Weird Electical Problem Shuting off everything.

[hamrendan]

Well the Lucas deamons are at it again. Saturday afternoon the 93 LWB was stalling on me. The radio, clock and all dash lights just went caput. Taking out the key and trying it again was like having the battery disconnected. I tore apart the dash behind the wheel to see if there was a problem, but the wires looked ok. I did spray a bit of lock lubricant in the lock cylinder, and this is what leads me to believe where my problem is starting from. I sprayed some dust spray in there to possibly get some of it out or dry it up a bit. I can get the car back by dissconnecting the battery. It seems like when it happens i can turn the turn signal or wiper and it will cause the truck to die, othertimes it works fine. Either way i can hear some relays clicking under the seat and behind the dash. I am hoping it is just the alarm system which i though didn't work. There maybe a device to detect a jimmied lock cylinder that causes the alarm to cut everything off, or it may be a short somewhere else..

any ideas..

[OkieRover]

So if you use any of the electrics on the column the truck dies?
No power to anything or just certain things?
Got to be a short.
But where is it?
I remember one time my Rover left me at the 7-11. It was 7 (F) degrees outside that day. It would not start. I thought the switch that checks for park/nuetral had failed. But that was not it. I took the column apart and eventually took the ignition switch apart. I could get the Rover started by hot wiring it but still no key. When I reassembled it, it started working again.

Now was it temperature related or some other freak problem. I still don't know. But now I leave a space heater in it all night so the interior is nice and toasty in the morning. AND it has never done it again since.

I wonder if there is a fusable link failing or a fuse blowing maybe?

[hamrendan]

Originally Posted by OkieRover

So if you use any of the electrics on the column the truck dies?

Yes sometimes and sometimes it works fine.. When I do get that clicking it does sound like a short, with relays clicking..

No power to anything or just certain things?
Got to be a short.
But where is it?

NO POWER TO ANYTHING....NOT EVEN THE CLOCK

I remember one time my Rover left me at the 7-11. It was 7 (F) degrees outside that day. It would not start. I thought the switch that checks for park/nuetral had failed. But that was not it. I took the column apart and eventually took the ignition switch apart. I could get the Rover started by hot wiring it but still no key. When I reassembled it, it started working again.

Now was it temperature related or some other freak problem. I still don't know. But now I leave a space heater in it all night so the interior is nice and toasty in the morning. AND it has never done it again since.

I wonder if there is a fusable link failing or a fuse blowing maybe?

i GUESS ILL GO BACK AND TEAR THE REST OF THE COLUMN DOWN TO SEE IF THERE IS ANYTHING IN THERE THAT IS CAUSING THE FAULT.

[hamrendan]

LOOK at the post by Dragon... I am seeing similar faults.. and that is what is leading me to believe that my alarm is causing the fault...

[Dragon]

The problem I had may also be temperature related, the problem started while in the alps at about -4 Centigrade, however a short is also possible as the starter motor is engaged

[Landy-Andy]

Yikes! Your problem sounds pretty wierd

I have seen electrical systems condensate when first switched on (relays & electronics getting warm on very cold days can cause condensation on the electronics) this can cause a lot of weird things to happen until it dries out (warms up)

Also on very cold days the battery can supply low voltage to the computor.
This is also known to cause weird things to happen around the vehicle!

Good luck,
Andy

[hamrendan]

Nope.. It was 60 degrees on Saturday and it hasn't really dipped below 40 at night..

[hamrendan]

Well i left the battery off last night with the alarm system unplugged.. Went out there today and it fired right up.. played with the turn signals.. lights all the steering column gadgets.. while idling.. no problem.. I have dealt with problems like this on my Audis.. We call stuff like this " The Audi gods" have struck again.. well looks like Lucas has similar gods.


Got to run

[hamrendan]

Well in the time it took to write my last post the car was idling outside, i went out to check on it it has stopped running, and everything is dead... I can see if this is happening by looking at the clock..

BUMMMER!!

[Disco]

My bet is that you have a loose earth cable.