[k1tty]

So my car's been acting really weird. I'm wondering if maybe a wire shorted or a bad ground? The only ground I know of is the one of the intake mani..

So what it's been doing.. When I come up to a stop and let off the gas, the radio will flick off and back on.
Then when it's on the ON position, nothing power works anymore. No power windows, locks, popups won't go up/down, lights won't come on.

Idk wtf is wrong. It's been having the issues of wanting to die on decel.. Then the wideband started reading BAT.. The other night it died in the parking garage. I put in a new battery to get it home since my other wasn't holding a charge. Then today I got the new alt in. I figured with it having more volts, everything would work.. but nope.

I hope this is enough info for someone to help me figure out wtf! I've checked fuses.. give me ideas.. lol

 

[Ripper_XX]

I freaking HATE electrical issues like this. I don't personally know of any one thing that could cause all of this.

The only advice I can give you is check as many connections as you can. Check all the main ones obviously. Battery cables, alt. wiring etc. Then work your way from there into the harness's I suppose. I know there should be a large ground coming off your battery to the firewall of the car. If thats not there, that certainly raises the possibility of some electrical issues. Theres also the one you mentioned to the intake manifold. I think there is also one near the bell housing of the tranny. And although almost no one puts it back, theres supposed to be one on your exhaust.

Wish I could be of more help.

 

[TChernuka]

Does the car start now with the bat and alt put in? Or is it still sitting?

 

[flexnuts02]

Fun fun, did you by chance jump the battery backwards at any point in time? I've seen mass issues with that at work from people doing that, frying all kinds of stuff and weird "bad ground like" symptoms.

The only way you can actually diagnose is to take what you know is faulty which is the key on engine off. Find out why the lock cylinder isnt opperating properly.

 

[forcdndukshun]

Are you sure the new alt is working properly? I know it sounds wierd but I have gotten a bad alternator right out of the box before. Other than that I have heard of ecu's going bad and causing electrical problems. I have a hard time believing that a loose wire could cause that much of a draw on the charging system. I would test the alt with a volt ohm tester, test the bat again, then go from there.

 

[punisher]

Sounds like a bad ground. Try the basic stuff first, check batt terminals, fuses and fusable links.

Do you have a factory electrical service manual? They show all the ground locations, just start checking them for looseness and corosion.

 

[k1tty]

Sounds like a bad ground. Try the basic stuff first, check batt terminals, fuses and fusable links.

Do you have a factory electrical service manual? They show all the ground locations, just start checking them for looseness and corosion.

This alt worked. It was on my friend's car for a few mins for him to fire it up the first time. So it only has like 30 mins on it, but worked.

Today, none of the lights on the dash came on, but the wideband again read BAT- and after I parked, went to start it, and it wouldn't turn over. This was on the new battery that's 2 days old. I threw my red top back on (after it had charged overnight) and it started again.

So I'm stumped. I checked all the fuses and such, so I'm not sure if it's a bad ground, bad wiring to the alt? a short somewhere?

What other grounds are there other then the one off the intake manifold?

 

[DSM Rook]

Definatly sounding like a voltage issue. You have 2 grounds coming off the battery, 1 going to the firewall, 2nd going to the starter bolt. You have the smaller intake mani to firewall ground and then one from the trans to side rail. Seems like you're not getting a charge. New battery, car runs, after a while, it dies out, things stop working. Alternator plug in, chargeback wire on tight on the right stud? Is the belt tight enough? Check the black 80amp fuse under the hood fuse box. Get a volt meter, even a $5 radio shack one. Make sure your alternator is charging. If all of that checks, then maybe you have some bad short. What have you changed recently or done?