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Electrical Nightmare
Vehicle Discription: 1991 Eagle Talon Tsi Awd Turbo
Mods/ potential problem source: Engine Swap
Background information: Completed a engine swap, car runs idles fine ect only needs to have the ignition timing done. However before i got everything to run i ran into a few complications. I shorted the starter hooking up some wires wrong (noob mistake) Interestingly while hooking up the last wires in the dark to see if it would fire. . .(next noob mistake) I saw one spark or flash underneath the manifold. (which i believe was the starter shorting out) Next flash when i re attempted too hook the wires up. Down by the alternator area. (after the second flash i knew something is seriously wrongly wired) Next day i went over the wiring and corrected my mistake.
I installed everything cranked it over and a horrible grinding noise, turned out it was due to the shorted starter not meshing with the flywheel or maybe the gears within grinding. Moving on everything finally in good working condition, replacing the starter i got to crank it over and crank crank crank fires up and runs like a champ. Shut the engine off attempt restart and it took a few trys but she has been cranking and starting.
Next i go to install my lights bumper ect get it ready for street use but i have (NOTICE PROBLEM AREA) No lights both low beam high beam not working, turn signals not working, tail lights not working, reverse lights flicker on and off a friend noticed while backing up. No radio, no dash lights, no power windows, i cant adjust my rear view mirrors. But my aem wide band, oil pressure gauge aftermarket, boost gauge, opperate fine wired to the ecu (big red one i forgot what it was called)
I did a couple basic checks but havent gone full blown electrical diagnosing it. I figured since multiple systems have failed at once the damage perhaps from the short most lead to a common source. Meaning all those circuits might go through some relay or fuse? All the fuses are good i checked for continuity of every fuse i know off. However that only tells me if the fuse is good and not the actual circuitry.
My grounds: I noticed that i was missing my ground that went from my transmission to frame so i made a ground wire for that. and i also attached the ground wire that goes from the negative ground cable to the fire wall. I also noticed while working on my cousins vr4 that there are atleast 2 ground wires that are suppose to go from the intake manifold to the fire wall. I do not have those and never had those, but the vehicle ran fine before hand.
Next electrical problem. Despite my lights ect not working i tried driving the car to see if i had my shifter cable adjusted properly and they were everything works fine, i drove it for about 5-10minutes came to a stop lights and she killed. wouldnt start no more, it attempted to start you could hear the relays but it wouldnt crank. I took a volt meter to the battery which i happend to have with me. Key in the on position i had 13.something volts crank 6 volts. So my alternator isnt charging. Which leads me to believe the initial spark way back when couldnt of perhaps shorted the alternator? without blowing the fuse?
Another key informative piece to this puzzle is all my warning lights on the dash are on. . .Battery, coolant, abs (always been on) oil light remains off, no check engine it operates normaly comes on then shuts off.
Like i said i am slightly over whelmed since i havent looked at the wiring diagrams in the chilton to extensively. They are a little harder to understand then the once ive been drilled with in school.
I most likely will try and come up with a trouble shooting process. But was wondering if any of you guys perhaps had quick check pointers. I did some research and the most sensible and applicable problems were one person shorting his alternator and it taking a fragile connector out. That was the closest thing i could find to my problem, i quickly dismissed that theory because, another member mentioned that your battery does not operate your ignition system but only provides electrical support to the systems such as your lights ect. I always thought that the vehicle will stay running if your alternator is good, even if you remove the negative cable and its primary duty is due keep the battery charged period. If that was the case then how could the battery operate your ignition system? Beside the point though.
Other potential problem areas im working on fixing: Battery terminals starter wire terminal cut and wire clamped into new conector both power and ground side. The ground side has my starter wire, fuse box ground wire, fire wall ground strap attached together on the negative battery post. My Positive Power terminal has the line of fuses hooked up to it, with my starter terminal also cut and directly clamped on to the battery terminal and that is it.
My questions in a nut shell for those withouth enough time to read all: What fusible links could i have fried and where is their location? Could the fusible links have anything to with all of my lights ect not working?
Is their a common relay all of these systems have to go through or are wired through? such as a major relay such as the mpi relay or something like that for those dedicated systems? Again the car runs just dosnt have any lights. So worst case only part of my harness is fried?
Could i have a short and not have even blown the battery fuse, since they all have continuity?
Could ghetto rigged connections at the battery terminals cause the starter to draw to many amps killing the battery instantly and not wanting to start? By ghetto i mean cut the terminal of the starter wires like mentioned above, not soddering the thick gauge wire strings to gether and clamping it into a new batter terminal clamp?
This is a lot of information and any pointers are appreciated thank you. If i remember any other key pieces i will update this thread thank you.
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that perhaps could bring a timing gun as well!
Linear Mode
