SAV
CEG'er
To start, this car is irritating.
To elaborate, I finally took the plunge to clear the P0401 code I've had for the EGR. Only code that's been in the system for a while now. Took the UIM, throttle body, and associated equipment off, carefully kept all the vacuum lines in tact, the usual per the Ray how-to. Left the battery disconnected overnight while the UIM soaked, cleaned everything up and scrubbed hunks and hunks of carbon all damn afternoon today. Got everything sealed back up and put together around 430.
Started the car and it stumbled but fired, spit a bunch of smoke out and then idled smoothly. Went for a drive, was noticeably faster. No CEL in about 20 miles of driving now but the battery light has been on constantly. Was on my way back home from dinner and the gauges lit up like a tree and then the car started stumbling badly. Shut it off and tried to fire it back up and it wouldn't crank. Acted like a dying battery. Wipers turned on even though the stalk was off, ABS light, brake light, CEL and battery light all illuminated when I finally got it to fire again. Shut off the AC, shut off the stereo, and ran only the parking lights since it was dusk.
Went to my parent's place since they were closer than my house is and let it idle in the driveway for a minute. It died shortly after, with the same symptoms: all the gauges went to 0, then lights started coming on, then it started to stumble again before dying. Voltage at the battery terminals while idling was barely 10.75 and 9.4 with the headlights on.
Did I bump something or move something out of place? I was having the symptoms where the battery light would come on north of 5800 RPM so I know the alternator is eventually going to give up the ghost, but it shouldn't immediately go to full death. Is there anything back there that I bumped? Some immediate help would be great, because I have to get this thing home where my tools are!
To elaborate, I finally took the plunge to clear the P0401 code I've had for the EGR. Only code that's been in the system for a while now. Took the UIM, throttle body, and associated equipment off, carefully kept all the vacuum lines in tact, the usual per the Ray how-to. Left the battery disconnected overnight while the UIM soaked, cleaned everything up and scrubbed hunks and hunks of carbon all damn afternoon today. Got everything sealed back up and put together around 430.
Started the car and it stumbled but fired, spit a bunch of smoke out and then idled smoothly. Went for a drive, was noticeably faster. No CEL in about 20 miles of driving now but the battery light has been on constantly. Was on my way back home from dinner and the gauges lit up like a tree and then the car started stumbling badly. Shut it off and tried to fire it back up and it wouldn't crank. Acted like a dying battery. Wipers turned on even though the stalk was off, ABS light, brake light, CEL and battery light all illuminated when I finally got it to fire again. Shut off the AC, shut off the stereo, and ran only the parking lights since it was dusk.
Went to my parent's place since they were closer than my house is and let it idle in the driveway for a minute. It died shortly after, with the same symptoms: all the gauges went to 0, then lights started coming on, then it started to stumble again before dying. Voltage at the battery terminals while idling was barely 10.75 and 9.4 with the headlights on.
Did I bump something or move something out of place? I was having the symptoms where the battery light would come on north of 5800 RPM so I know the alternator is eventually going to give up the ghost, but it shouldn't immediately go to full death. Is there anything back there that I bumped? Some immediate help would be great, because I have to get this thing home where my tools are!