Topic: LT1 Wink out
in Forum: C3 Electrical
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The title is confusing, but, here's the situation . Many know I have a '76 that I put a '94 LT1 in . Now, it has a problem that I can't find or figure. I'll be cruising along nicely and suddenly, without warning, the engine will just die . Actually, the entire car just dies. It's only for a split second, but, it's scary as hell . It doesn't happen often, but when it does it could cause a major problem . I haven't checked any codes yet as I figured I'd run it past the much more intelligent folks on here first .
Oh yeah, btw , the car , now dubbed " Frankenvette " is finally painted . The name stems from having the ' 94 LT1 , ' 80 nose and rear bumper, and mid year rear window . So, as usual, any and all help is greatly appreciated .
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Lifetime MemberBill, no power at all, dead short? Man that does not sound good.
eboI don't think it would be the opti-spark . It wouldn't cause the whole system to " mini stall " like that . Without checking, I'm only shooting craps, but, guessing it might be around the alternator wiring, if not, the alt. itself .
Do a wiring wiggle test...start the car and pull and shake feed wires at motor and for power distrubtion and see if you can make the car power out, be careful in case of short out contact.
I am not sure how you have wired the power sources...but if you used the power distribution fuse box from under neath the hood orignal on passenger back fender well by the firewall on 1994 lt1 Cadi (as example)...check to make sure that your battery feed to the box connections and wiring is good. This one feed goes to the box which Maxi fuses power to main sources, if the feed is good, roll the box over pull the bottom cover off and check for green corrosion inside where the fuses contact the buse/fuse bars, some had copper to metal plate fuse contacts. If no luck post futher how you have wiring power sources, what model car of lt1
Good idea there . Just to answer your question , I used an LT1 with the computer from a ' 94 Vette .The harness used to run everything came from Street and Performance .
Check your power feed from the battery to the computer, should be a red wire, I had problems with a 1964 Impala put in a ls6 and street and performance did wiring...had one wire change from orange to red...so have a good look at all wire to computer and relays.
Does the whole car "die", or does just the engine shut down for a second? A full-on electrical black-out sounds like a definite power wire/connection/ground break.
If JUST the engine is dying/stalling, I'd think maybe an issue with the ignition, or fuel...possibly a fuel pump or relay loosing power. Opti-sparks are not known for their long term durability...or even short term durability, for that matter. Many of them have failed with very few miles on them, and not all of them have failed due to moisture....some are just junk to start with, imo.
Good Luck...neat car, too!
If JUST the engine is dying/stalling, I'd think maybe an issue with the ignition, or fuel...possibly a fuel pump or relay loosing power. Opti-sparks are not known for their long term durability...or even short term durability, for that matter. Many of them have failed with very few miles on them, and not all of them have failed due to moisture....some are just junk to start with, imo.
Good Luck...neat car, too!
Every day I learn I know less than I thought I did.
Every time something is made idiot proof. The world produces a better idiot!
Thw whole car dies . I'll be driving and then all goes quiet , including the radio . Thats how I know the power cut out , I can hear the radio restart . So far, I've checked around the opti-spark, alt. , and around the computer and all seems to be tight . Tomorrow brings a full on investigation under the dash , fuse block and under car wiring .
I had a Chevy truck with a 350 that started doing the total cutoff for a second thing.
Turned out that the positive cable to the starter was defective. It simply had a crack in it near where it connected to the starter.
It's worth a look.
Kevin
Ok, color me ' not too bright '
. Started to look for the problem today . Checked a number of connections on the computer, engine, etc. All looked and felt fine . After all that, THEN I checked the battery 
. Guess what ! The idiots that did the body restoration left the positive cable LOOSE 
!!! I could almost spin it around . It's too early to tell if that was it, but, I'll bet every $ I have it was ! Don't think it has anything to do with the fluctuating radio whine I have but, I'm hoping the car won't die anymore .
Many many thanks for all your help guys !!! 
. Started to look for the problem today . Checked a number of connections on the computer, engine, etc. All looked and felt fine . After all that, THEN I checked the battery . Guess what ! The idiots that did the body restoration left the positive cable LOOSE !!! I could almost spin it around . It's too early to tell if that was it, but, I'll bet every $ I have it was ! Don't think it has anything to do with the fluctuating radio whine I have but, I'm hoping the car won't die anymore .
Many many thanks for all your help guys !!! in Forum: C3 Electrical
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