5ktq CIS problems > 13.8v at battery, only 9v at pump...

[Brett Dikeman]

At 10:12 PM -0400 8/2/03, John Forbes wrote:
>Well actually I continued working on the car and my recent (5 min
>ago) discovery was that if I disconnected the pump it would read
>full battery voltage, or very close to it.

Yup- that's because voltage drop is a function of resistance and
current.  With no current, you'll get perfect voltage(zero voltage
drop).

This is why corrosion on battery terminals can cause some major
problems.  Under the high current draw of a starter, even a slight
resistance can cause a significant voltage drop.  When it gets really
bad, the car might not start, but low-current devices such as the
radio will work fine, much to the puzzlement of the owner.

Brett
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