Flint

Been noticing my car stalling a couple times this past week. Now, I've just had a new alternator put in (a "rebuilt Bosch" vs. the Paris-Rhone), so I sorted out one problem. Now, the car was idling very low on Friday and would kill pretty consistently. Then: drove it a couple days with absolutely no incident. Next: today was driving it on some errands and it started killing again. Finally: drove it to work and back with no problems at all. The only thing different about the times that the engine was killing was that I had a passenger. The ONLY thing, I repeat. I'm figuring said passenger (the same both times, BTW) might have been inadvertantly putting pressure on something they shouldn't have with their foot. Does this sound remotely plausible to anyone? If so, what should I do about it?

Marc Schwager

Target rich environment. The computer is under a cover on the right hand side of the passenger footwell. Look down there and you can unsnap the carpet and pull it back to expose it. You may want to check for a loose connector because that is what an inadvertant foot could hit. Before you mess around with it too much, I would undo the ground strap and kill the power. A little contact cleaner may help. The other thing down there is the entire fuse and relay panel, but it should be protected by a wood cover.

Tony

The power grid (to put it mildly ) for the car sits in the pax footwell. All the fuses and relays that power every little electrical component in the car sit in there. If the wooden backboard is broken or not installed correctly the passenger ,in the excitment of your driving, my be inadvertantly pushing on the wood placing pressure on the fuse/relay board and causing the havoc.

Flint

Well, yeah, I know "what" is under there, I was just wondering if anything specific could be bolted down/tired back/protected better.

John Struthers

There should be a thread or two in the archives.
Many moons ago there were a few similar complaints.
I never pulled the fuse/relay panel up but I'd suspect a loose wire or one that is laying in a position that allows it to be crimped somehow.
Either under an edge or between the panel and footwell or isolator.
Upon reflection perhaps some pressure on a relay?
You could aso take a look at the grounding plexus above the panel as there are what? Five or six grounds up there -one of Dennis Wilson's" look fors"-.
Finally,was the Battery charged-up before you started with the rebuilt alt?
The low idle/stall almost sounds like the computer never reset or the voltage is consistently falling/staying below 12 volts and the brain is in constant remap/learning mode.
Check the voltage at battery posts before start and at idle to get a idea whats happening.
Good luck. For awhile there my injun' name was 'Dances with Alternators"

Randy V

Not sure what you are describing with your engine 'killing' symptom, but I had an issue where the engine would completely stop running and could be restarted while under way.

Turned out that the passenger's foot pressure on the fuse/relay cover board was causing the fuel pump fuse to lose contact. Could be your problem as well.

Flint

Well, finally got under the foot panel after three more days of no problem, then another stall w/passenger. I found what looked like a little version of the fuel injection brain hanging loose under the snap-in box-like section of carpet. One year of German in high school wasn't enough for me to determine its use, but I manatged to bolt it back where it seemed to belong up underneath the shelf thing. Now I'll just wait and see!

God I need a digital camera.

Chucker

Flint, what book did that quote come from at the end of your signature?

Flint

It was an episode of Doctor Who, the british sci-fi series about the time traveller. From one I just saw recently (i.e. a rerun from the 70's) "The Face of Evil" I think the episode title was. Quite a few intellectual gems out of what was originally made to be a kids' show.