<VV> HELP: Apparent Electrical Issue

[corvairduval at cox.net]

NOT the coil!

Coil has nothing to do with headlamps.

Coils have to be the most replaced GOOD parts on a Corvair.

If the battery positive lead shorts, like Joel says, the results are
unmistakeable.

If the generator just quit, the lights will dim slightly, but the engine
power should remain up until the battery goes quite dead.

Generator or alternator?

Sounds like intermittent on the #10 red wire through the engine harness
connector.

Frank DuVal

Original Message:
-----------------
From: Tom Hughes corvairdad at gmail.com
Date: Thu, 14 Mar 2013 11:15:23 -0400
To: virtualvairs at corvair.org
Subject: <VV> HELP: Apparent Electrical Issue


My daughter was driving my ‘63 last night. After cruising fine for about 30
minutes at highway speeds, the car had the simultaneous symptoms of engine
down on power, headlights dimming, and GEN-FAN light illuminated brightly.
After about a second everything went normal again, but the problem came
back about 10 seconds later only to disappear again almost immediately.
This went on a couple more times until the engine died, the headlights
stayed off, and the GEN-FAN stayed on. She coasted to the shoulder and her
sister came and got her. This morning I went to the car expecting to have
to flat-tow it home, but it started right up and I was able to drive it to
a safe parking spot about a half-mile away. I’ll go get it after work.


Heat-related? Would a failing coil give these symptoms? If it’s running
fine this evening, how do I troubleshoot? What do I check?


Note this car has a relocated battery with the positive cable running to
the starter though the interior (i.e. plenty of places where it passes
through and around metal surfaces). I would think if this cable has an
intermittent short, there’d be more issues than dimming headlights, but I
guess it’s something to check.


Thanks in advance for the assistance.
-- 
Tom in Baltimore

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