talked to the guy at the shop.. he guessed transmission???
im takin it back home and will mess with it more
at this point i am convinced its a short between the alternator battery and fuse block because i havent blown any fuses
Super VXer
talked to the guy at the shop.. he guessed transmission???
im takin it back home and will mess with it more
at this point i am convinced its a short between the alternator battery and fuse block because i havent blown any fuses
Super VXer
Do a search on wiring harness. There has been a few threads where in a particular place (near one of the headlights IIRC) the wiring harness rubs and shorts.
Billy Oliver
15xIronman
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Super VXer
So you think your ECU is ok?
And you believe there is no electronic glitch in the fuel delivery and all the various components of fuel delivery are OK?
Super VXer
it is behind the headlight.. i checked there.. definately a lot of exposed wires.. nothing looked frayed though
Super VXer
im not sure about the ecu.. if that is the issue i dont understand why removing the serpentine belt would cure the problem.. it comes home on a flatbed today.. im going to pull the battery and alternator and have em both tested then saturday i will pull all the wire loom off of the main wiring harness to search for shorts.. if that doesnt find anything.. ill try swapping the PCM as merlin calls it
Super VXer
spoke to the shop again.. guy said voltage spiking is from loose battery terminals and that the transmission is stuck in 3rd gear which causes the lack of power.. still having trouble wrapping my head around that.. would it cause an idle of 2k rpms?
it also doesnt explain why the problem went away without the swrpentine belt
could third gear be a function of limp mode?
still perplexed by no cel or check trans codes
Super VXer
hmmm, well that main wiring harness runs all the way down to the tranny, I had the whole thing replaced (it is huge) and it ended up being internal problems in the tranny itself, good luck
Super VXer
I'm certainly conviced your ECU isn't the issue,however eric make sure that the sudden 18v power output didn't affect the module.Originally Posted by etlsport
And don't rely 100% on what the repair shop told you,have the VX checked up by other shops & get other opinions
Dakar was just the begining.
Super VXer
Longshot, I know, but doesn't the VX start out in third in winter mode?...
Check that switch...
Good Luck gettin' er back on her feet!
Super VXer
Eric, I know you looked at the ground connection behind the head light , but just dont look at it. You need to disconnect and clean the connection. Bad grounds could cause voltage spikes which could affect your transmission and put it in third gear (safe mode) to try to keep you from causing other damage. Also check the connection to the mode selector switch along side the transmission. Also check battery cables at both ends.
OttoVx
Super VXer
Eric, my money is on the wiring harness getting grounded out somewhere. Unfortunately, it's very difficult to track down.
Good luck!
Super VXer
good news.. definately not the trans.. the lead mechanic at work thinks against the odds that the alternators are the problem.. i have most of tomorrow to sort it out.. so ill post back new results sunday morning
Super VXer
That's good news though.
Super VXer
I think this guy is on the right track. Loose battery terminals (or electrical connections in general) would make the alternator think the battery has no charge, and it would increase it's output as a result. The loose/bad connection would make the ECU think there's a problem in the system somewhere because sensor(s) wouldn't be seeing the voltage they are supposed to, potentially putting the vehicle into limp-mode. And taking the serpentine belt off would have stopped the alternator from being able to produce the voltage spikes to the system.
Doing simple continuity checks starting with some of the main cables and connections (battery posts and terminals, starter, etc) might be a good place to start. Our battery post connections aren't the most substantial looking connectors, so getting a battery post wire brush and cleaning both the posts and the connectors would be what I'd do first. And once you got them cleaned, applying some dielectric grease as an aid in preventing future oxidation would also be worthwhile.
Super VXer
shes home!!!!
turns out the little black plastic piece that goes over the positive post of the alternator had cracked.. and when tightened, it separated, causing the alternator to ground on itself, when i installed the 2nd alternator (OEM) i re-used the same piece without noticing the crack in it, when i pulled it to install the 3rd alternator, i noticed the crack, so replaced that piece and put back in the oem alternator.. fired right up with no symptoms at all!!
unfortunately my high output alternator is completely toast.. but the vx is up and running perfectly again... thanks for the help and support guys!!
oh and a big huge thumbs down to Bob's service center in downingtown, PA they were useless, they were the ones who fubar'd my negative battery post, recommended i replace my transmission and generally left my VX in disarray when they gave it back to me
but im happy that suzy is home and healthy!
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