2G Not sure what to look for (sporadic idle, lean at idle, sputtering at idle)

[jm1080]

Hey guys, I have been having this issue since hurricane Irma passed by here in FL. Car was sitting outside, not sure if maybe the wind or rain could of caused anything, although no flooding or any damage happened at all to the vehicle or the area nearby.

But anywho, before hurricane car was driving perfect. I was going to change alternator to a Saturn as I wanted to do the upgrade. Car was sitting for about a month since hurricane, I finally start it and I notice it is very lean, 17-18afr. I drive it and it is sputtering as I cruise as if no gas obviously, I richen it via link and still it richens, but sputters still, doesn't drive smooth. Idle would be sporadic, needle jumping etc. Figured ignition. I swapped out to another transistor and it worked for like 20min, then it happened again.

Well I decided to change alternator as battery died. Found out ECU had a bad d103 diode for some odd reason after I swapped alternators, Tom fixed it and now I went to start it with new alternator and voltage was at 0 at the alternator but at battery was 12. I have the 1 wire alternator straight to a 100 amp breaker to the battery in the trunk (0 gauge). Attached is pic. With galant alternator I never had issues. I hit the reset switch or little handle up and voltage is now 14 volts to alternator and battery went up to 13.8. Sounds good, but then it still sputtering etc, lean lean lean. Car sounds funny. After 5 min the voltage drops to 0 again to alternator and now it staying at 0. I switch the breaker switch again and now it is at 12 volts to alternator, all battery volts only. If I switch again back to 0 and car dies unless I rev it. I'm clueless. I guess I have two issues, and I have only changed alternator to cs130 or 140 amp and now have that sputtering issue as well, car not driveable, any help appreciated! I have swapped transistors, checked wiring, everything seems same. Also have p1500 code as well.

 

[chrysler kid]

When you have the key in the run position, before starting the vehicle, does the battery light illuminate?

 

[DSMPT]

Did you try another ECU?
I don't know if this helps you but I had an issue with a customer's 2g before, the car had ECMLink, a saturn alternator and the battery was in the trunk. It did idle but badly and lean, was barely drivable and sometimes very hard to start.
The first I found the battery voltage was not stable and the voltage was dropping fast. So I replaced battery then checked everything again, the voltage at alternator was close to 14v and at the battery was around 13.5v, all wiring was good.
The car got better but was still acting strange and was not stable sometimes. in ECMLink log, I found the voltage at ECU was 12v low even the voltage at battery was 13.5v, then next day the voltage at ECU got 11.5v, the voltage at ECU was dropping by time. Finally some days later it got almost 0v and it never went up again. I replaced the ECU and the issue was all solved.

 

[jm1080]

Hmm I checked the engine light just now and it turns on then off after about 5 sec, normal operation. I had a bad d103 cap in ECU and Tom fixed and inspected ECU, tested working, before I wasn't able to log on dsmlink, now that I put in the new ECU I can log and everything seems to be working ECU side, but unsure on the battery voltage, it was like this before the Saturn alternator, I thought maybe new alternator may solve it, but was wrong. Voltage is no longer 14v at alternator, so I am confused, but still runs the same even if it was 14v or not, sputtering as if it is super lean all the way through every gear, I drove it and it is way lean 18afr lean, car vibrates as I'm cruising and rpm is sporadic.

I would assume this is ignition related? Not sure what else to look for

Also is the 1500 code normal for all Saturn swaps?

 

[chrysler kid]

I need you to check the battery light. It is a resistor to the alternator voltage regulator, if the light does not come on it will not send the correct voltage to the alternator

Is the battery light on before the car starts with the ignition in the on position?

Try tracing the issues one step at a time. You first have voltage issues, which could be related to a shorted wire or a bad corroded ground wire

 

[jm1080]

hmm the battery light does not come on at all, or maybe when key on, don't recall, but when key on all lights go on as normal, when car on no lights are on. But with Saturn alternator, I thought since it is a 1 wire it eliminates all other stock harness wires. I just have a 0 gauge straight to a 100 amp breaker to the battery. Is this proper set up for Saturn alternator or am I missing something? In the pic you can see the breaker and how it goes straight to battery, but with galant alternator I never touched the breaker, why is it when I touch the breaker all the sudden the volts surged through alternator as if it was a resistance? But now it stopped and no matter if I switch the breaker or not I get 11.9 volts to alternator, if I switch breaker to its normal position, it eliminates the 11.9 volts to alternator, causing car to shut off. I would like to fix this alternator issue first and be sure I get the proper volts of 14 volts from this alternator as I'm sure I have another separate issue causing the sputtering, etc.

 

[chrysler kid]

Im not familiar with the swap, but here's a long thread about it

My camaro has a stock 1 wire alternator and it still needs to sense resistance of a light bulb in the line of the voltage regulator to give good output. I believe that is what is discussed below in this thread

http://www.dsmtuners.com/threads/important-improvements-on-saturn-alternator-swap.344794/