[alfa] Re: NEW DATA! 164LS Challenge - taming of the shrew round two

[Joe Elliott <jelliott@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

At 1:42 PM +0000 6/15/04, alfa-digest wrote:
> Here's what I haven't changed:
> - - Ignition coil control packs
> - - Ignition coils (but since car runs perfect when running, this 
> seems remote possibility.
> - - Actually swap out AFM (air flow meter)
> - - Ignition switch (though this appears fine based on other tests)
I've heard of this problem before, and never thought about it too 
hard.  But now my parents want a 164LS or Q, so I suppose I should 
start thinking about things like coil-on-plug ignitions.  Yikes. 
Without knowing what exactly the ignition control packs are 
responsible for, I'd say they might be responsible.  I also have to 
wonder if a coil or coils is/are drawing too much current in certain 
situations.  Likewise, if there's too big a voltage drop across a 
(failing) ignition switch, injectors, coils, coil control packs, 
and/or the ECU might not be seeing enough voltage to work properly. 
What tests have you done to conclude that the ignition switch is 
working fine?  In the fusebox, is there a difference in voltage 
between an always-on circuit and an ignition-switched circuit? 
What's the battery voltage when the starter is cranking, within the 
first second of cranking, and after ~5 seconds?  I've heard of this 
(and inexplicable stalling) happening on enough 24V cars that I'm 
tempted to think it might just be a stupid software glitch, but Karl 
Chen's recent discovery of the toasted ignition switch connector 
gives me hope that some of these glitches might have to do with bad 
ignition switches and/or associated wiring.  (Karl, having resolved 
the fried connector, have you confirmed that that was the problem, 
and not just a symptom of all the current going through a failing 
ignition switch?)

-Joe
--
to be removed from alfa, see /bin/digest-subs.cgi
or email "unsubscribe alfa" to majordomo@domain.elided