QuestionQUESTION: My 1991 Fleetwood Cadillac has ran rough after driving it for a while. After I shut it off & came back to start it it would not turn over or start. I could usually get it to start by jump starting it. When I did get it to start it ran rough, till I slammed on the fuel pedal, then it seemed to clear up till I slowed down or let off the pedal. That had to been about a month- two months of trials. The service light came on for a period of time too. It throws the codes F52, F53, F12 & E12. Sometimes if I couldn't get a jump.. I'd leave it alone for 45min.-2hrs, depending on how hot the day was, n it's start up n drive off like norm. Two weeks ago however I drove it hard from point A to point B not letting it cool. Never made it home, It died on me, like it would do also before but not in the beginning.. I lifted the hood left it for about an hr, figured, was a cool night, but instead of turning the key n getting absolutely nothing or it starting, I got it turning over but not starting. now it will drive for a min. or two then die, or it'll die just immediately w/o driving if u press the fuel pedal a little then let off.. hmm I wanta say could it be a vaccum leak? or could it be the tps, or the pcm-whatever that is..?
ANSWER: Hello,
could be so many things and the problem with codes, they cascade. You may only have one component that failed, which will cause other codes.
You say you had to jump the car. I am assuming you mean the battery. This concerns me and I am wondering if the charging system is functioning having a bad alternator. That would give you the symptoms you suggest.
All you need to do is get the engine running again, possibly using charger with the battery. Put a meter on the battery and see if you are getting the minimum voltage of 13.2. If not, would be ooking at the alternator.
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QUESTION: Hello & thank you for the response. I have not tried the alternator yet. However I have replaced the ignition switch the distributor cap & rotor, the fuel pump & the TPS. The TPS made a big difference, however, I have to ease on the gas pedal to get it to go w/o it running rough & shutting off. I reread the codes & I was mistaken about them. They are actually E52, E53 & F12. Sorry about that. I took the distributor apart, since F53 has to do w/ something about a distributor & found a wire burnt inside.. It was actually wedged down between the top of the distributor. I have not replaced it yet. I also think you are right about codes & just one thing wrong w/ it. I am thinking tho, could there be more than one thing wrong w/ it? MM I also had to change the core on top of the distributor because the wires for it were burned up.. My next idea is to get a map sensor & also a whole distributor & try to find wire for the burnt piece I found.
AnswerHello,
The codes are beyond me because I know longer have the books needed for the diagnoses of engine running problems. I you have a fully charged battery, drive it and engine dies and needs a jump to start, the alternator is not charging. It could be a connection, it could be a bad battery negative ground and of course the alternator.
As you are driving you are taking power from that charged battery until it gets low enough and it starts running bad and then stalls. Once there is less than 10 volts to the computer, the engine will stall. Such an event can also trigger codes.
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