Tanker Yanker
New member
Sorry to write a book here, but I've been reading through the forums, researching this issue, and my particular problem doesn't seem to match up with what other members describe....well, not entirely anyway.
A month ago the battery light came on while driving to town. On the highway, returning home, we started losing guages and lights (speedo, dash lights....). Lost power, hit the off-ramp, car died. To get it home, I had mom bring me a new battery from AutoZone. Swapped batteries, light still on, made it home though. That night, I tore it down to pull the alternator, and put the new battery on the charger. Next morning, I went to the dealer and bought the $460 reman Denzo, installed it, buttoned up the radiator and air box / vacuum lines....hit the key, car fired and immediately died. Waited a couple seconds, hit the key, popped right off.
All was perfect, until very next afternoon. Wife calls and says CEL is on and the other couple of VSC lights too. Had dealer read codes....P0420 and P0430. He says bad cats. I bought Denzo downstream 02 sensors and replaced them first....$96 on RockAuto, hoping to avoid cat replacement. Codes will clear for a couple hours, but always return.
While the lights are off, you can drive the piss out of this thing and it runs like a scalded dog. Once the light returns, it runs good enough to fool anybody who never drove it before, but it's weaker.
Is it really possible that both cats went out together, and the day after I replaced the alternator?? I am 100% certain that all vacuum / air lines are placed correctly, tight, and in good condition. I've had this apart before to do the timing belt and waterpump....that was at 90k and we just hit 100k when the alternator died. My question is, could the alternator have caused an electrical fault in the ECU or elsewhere....?? Is there a connection or is it coincidence? Only thing else noteworthy here is I've noticed a very subtle exaust tick, so I'm sure manifolds or Thorley's are in my near future anyway. I just want to rule out everything electrical before I drop $2000 into the exhaust system, especially if there is an underlying cause to begin with.
Thanks for the help....as I said before, I gathered enough info off this board to do the timing belt and didn't have to ask any questions....this issue isn't nearly as cut and dry though and I really don't know how to zero in on the cure.
A month ago the battery light came on while driving to town. On the highway, returning home, we started losing guages and lights (speedo, dash lights....). Lost power, hit the off-ramp, car died. To get it home, I had mom bring me a new battery from AutoZone. Swapped batteries, light still on, made it home though. That night, I tore it down to pull the alternator, and put the new battery on the charger. Next morning, I went to the dealer and bought the $460 reman Denzo, installed it, buttoned up the radiator and air box / vacuum lines....hit the key, car fired and immediately died. Waited a couple seconds, hit the key, popped right off.
All was perfect, until very next afternoon. Wife calls and says CEL is on and the other couple of VSC lights too. Had dealer read codes....P0420 and P0430. He says bad cats. I bought Denzo downstream 02 sensors and replaced them first....$96 on RockAuto, hoping to avoid cat replacement. Codes will clear for a couple hours, but always return.
While the lights are off, you can drive the piss out of this thing and it runs like a scalded dog. Once the light returns, it runs good enough to fool anybody who never drove it before, but it's weaker.
Is it really possible that both cats went out together, and the day after I replaced the alternator?? I am 100% certain that all vacuum / air lines are placed correctly, tight, and in good condition. I've had this apart before to do the timing belt and waterpump....that was at 90k and we just hit 100k when the alternator died. My question is, could the alternator have caused an electrical fault in the ECU or elsewhere....?? Is there a connection or is it coincidence? Only thing else noteworthy here is I've noticed a very subtle exaust tick, so I'm sure manifolds or Thorley's are in my near future anyway. I just want to rule out everything electrical before I drop $2000 into the exhaust system, especially if there is an underlying cause to begin with.
Thanks for the help....as I said before, I gathered enough info off this board to do the timing belt and didn't have to ask any questions....this issue isn't nearly as cut and dry though and I really don't know how to zero in on the cure.
