@#$!! electrical probs, GPX

Got a problem with your FTO? ask about it here

Moderators: IMC, Club Staff

Post Reply
kid_dynamite
Veteran Mechanic
Posts: 836
jedwabna poszewka promocja
Joined: Thu Apr 28, 2005 5:00 pm
Location: sydney

@#$!! electrical probs, GPX

Post by kid_dynamite »

Well after reading several threads here and the UK forums seems that the electrical system is the biggest thorn in the FTO, and we were unlucky enough to fall victim to it yesterday.

Saturday - car drove fine, absolutely no problems
Sunday - unlocked car, that was okay.
5 min later went to start the car and there was ZERO power to the car. Not even a relay switching, nothing at all.

I put a in-car charger on the battery, didn't charge - which usually means battery has <3V - which puzzled me. Standard battery but nothing was left on overnight and it hasn't had any problems before, there should have been residual voltage anyway.

A few min later power came back, but when my gf tried turned the key it died again (nothing turning over, zero power again).

Got a jump start, and it was fine :?:
Took it for a test drive, when the brake were first hit it seemed to drop the revs, next time the brakes were used car just died again, and again no power :?

Towed home, NRMA said dirty battery terminals, gave them a good clean and it seemed to be okay. Battery voltage tested to read 13.6V.

All seems to be okay now but the gf reckons idle drops a fair bit whenever the brakes are hit, more so than normal.

So without taking it to a sparky (which I'll do later in the week) - anyone want to point me in the direction of which particular piece in the system I should be looking at??

Ta..
User avatar
FTO338
Oldtimer
Posts: 6712
Joined: Sun Feb 09, 2003 6:00 pm
Location: Port Melbourne: Pimping with RX400h, B200 Turbo.

Post by FTO338 »

Ok this might sound stupid, but have u check your stepper/idle motor?
DISCLAIMER: The above text is the personal opinion of the author and does not represent the indisputable truth. The author is not responsible for any deaths, injuries or mental illness caused by the above statments.
kid_dynamite
Veteran Mechanic
Posts: 836
Joined: Thu Apr 28, 2005 5:00 pm
Location: sydney

Post by kid_dynamite »

I didn't really check much beyond it all last night because it was too damn cold! But yeah, I've read plenty about the alt / stepper motor issues so my first thought was one of them.

Bit worried though because the power just cut for my gf's car right in the middle of the road. If it was on the motorway or something that's not something I'm keen to experience again. Is that a symptom that could possibly point towards the stepper motor Kevin?
User avatar
FTO338
Oldtimer
Posts: 6712
Joined: Sun Feb 09, 2003 6:00 pm
Location: Port Melbourne: Pimping with RX400h, B200 Turbo.

Post by FTO338 »

I had a very similar problem when my stepper motor is gone, it just die at a middle of a right turn, lucky i had enough speed to carry it through or i'm stuff for sure. :?
DISCLAIMER: The above text is the personal opinion of the author and does not represent the indisputable truth. The author is not responsible for any deaths, injuries or mental illness caused by the above statments.
User avatar
khunjeng
Oldtimer
Posts: 4455
Joined: Mon Oct 24, 2005 5:00 pm
Location: Melbourne, Victoria

Post by khunjeng »

hey kid

dirty terminals is a problem with most people as they never clean them...they replace the alternator and don't even clean the terminals?? wtf!

anyway if thats been done I would be going with the stepper motor theory as over the past few months all issues that sounded similar have been that...once replaced everyone has been fine!
User avatar
onnzo
Grease Monkey
Posts: 288
Joined: Sun Aug 08, 2004 5:00 pm
Location: Victoria

Post by onnzo »

I would say that it isn't related to the stepper motor. If it was the stepper, the car should still have power, it just won't idle properly...

I would look to the power connections, fuses, terminals, battery terminals as someone else mentioned.

Make sure your battery is secure and not moving around.

Something could also be shorting? If you notice the voltage dropping when you apply brakes, maybe that circuit is faulty?

Mike
User avatar
bigpitty1
Mechanic
Posts: 629
Joined: Thu Mar 18, 2004 6:00 pm
Location: Mackay

Post by bigpitty1 »

I have been caught with that electrical problem, found that on of my terminals was dirty, so I went to clean it but it was very corroded and broke, so had to buy a new one.

With the brakes and the revs dropping, it could be a vacuum leak somewhere, it could be the brake booster vacuum hose or in the brake booster itself.
User avatar
Nacho
Oldtimer
Posts: 2087
Joined: Mon Jul 11, 2005 5:00 pm
Location: Melbourne

Post by Nacho »

Could be your voltage regulator gone berserk? Have you got a system in your car?
kid_dynamite
Veteran Mechanic
Posts: 836
Joined: Thu Apr 28, 2005 5:00 pm
Location: sydney

Post by kid_dynamite »

Lots of suggestions - thanks for all the info so far! I took the car out for a drive myself last night..

Spoke to my gf and I got it slightly messed up - the voltage is dropping, not the revs.

So as onnzo said, I don't think it's a stepper issue. Car has the standard audio system, battery is secure, and no mods which would affect this..

Battery voltage is okay when driving, approx 13.6V

However when I'm sitting still, and flick on accessories (eg hit the brakes, air con, headlights, demister etc), it takes a pretty heavy voltage drop, down to just over 12V, more than it used to before. She says it has happened while driving too yesterday.

With that in mind, I'm leaning towards a battery / terminal issue. Might get the terminals replaced, new wiring to the battery and if necessary, replace the battery (not sure how old it is, at least two years).
User avatar
khunjeng
Oldtimer
Posts: 4455
Joined: Mon Oct 24, 2005 5:00 pm
Location: Melbourne, Victoria

Post by khunjeng »

yeah I would just get a new battery...and clean the current end sof the leads.
kid_dynamite
Veteran Mechanic
Posts: 836
Joined: Thu Apr 28, 2005 5:00 pm
Location: sydney

Post by kid_dynamite »

Although that doesn't really explain the car losing all power while driving..

garrh, that's the only piece of the puzzle I don't get. :(
User avatar
Bennoz
National President
Posts: 23676
Joined: Fri Jan 21, 2005 6:00 pm
Location: Sydney
Contact:

Post by Bennoz »

Sounds like a voltage regulator on the way out...
Post Reply