Car randomly shuts off???

**iceman504** · 04-12-2008, 01:56 PM

On my Way back home today my car just randomly shut off like someone took the key out...No rev drop or anything and this happened while was going about 40mph. but before I could even turn the key to the off position it fired right back up and everything was fine.

Things got worse as I entered my neighborhood, as soon as I turned onto my street it cut off this time without firing back up so I had to pull over...I took the key out and tried starting it back up with no luck, nothing came on, not even the gauges almost like the battery was dead. So I popped the hood and started checking the battery and stuff then all of a sudden I can hear sound the car makes when you leave the key in the ignition, I try to start it and fires right up only to die as soon as the rpms drop back down to idle. So I wait a bit and try again, it fired up and stayed on this time so I head straight home and park it so I can try and find this problem....Only thing is I don't know where to start or what to look for

Notes:
All Gauges read fine even the battery gauge was normal.
The car cuts off like someone took the key out no gauge drop or anything, it just cuts right off.
First time it happened it fired right back up before I was able to turn the key to the off position
Last time it happened I had to pull over b/c power steering went with it as well.

**Kup98ss** · 04-12-2008, 02:16 PM

Maybe a bad ground. Or the alternator is going bad or the wires to it are messed up a bit. That is all I could think of. Electrical is always scary.

**0rion** · 04-12-2008, 05:16 PM

Sounds like a loose or corroded wire somewhere. I'd start at the battery and alternator and check all connections and make sure the wires aren't corroded.

**iceman504** · 04-12-2008, 06:20 PM

Update:
Just tried to start the car with no luck, it died before it even cranked....Took a voltmeter out there and checked the battery, battery is fine (read 12.80 steady) and terminals are not loose. How do you test the alternator with a volt meter?

**iceman504** · 04-12-2008, 07:18 PM

Problem Solved:
There was a bit of corrosion on the positive bolt (the side that goes in the battery) terminal.....At first glance me and a few of my buddies had missed it.

I was starting to get a bit worried about this problem...... Thanks to everyone who responded.

**0rion** · 04-12-2008, 07:28 PM

I would give those ends a good cleaning with some coca-cola and a toothbrush.

**IronBird** · 04-12-2008, 08:13 PM

I had the same thing happen a while back....drove me nuts trying to find the problem...up under that red rubber "cover" on the positive batt connector. Couldn't even see it until you skinned it back. Shit was caked up under there!!

**0rion** · 04-13-2008, 04:38 PM

Originally Posted by IronBird

I had the same thing happen a while back....drove me nuts trying to find the problem...up under that red rubber "cover" on the positive batt connector. Couldn't even see it until you skinned it back. Shit was caked up under there!!

yeah, that's fairly common. It'll corrode back just under the insulator. I'll usually trim that insulator back an inch or so just to make sure I get it all.

**IronBird** · 04-14-2008, 04:49 AM

Yep. The main reason was because the original Delco bat AND a new Delco replacment BOTH went bad before time, and leaked acid right out of the terminal post. Cleaned everything up (or so it thought), but didn't know at the time that the insulators were removable!

**iceman504** · 04-14-2008, 05:11 AM

Yea, how are y'all trimming back the insulator? just cutting a slit somewhere?
The corrosion I found was caked on and all over the side of the bolt that goes in the battery.

**IronBird** · 04-14-2008, 05:49 AM

Originally Posted by iceman504

Yea, how are y'all trimming back the insulator? just cutting a slit somewhere?
The corrosion I found was caked on and all over the side of the bolt that goes in the battery.

What I did was to take the bolt out of the cable connector completely, then that red rubber insulator just slides off...that's where mine was caked up at...up under there. I took a dremel tool with a wire brush attachment and buffed the actual connector AND the exposed cable under it (that's what Orion was referring to about "trimming back", if nesessary) it until it was nice and shiney, then slopped it down with dielectric grease, cleaned out the red rubber insulator with baking soda/water...slide it back on the cable, then put the terminal bolt back in the hole....done!! Hope this helps.