Grounding issue.....

[808muscle]

My question is about the two wires that connect to the front radiator area....right by the washer fluid filler tube. Many of the bolts around my engine are getting rusted and basically looking like shit. I installed some fender washers after seeing them on a freinds car. They are made out of aluminum. The next time I drove the car I made it about a mile or two then the car died on me but then would come back on like there was a short. After some trial and error I realized that with any electrical load such as the flashers, or a blinker the car would die. It would start right up but turn on a blinker and it would die. I realized it must be these aluminum bolts and washers I added so I took them off. It didnt fix the issue at first but then I unhooked the negative battery terminal..... then the car was fine and has been trouble free since.

Anybody know what those two wires are grounding? I am assuming that the aluminum was enough of a electrical conductor for the car to start but not good enough when I used any electrical load. I was thinking maybe my alternator might going bad but I got no cel codes. Car has 30k. I have driven the car with the lights, ac, radio, blinkers etc all on and does not cut off. So I really think the aluminum bolts and washers were the culprit as the issue has not repeated itself. Any ideas? I would post a pic but the site would not allow me to.

 

[skwerl]

Maybe you had a weak connection at the battery negative terminal as well? Once you messed with that connection you said the symptoms disappeared.

 

[808muscle]

My thinking was by removing the negative terminal it just reset the memory or computor or whatever. The learned part of the alumimnum bolts were strored until I disconnected the battery. I doubt there was a weak connection at the battery. I havent touched it in 6 months.

 

[GoneFord]

My question is about the two wires that connect to the front radiator area....right by the washer fluid filler tube. Many of the bolts around my engine are getting rusted and basically looking like shit. I installed some fender washers after seeing them on a freinds car. They are made out of aluminum. The next time I drove the car I made it about a mile or two then the car died on me but then would come back on like there was a short. After some trial and error I realized that with any electrical load such as the flashers, or a blinker the car would die. It would start right up but turn on a blinker and it would die. I realized it must be these aluminum bolts and washers I added so I took them off. It didnt fix the issue at first but then I unhooked the negative battery terminal..... then the car was fine and has been trouble free since.

Anybody know what those two wires are grounding? I am assuming that the aluminum was enough of a electrical conductor for the car to start but not good enough when I used any electrical load. I was thinking maybe my alternator might going bad but I got no cel codes. Car has 30k. I have driven the car with the lights, ac, radio, blinkers etc all on and does not cut off. So I really think the aluminum bolts and washers were the culprit as the issue has not repeated itself. Any ideas? I would post a pic but the site would not allow me to.

Aluminum is an excellent conductor. Besides, as long as those terminals were pressed to the body you have a circuit - even if you used a nylon bolt and nut. So I think you had a different problem.

And unless you have an alternator problem, a battery connection isn't even necessary once the car's running. The alternator produces all the current your car requires (assuming you don't have some massive sound system with capacitors to keep up the thump).

I'm glad your problem went away, but I'm concerned it could just as easily return. I'd check all the grounds and visit advanced auto and get your battery and alternator checked (unless you have a multi-meter and know how to do it yourself). Let us know what you find out.

 

[808muscle]

You make a good point. It's a mystery at the moment.

 

[2005Redfire6]

I had the same exact issue you are describing due to 1 of the 2 being loose from a friend that didn't re-tighten it. I was told it is the ground for the fuel injectors which will explain it. I tightened it down and all was fine then.

 

[lito]

Anybody know what those two wires are grounding?

PCM (among other stuff)

 

[808muscle]

Thanks for chiming in 2005redfire. Makes me feel better. Car still driving fine but the thought of it dying like that is unsettling.

 

[2005Redfire6]

Thanks for chiming in 2005redfire. Makes me feel better. Car still driving fine but the thought of it dying like that is unsettling.

I think you will be fine man honestly. Like I said, mine did the identical thing where it would happen with hitting the turn signal, etc. The final time it did it I was stranded and couldn't figure it out because the car would run but would immediately die and it threw a code, I forget the code now but it had to do with fuel injectors. As soon as I got it home I checked around there and I want to say it was the ground on the right of the two which was finger tightened and wasn't seated all the way. Once I re-tightened it and cleared the code it never happened again.

 

[05moneypit]

Both those wires are PCM grounds. G102 BK/WH wire and G103 BK wire. G103 is directly from the PCM from connector C175b. G102 is also tied to C175b but also the IMRC, MAF and DLC.

Clean them up really good and make sure they are tight.

I remember an issue a few years ago with a guy on another mustang forum that was having issues with the car shutting off and it turned out to be one of those grounds was loose from the factory.

 

[808muscle]

Good info, thanks for chiming in.