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electrical problems

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Posted by: madsenlsc

Ive had electrical problems with my car ever scence my votage regulator went out in my 1992 lincoln mark 7. it seemed to blow alot of relays and it blew the air suspension reglator and messed it all up. i was wondering if anyone knew where the relays were for the car.

thanks

Posted by: JoshMcMadMac

You don't want to go around through the car trying to replace all of the relays, as it still won't fix your problem. You have a fault somewhere in the system and your only true recourse is to take a multi-meter to the fuse panel and find the anomally.

Posted by: madsenlsc

[quote=JoshMcMadMac]You don't want to go around through the car trying to replace all of the relays, as it still won't fix your problem. You have a fault somewhere in the system and your only true recourse is to take a multi-meter to the fuse panel and find the anomally.[/QUOTE

whats a multi-meter you use to check the fuse panel.

Posted by: JoshMcMadMac

A multi-meter is a tool that will give you voltage, amperage, and resistance. Available at most parts stores for <$15.

Posted by: madsenlsc

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoshMcMadMac

You don't want to go around through the car trying to replace all of the relays, as it still won't fix your problem. You have a fault somewhere in the system and your only true recourse is to take a multi-meter to the fuse panel and find the anomally.

Hi, what do u do when u find a fault or defect in the electerical system, because i havnt got it looked at yet but i was just wondering what you do when you find one. thanks alot

Posted by: WALT

Typically when someone tells of alternator problems -- what happens here is that the "OLD SCHOOL " friends will tell you to disconnect the battery while the engine is running to see if the alternator is charging then they put the terminal back on --WRONG -- this will trash your electronic modules and other components -- as the alternator is capable of about 35 volts unregulated -- the entire system gets SPIKED by unregulated voltage which can burn up a lot of stuff -- Hard to give you a crash course in electronics here but you need to know how each individual circuit works and how to test it before changing parts --
Voltage checks at the proper connectors give you assurance that the battery power is getting where it should -- voltage and resistance checks assure that the grounds are ok and resistance checks will let you know if wiring is shorted or broken --
Relays are pretty tough and usually do not go out in mass -- There are several
FUSE LINKS in the system -- looks like normal wire but is actually set to melt if too much amperage draw occurs --( most are at the starter realy ) they will fry and take out several systems at once and this is where I would start my hunt --- test by pulling on and squeezing fuse link section -- if it looks burnt or stretches like a rubber band -- Its fried ---
Must identify what systems are inop and go from there -- as these monsters have thousands of wires goiong everywhere, you need the wiring diagrams and shop manual that gives you a complete troubleshooting matrix of step by step procedures
for each circuit -- and unless you happen to get real lucky and find the problem with a visual inspection ,I would not even attempt this without the books --
Good Luck

Posted by: WALT

And to answer your question about what to do if you find a defect --
I really dont mean to be a butt here but if you have to ask then you really should
get someone who is a good electrician to work with you on this. Your other option
would be to go to the library and get some books on basic electricity and electrical theory for automotive applications and do some homework before attempting to fix your ride --- Its real easy to spend a lot of money and trash a lot of stuff
by not knowing what your messing with --- and I would hate for this to happen
to you ---
anyway -- if you find a SHORTED wire -- you must locate the source of the short and repair the wire ( usually chaffed through the insulation by a bracket or other object )
replace bad section or apply heat shrink and / or electrical tape --- there is a product available at NAPA stores called Liquid Electrical Tape that works well for special situations --
If you find a BROKEN wire ( typcially at component connectors ) you either have to remove the pin and resolder the lead or replace by splicing in a connector pigtail available at most parts stores ---
If you determine a relay or electronic module is bad -- Replacement is typically your only option unless you have an nearby electronics shop that can handle the diagnostics and repairs --
If you find a bad Fuse Link / Circuit Breaker / Fuse -- Replace
Happy Hunting
Best Of Luck To Ya

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