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View Full Version : Need help! Car died, I think it's electrical.



WASABI
06-18-2013, 10:47 PM
After three days of rain, my Miata died. About two miles from home, on the highway, my radar detector came on and off multiple times, my wipers were slow, my tachometer needle went ALL THE WAY AROUND, and I had to put in the clutch and rev the engine, just to keep from stalling. I made it to a hill right before my driveway, but had to hit the brakes... and that's when she died, and wouldn't start back up.

Well, after I threw the battery charger on it, she will start and run, but the battery light stays on. I swapped out an alternator from my other Miata, but the battery light stays on! AND it smells like it's running VERY RICH. Heavy gas smell. Also, the tachometer needle is still on the wrong side of the stopper (it's under the pin).

I checked the grounds in the engine bay. and will bring BOTH alternators to Auto Zone to get tested.

Any ideas?

Pyr0monk3y
06-18-2013, 11:34 PM
I hate to break it to you but this sounds like an ECU failure. Does your car leak at all? The computer was underneath the passenger's feet in '91. Check and see if there's any evidence of water in the passenger foot well. Good luck.

Dmn2258
06-18-2013, 11:54 PM
first alternator could have been going bad, causing the battery to fail. If you're car was running really rich all of the sudden maybe the voltage to the fuel pump was affected as well?

Martin
06-19-2013, 09:05 AM
Alternator and/or battery. I've read about the tach doing that on... some other forum a few years ago. You'll need to take the cluster apart and spin the needle back to where it belongs. The tach should be okay after doing that.

kung fu jesus
06-19-2013, 09:30 AM
Do you run a belly tray?

You most likely got a number of electric connectors wet. Take each one in the engine bay apart, clean them with a dry q-tip, shoot it with WD40, re-connect. The tach is driven by a signal from the CAS or the coils (cannot remember at the moment). Inspect the fuse panel under the hood for flooding. Maybe leave the hood open for a day or two in the sun.

Check the ecu for codes.

Check to see if the passenger floor is wet. If so, remove the ECU cover and see if that area is wet.

Pull the coil pack to inspect it, test it.

MY wife drove the '99 through deep water about 2 weeks ago. The engine ran like it was down 2 cylinders. Ended up being the crank sensor (your car doesn't have).

etikoner
06-19-2013, 09:34 AM
Yeah... Miatas don't like being in flooded areas.. Ask me how I know..

WASABI
06-19-2013, 12:40 PM
I hate to break it to you but this sounds like an ECU failure. Does your car leak at all? The computer was underneath the passenger's feet in '91. Check and see if there's any evidence of water in the passenger foot well. Good luck.

She does leak a little, with the new custom top I installed. I will check it out this weekend.


first alternator could have been going bad, causing the battery to fail. If you're car was running really rich all of the sudden maybe the voltage to the fuel pump was affected as well?

Interesting, I had not thought about the fuel pump. I DID put new wires and colder plugs in about a month ago.


Alternator and/or battery. I've read about the tach doing that on... You'll need to take the cluster apart and spin the needle back to where it belongs. The tach should be okay after doing that.

GOD I HOPE NOT!!! Looks like a great time to get some custom gauges from Revlimiter!!!! :bangle:


Do you run a belly tray?

You most likely got a number of electric connectors wet... Inspect the fuse panel under the hood for flooding. Maybe leave the hood open for a day or two in the sun.

Check the ecu for codes.

Check to see if the passenger floor is wet. If so, remove the ECU cover and see if that area is wet.

Pull the coil pack to inspect it, test it.


I DO run a belly pan, but I will recheck all the it connections under the hood. I didn't check the coil pack. And she didn't throw any codes. But, I'll recheck that too.

The ECU will be out and checked this weekend.



Yeah... Miatas don't like being in flooded areas.. Ask me how I know..

HA ha ha, do tell!



Thanks for the help so far,

Jim

etikoner
06-19-2013, 12:44 PM
Same symptoms after a freak flash flood on the beach. Carpet n ecu got wet, exhaust was smoking car was mid firing, stalking running on two cylinders, fouled plugs, dirty afm.

I let the car dry out n it ran rough for a while after.. Sucked..

WASABI
06-23-2013, 08:10 PM
Well today I took out the ECU, and she was clean and dry. I even opened up both sides to make sure. I also took the alternator down to Advanced Auto AND Auto Zone for them to test it. IT FAILED at both stores. So I need to get another one for Wasabi. I don't think I want a used one, but I'm also not sure of an Auto Zone (Duralast, re-manufactured) either. I mean a lifetime warranty still means you have to take it out and exchange it. So if it breaks every two weeks, what's the good in that? Any suggestions?

-Jim

SM16RMSM
06-23-2013, 11:40 PM
Look for a place to rebuilt it. There is a place local to me and for $50, they fix it. 85% of the time, it some electrical component that burns out or goes bad. My grandparents 2007 Camry has a clutch on the Alternator, (yes, I said it right). It for fuel economy. $50 bucks and they replaced the coil and it was back on the road.

Martin
08-06-2013, 08:06 AM
So... it was the alternator then?