Re: alfa-digest V7 #974

[Pottree@domain.elided]

In a message dated 8/18/99 8:12:58 AM Pacific Daylight Time, 
owner-alfa-digest@domain.elided writes:

<< Other things I've noticed while my car has died:
 tacho dies instantly (ignition)
 stopping the car and running the fuel pump manually using the AFM
 contacts fixes the problem sometimes (Fuel)
 new battery stops the problem for a while >>


Since Fred di hasn't been around lately, let me try to be a poor last minute 
sub: check your voltage!  If there's something sketchy electrically that 
robbing you of voltage, it may not show up if you're running with sufficient 
voltage, but if you drop below about 12.5v you will get problems (tach is 
electronic, as is computer, pump is electrical) and if you drop far enough 
you get no function.  Two or 3 times on my GTV6 and Milano I've seen that 
systems that weren't functioning just right "magically" sprang back to 
perfect function with the addition of a fresh battery.  One visual test I 
use: do the windows wind up and down at the normal rate or slower than you 
remember?  If slower, check that voltage!  If the battery is old, get a new 
one.  If it's not old, look at the charging system, including possibly flaky 
little cheap diodes on the alternator that could be the ghost in the machine.

Happy hunting!

Charlie
LA, CA, USA

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