[V8] the dreaded blue wire debacle

[Michael Larosa Jr]

Steve,

Go to See: http://www.audifans.com/archives/1997/06/msg02221.html

check the splice...

Mike,


  Kramer wrote:
> Well, it's happened again.  One week after having the cluster taken out 
> and the blue wire fixed  I thought I was through with the blue wire thing.
> 
> Last night, I went to Radio Shack for some audio cables.  Turned the car 
> and  got no alternator light.  Switched it off.  Then back on alternator 
> light came.  Started the car and the alt light/ brake light/ cat light 
> all came on and stayed dim.  Started revving the engine to 3000 and then 
> they turned off.  Made it home with no problems.  At home I switched it 
> off then on. Alt light came on again.  Phewww !!   Looks like the 
> alternator is going kapput or the dreaded blue wire is raising it's ugly 
> head!
> 
> 
> This morning I started the car up - 3 combo lights came on dim.  Driving 
> the car  - Seems I need to get to over 3000 rpm for the lights to turn 
> off. Dropped my kid off at school.  Started the car but this time no 
> alternator light. Drove home no problem.  At home I turned  the ignition 
> car on then off.  This time even the brake light was off.   Tried later 
> alt. light came on.
> 
> Everything was working great for a week.  No dim lights or anything.  My 
> mechanic had pulled out the dash and had cleaned the contacts at the 
> cluster and at the alternator.  Repeatedly he switched the car off and 
> on to make sure the alt. light was working.  He also replaced the bulb.  
> He checked the alt. afterward and it was putting out the 14.1 volts.  
> Battery head was something like 12.9.  CC still shows the flat 12.0 on 
> channel 11.
> 
> 
> My questions
> 
> 1.  could the intermittent operation have anything to do with the 
> alternator going kapput - working sometime and not working others?   My 
> car does have the belly pan but I have been going through some large 
> puddles and snow.
> 
> 2.  is the intermittent operation more like due to a failing cluster 
> that should be replaced?  does the CC go through the cluster as well?  
> Don't know if this related but sometimes both my gas and temp go off 
> intermittently.
> 
> 3.  Possibly while closing the flap behind the glove compartment( busted 
> spring) I may have pulled on a wire hanging there thus pulling off  the 
> blue wire.  =
> 
> 4.  Is the blue wire the culprit?  Perhaps even if the alt light doesn't 
> come on when the ignition comes on - I'll notice while driving that the 
> battery starts charging.  I'm thinking of going to an Auto parts store 
> and getting a voltmeter to track the voltage at the positive post on the 
> battery while I'm driving.  I suspect while driving I'll see volts 
> coming on and shutting off several times.
> 
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Steve Kramer
> 1990 v8q
> 
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