I finished installing Iceshark's ground today and fired it up. The starter is working now, but the car dies out after only a few seconds of running. I tried giving it more gas, and that didn't help at all. Any thoughts?

I hate electrical problems <img border="0" title="" alt="[Frown]" src="frown.gif" />

 

Did you bang up the reference sensors or their connectors at the top of the motor?

I assume you disconnected the heater hose at the vacuum valve to get your hands down to the block. Maybe that wetted the sensors?

You are the first in 75 to have a problem ... let us know what it turns out to be so future guys can avoid it.

 

I did disconnect the coolant hose, maybe I'll let the sensors dry out for a few hours and try it again. I didn't bang up the sensors or anything, certainly a lot less worse than anyhting I would have done while doing the clutch.

I also snapped the end of the positive clamp stud off. I figured it'd be fine just to test it sitting on there (the clamp is pretty tight even without it), but does anyone know what size bolt that is? Ace hardware around here closes at 4 on saturdays so that'll have to wait until Monday <img border="0" title="" alt="[Frown]" src="frown.gif" />

 

Also check your Air flow sensor. If it's unplugged will give that exact symptom.

 

That positive bolt is probably metric on your car, like 6mm. Just take the old one to the hardware store.

If you think you wetted the sensors, I would squirt them off with the garden hose to remove the antifreeze and let them dry overnight.

 

Dan,

Can I just spray some electric contact cleaner on the sensors? I got a whole mess of coolant all over that area and on the sensors as well. Would the contact cleaner take care of the slick antifreeze residue?

 

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by SidViscous:
<strong>Also check your Air flow sensor. If it's unplugged will give that exact symptom.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Doh! <img border="0" alt="[ouch]" title="" src="graemlins/c.gif" />

You nailed it. I forgot to plug it back in when I pulled everything apart to get to the alternator.

But now the car is back to fuel-pump-but-no-starter. I guessing this is just due to the half of stud that's left, and I'll see if a new stud fixes it on Monday. Lousy hardware stores closing at 5

 

Simpson, I think that would work fine, but I'm concerned about the clutch material and the interface. That is why I would just start off with squirting it off with a water hose since we know that is no problem as the hole is open all the time anyway.

This really isn't a common problem so I don't think we should experiment too far from what we know that works.

EDIT: and it seems the problem has been solved! <img border="0" alt="[jumper]" title="" src="graemlins/jumper.gif" /> Dumb mistake, made many myself. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />

So, Simpson, just wash things off with water to start off with. Though it would be fine if you actually pull the sensors out and clean them with contact cleaner.

 

I did it two days ago when I did my Voltage regulator. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />

 

Iceshark,

Are you saying that spraying water directly into the clutch housing to clean off the coolant is ok? Will it cause bad rust problems? A few ounces of coolant spilled in the housing - is that enough to cause problems with the clutch material?

Thanks,
simpson