QuestionWell, I got it all buttoned up, put the belts on, jumped the car off my wife's car, and fired it up, and took it for test drive around the block. Welllll, all went o.k. for the first block. As I got to an intersection I turned on the headlights, and it died. A neighbor was driving by, and we jumped it again, and drove back to the house. I pulled in the garage, and the car started choking. I sounded like it was really running rich, I turned it off, and tried to start it again, it was dead. Turned the key, and nothing happened. It did not even crank. Soooooooo I went and got a new battery because I think I toasted the other one. I put it in, and tried to start it again. It cranked, but wouldn't start. I popped the distributor cap, all looked well, cleaned the rotor, and put the cap back on. It still wouldn't start.
The down side is the car doesn't start. The upside is that at least I have a new alternator, and battery. Any ideas? Could it be the ECM? I know only to well it's an 87, and like myself parts wear out when you get older. It drove fine when I drove it home, but as you can see I am a tinkerer, not a full fledged mechanic. Any ideas?
Followup To
Question -
Hi Regis:
I pulled the fan shroud, and the fan blade, and started to get at the alternator. How many bolts hold on the alternator? I saw there is a lower bolt, and an adjustment screw. I guess the adjustment screw is for belt tension. Do I remove the screw, and bracket? I unloosened it a lot but there is still not enough clearance for the belts to come off.
When unloosening the lower bolt it spins ( I guess I need to get a wrench on the back nut). Are there any other bolts?
Pausing a minute I looked at the back of the alternator where the wires attach. From what I can see there are 2 places for wires. There is a heavy gauge which I guess is the positive, and a smaller wire which is probably the ground. Looking at where the smaller wire attaches to the alternator it looks like the top connector is missing a wire. It has a slide-on connector with nothing attached to it. So I looked at the loom, and there was small gauge black wire coming out of the loom that was NOT connected to anything. Do you think this wire goes on the alternator, and had it just broken off from old age? Do you think this possibly may be the problem instead of the alternator being bad?
Followup To
Question -
Thank you. I guess not to get to far ahead of myself thinking it is the alternator here is what happened. Last week I bought cheap gas, and the car became hard to start. I kind of shrugged it off thinking it was probably the gas, and I vowed I would never buy cheap gas again. That night the car cranked real slow, and just wouldn't start. I jumped it off my wifes car, and drove around the block. As I got back to the driveway the lights grew dim. I pulled in the garage, turned it off, and tried to start it. It was dead. The next day I went and bought a new battery thinking maybe the old battery had a dead cell. Now one week later it did the same thing. It has a new battery so I don't think that is the problem? A couple of years ago we put a rebuilt alternator on the car so that is why I am guessing the rebuilt alternator died? Do you think this is a safe guess?
Thanks again,
Jim
Followup To
Question -
How difficult is it to replace an alternator on a 87' 240 GL?
Do I need any special tools?
What are the steps?
I guess on a skill level scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the highest I figure I am about a 5.
Thank You.
Jim
Answer -
I would say it is about a 2-3 and no special tools neded.steps disconnect battery negative cable, remove engine fanthe fan shroud then remove the alternator.install in reverse order
Answer -
as guessing goes it would be a pretty good one.it could also be the wiring to the alternator which often looses its insulation and can short out.this would be the small red wire connected to the alternaotr also the oil pressure sensor wire does the same thing and they run together into the harness.
Answer -
SLIDE THE PULLEY OFF THE WATER PUMP THE BELTS WILL THEN COME OFF.THERE IS ONLY ONE BOLT OTHER THAN THE ONE THAT IS IN THE ADJUSTER.IT WILL BE AT THE BOTTOM WHERE IT PIVOTS.YES YOU WILL NEED TO USE A WRENCH.
THE SMALL WIRE WITH THE FEMALE SPADE TYPE TERMINAL ATTACHES TO THE BACK OF THE ALTERNATOR .IF YOU LOOK CLOSE YOU WILL SEE A MALE TERMINAL ON THE BACK OF THE ALTERNATOR.THE BLACK WIRE IS FOR THE OIL PRESSURE SWITCH WHICH WILL BE NEAR THE ALTERNATOR ON THE ENGINE BLOCK
Answerwell now it is a different story.I would check for spark and fuel to the engine and see what is missing.I would check all the fuses for corossion.then check the fuse near the battery for dirt or corossion.if it looks bad I would replace the fuse and holder.if no fuel then I would replace the fuel pump relay this goes bad often.
Rege
