate a shorted alternator regulator field winding
(alternator full fielded). Could be in the voltage regulator itself or in
the wiring to it, if it is separate from the alternator. I don't have the
original post to see what year make and model you are talking about, but
that will ruin your battery if left uncorrected.

--
Kevin Mouton
Automotive Technology Instructor
"If women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy"
Red Green


  #9  
Old May 25th 06, 08:32 PM posted to rec.autos.tech
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Posts: n/a
Default Commodore electrical fault

crmay wrote:

> The wire from the battery to the A/C compressor has been disconnected.
> The clutch is disengaged (if that's what you mean by closed?)


Disengaging means an open clutch.

> When the alternator light came on (only for a short time), the voltage
> dropped to under 14 volts.


Dropping down voltage this happens when you switch on some electrical load
like high beam, so it seams it couldn't regulate fast enough the change of
load?

Regards,

Ralf
--
www.omnibusclub.de
Erfinder des Abgasturboladers Dr. Alfred J. Büchi: "Die Abgase,
deren noch inne-wohnende Energie bis dahin vergeudet wurde ..."
  #10  
Old May 25th 06, 08:39 PM posted to rec.autos.tech
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Posts: n/a
Default Commodore electrical fault

crmay > wrote:
>Hi Ralf,
>
>The wire from the battery to the A/C compressor has been disconnected.
>The clutch is disengaged (if that's what you mean by closed?)
>
>I just went out and tested the voltage across the battery:
> - 14.2 - motor not running
> - 16.2 - motor running


Your alternator voltage regulator is bad. You need to deal with that
immedately before you destroy the battery. Once you've got that handled,
then you can start looking for the collateral damage caused by the overvoltage.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."
 




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