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Electrical short troubleshooting

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Old 03-06-2016, 04:13 PM
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Default Electrical short troubleshooting

I have a 93 f 150 when it first starts it runs great until I got a bump then the engine light comes on and when I give it gas it sputters and wants to shut off. I've replaced plugs wires oil change new battery terminals. I think it's a short in the wire going to the alternator but I would like some input on how to find the short with out replacing everything thanks for help
Old 03-06-2016, 04:45 PM
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Have you check the starter solenoid? Could be a bad connection there?
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Old 03-06-2016, 06:41 PM
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I would check the grounds, they seem to dissolve in to rust and cause issues.

An ohmeter or volt meter (Digital Multi Meter) will give you accurate values in your troubleshooting.
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Old 03-07-2016, 07:57 AM
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I've checked all the wires coming off the battery and followed them all the way no bare wire no loose connection. Now I did unhook the battery let it sit for a few minutes then hooked it back up and it was perfect again no check engine light was on and it ran great. Then about 20 mins of driving engine light came back on and it sputters again. I'm out of ideas. I will try the voltage check today see where it gets me. Thanks for your help. I need any idea I can get.
Old 03-07-2016, 10:46 AM
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Tps ? O2 sensor ?

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Old 03-08-2016, 12:35 PM
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Still haven't took it to get codes checked but I did clean the iac valve and adjust the idle and it worked but now it runs great then the idle will go down engine light come on but then it will jump up idle and everything great again does this a few times while just sitting and running.
Old 03-08-2016, 02:55 PM
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Fltdriver has a thread up somewhere on testing the ohmage on the IAC, I've got one somewhere on testing the signal from the TPS.
Not sure how you "adjusted" your idle, but hopefully not by messing with that little screw.
Old 03-08-2016, 07:07 PM
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Yeah I did turn that screw just a Lil bit and it seems to have fixed my problem ran all day no problems
Old 03-08-2016, 07:52 PM
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Also to pull codes on a 93 you don't need a tester. Read "just call me Sean"'s post at the top of the page and do it yourself.
As far as that screw goes - no, no, no. Your idle is controlled electronically, you need to find the electronic problem that is affecting your idle - that screw is just a factory preset thing - it's not there to control your idle with.
If it makes you happy to use it go ahead, but it's not how you fix your issue. The only time to ever go near that is is if you think somebody might have messed with it. It is not an idle adjustment screw (just in case anybody else reads this and thinks they should mess with that too).
Old 03-08-2016, 08:46 PM
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Oh ****! I did not know all that... Well if looks likes the guy I bought it from might have messed with it cuzz I can see a ring of rust then clean metal. So I only put it back to the rust mark not even a 1/16 of a turn but I will take your advice and watch that post of how to check codes. But like I said it has ran great all day. So. I get what your saying but it did fix my issue but it is running a Lil high but barely.


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