Notices
The Lounge For casual talk about things unrelated to Blazers (ie. Off-Topic).

1992 Cadillac STS won't run without charger

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
  #1  
Old 10-14-2010, 11:34 PM
cbr995's Avatar
Super Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Titusville, FL
Posts: 1,910
cbr995 will become famous soon enoughcbr995 will become famous soon enough
Default 1992 Cadillac STS won't run without charger

Okay, as said in the title, it's not on a Blazer so sorry if this isn't the correct spot.

Anyways, a coworker has a 1992 Cadillac STS 4.9, we recently did a whole engine swap because the previous motor blew.
It was a junk yard motor with 50k on it, and runs excellent when hooked up to an external charger. But once you disconnect or shut the charger off, The engine runs Very rough, and won't respond to any throttle input. It basically sputter like crazy when you push the accelerator, and the tach starts to dance like crazy.

Could it be a battery issue? Alternator issue?
He did the spark plugs before putting the new motor in, and I JUST did wires, cap, and coil today. New starter, too.
 
  #2  
Old 10-15-2010, 12:01 AM
rriddle3's Avatar
BF Guru
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Fort Worth,Texas
Posts: 6,594
rriddle3 has a reputation beyond reputerriddle3 has a reputation beyond reputerriddle3 has a reputation beyond reputerriddle3 has a reputation beyond reputerriddle3 has a reputation beyond reputerriddle3 has a reputation beyond reputerriddle3 has a reputation beyond reputerriddle3 has a reputation beyond reputerriddle3 has a reputation beyond reputerriddle3 has a reputation beyond reputerriddle3 has a reputation beyond repute
Default

*Moved to 'The Lounge'*
 
  #3  
Old 10-15-2010, 12:02 AM
69chevelle's Avatar
Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Langley, BC
Posts: 399
69chevelle is on a distinguished road
Default

Originally Posted by cbr995
Okay, as said in the title, it's not on a Blazer so sorry if this isn't the correct spot.

Anyways, a coworker has a 1992 Cadillac STS 4.9, we recently did a whole engine swap because the previous motor blew.
It was a junk yard motor with 50k on it, and runs excellent when hooked up to an external charger. But once you disconnect or shut the charger off, The engine runs Very rough, and won't respond to any throttle input. It basically sputter like crazy when you push the accelerator, and the tach starts to dance like crazy.

Could it be a battery issue? Alternator issue?
He did the spark plugs before putting the new motor in, and I JUST did wires, cap, and coil today. New starter, too.
My guess is alternator is toast.

battery is dead so it's using the power from the charger to run the car, when you shut it off the volts in the battery drop way below 12 not alowing it to get a good spark or for all the accessories to turn on.
 
  #4  
Old 10-15-2010, 12:02 AM
01vortec's Avatar
Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Kennedy NY
Posts: 480
01vortec is an unknown quantity at this point
Default

sounds like a charging issue to me. I'd pull the alternator off and swap it off the junk motor, check wiring and fuses also
 
  #5  
Old 10-15-2010, 12:31 AM
zerepdivad's Avatar
New Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Delavan, WI
Posts: 88
zerepdivad is on a distinguished road
Default

have you metered voltage with it running off of the charger to verify that it's putting out anywhere from 13.3-14.4 volts?
that'd be the first thing to check....
 
  #6  
Old 10-15-2010, 08:18 AM
oktain's Avatar
BF Veteran
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Sudbury, ON, Canada
Posts: 3,209
oktain has a brilliant futureoktain has a brilliant futureoktain has a brilliant futureoktain has a brilliant futureoktain has a brilliant futureoktain has a brilliant futureoktain has a brilliant futureoktain has a brilliant futureoktain has a brilliant futureoktain has a brilliant futureoktain has a brilliant future
Default

Definitely sounds like a charging issue, did he keep his old ALT, or is that the ALT from the "new" engine which was probably exposed to the elements... if he still has his old ALT swap it on and see what happens.
 
  #7  
Old 10-15-2010, 02:00 PM
cbr995's Avatar
Super Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Titusville, FL
Posts: 1,910
cbr995 will become famous soon enoughcbr995 will become famous soon enough
Default

The new engine didn't come with an alternator.
Anyways, he replaced the Alternator, and he says it's still having the issue after a few minutes.
Bad ground?
 
  #8  
Old 10-15-2010, 02:08 PM
01vortec's Avatar
Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Kennedy NY
Posts: 480
01vortec is an unknown quantity at this point
Default

bad ground or fuse, does it have a megafuse? check all the fuses in the fuse panel, too.. Oddly enough, when I thought the alt on my SVT died, it turned out the fog light fuse had blown. Why that kept the alternator from charging is beyond me.. after I replaced that fuse it started charging.
 
  #9  
Old 10-15-2010, 02:16 PM
cbr995's Avatar
Super Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Titusville, FL
Posts: 1,910
cbr995 will become famous soon enoughcbr995 will become famous soon enough
Default

I think he's checked all the fuses, but I'll do a double check tomorrow.
 
  #10  
Old 10-15-2010, 07:01 PM
69chevelle's Avatar
Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Langley, BC
Posts: 399
69chevelle is on a distinguished road
Default

might be stupid, but check the connections at the alternator, and ground cables. did you remember to ground the block to the frame/battery?

make sure you are getting power to the wire at the alternator (all the time for charging wire as well as your ignition turn on) make sure the alternator is grounded good as well!|

I have tested an alternator and it read at 14.2 at the alternator but only 12.57 at the battery, spend about an hour tracing wiring untill i realized I was grounding my multimeter to the alternator case, when grounded to the frame I only read 12.2 or something, had to run a ground wire to the alternator and it worked great again.
 


Quick Reply: 1992 Cadillac STS won't run without charger



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:39 AM.