What a mess i am in!!!

[adrenalin2k4]

I have a 1997 Ford Escort with 105,000 miles on it. I have had issues with the transmission and fixed that. But, my main problem now is the wierdest electrical issue i have ever seen on a car. First off the battery light will stay on. It is bright red when at idle or at a stop sign. Then when i take off it will dim a bit. It has a brand new battery. I have checked the alternator by unplugging the positive terminal and the car will still run but will make a wierd chugging sound from the air filter/air intake. I checked the voltage at the alternator and i get 14.7 volts. I checked while it was running at the battery and the same thing, 14.7 volts. which from my understanding is good. but sometimes the positive battery terminal will be very warm to almost hot and the battery will make a gurggling sound. Every so often the lights on my dash will just go out or the air bag light will flash or the coolant light will stay on. It the coolant light stays on the the battery light will be off. sometimes if a passenger gets out of the car from the front seat without touching anything but the dorr handle, the door locks will either lock or unlock. Plus if i hit the door unlock switch the trunk will open up, it is the same on the passenger side front door lock switch as well. Now for the kicker. Last night i was going to my friends house. I was going down the driveway and all of a sudden the car dies while it is in gear and everything goes dead. I stopped the car and put it in park and went to crank it over and the starter will do it's job but the car won't start at all. I checked the fuel pump cut off switch and it is good. I checked for spark, It is good. I open the oil fill cap and looked inside the valve cover and had my friend turn the engine over and the valve are doing what it is suppossed to be doing. So the timeing belt is good. So, i then checked the relays with hand setting on all three of them and all three are clicking when the key in turned to the start position. So, i was thinking that it is the fuel pump. I open up the air filter and sprayed some starting fluid in it and it will run until the starting fluid is used up, just a couple of squirts is all i do at a time. But, i think i can hear the fuel pump kick in. Or at least i hear something making a running sound. If it is the fuel pump? Then that is fine with me. But, i don't wanna replace something that is broke. But, for some reason there is a bad electrical issue, real bad. I don't think it is in the computer or the electric relay control module. Could it be the ignition switch??? Any help on this problem is greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

David

[mcmalloy]

the new battrie may be bad, as for the fuel pump it maybe working but may not have enough pressure to open up the injecters

[adrenalin2k4]

Originally Posted by mcmalloy

the new battrie may be bad, as for the fuel pump it maybe working but may not have enough pressure to open up the injecters

I can't even get any fuel pressure at the fuel rail. I even had my friend crank on it while i took a small screw driver and open up the little valve and no fuel at all. I took the battery to walmart and made them replace it even though it is only a couple of months old.

[mcmalloy]

Take a broom handle or a big stick and bang on the gas tank while someone cranks it over,

[Davescort97]

14.7 volts is a tad high for the alternator to be putting out. If you have a bad ground it could be causing al of these symptoms. Check the ground at the battery by using a digial voltage-ohm meter. Put the meter on the ohm scale. With the negative battery cable hooked up run a lead to the negative battery post and with the other lead put it anywhere on the engine. You should only a few ohms resistance. If more than that clean and tetighten the cable end. To check for a bad ground to the body do the same thing only run a terminal from the neg. battery post to the bodyl. Should have only a few ohms resistance. If more than that run a large gauge wire from the negative side of the battery to the body to establish a good ground.

[zzyzzx2]

Are you sure that your battery connections are nice and clean?

[adrenalin2k4]

I have decided to buy new cable ends and replace them. I am also going to buy and ignition switch and replace that as well. They don't cost too mu8ch and it is a good idea to go ahead and replace them. Plus i am going to redo all of my ground connections as well.

The fuel pump did turn out being bad. So, i bought a new one. It was only $95.00 with the strainer. But, my CCRM (Constant Control Relay Miduale) was bad too. My fan was constantly staying on no matter what. I unhooked the fuse to the cooling fan and heard a terrible high pitch noise coming from the CCRM. Plus when i put my hand on it, i could feel a vibration as well. I can get a remanufactured on for $141.00 shipping included.

So after i get all this done. It may have solved my electrical issue. But, i am not going to run out the alternator just yet. I am going to do a few checks that was recommended and post back what i have found.

Thanks again for everyones help on this issue. It has been greatly appreciated.

David

[zzyzzx2]

I think your alternator is just fine.

[adrenalin2k4]

I replaced the CCRM (Constant Control Relay Module) and the car is running just fine. I still have an issue with the battery light staying on. I just got the New battery today. So i am going to have to figure this one out.

[zzyzzx2]

Battery light on all the time with known good voltage (verified by driving around with voltmeter) is a bad wire connection at the alternator.

[youngkia1]

I think you need a help from mechanics. Try to ask an advice from them just to make sure.

[Davescort97]

zzyzzx2 is right about the loose wire on the alternator. Check all the wires on it. Also, the serpentine belt may be slipping. Is it glazed? Did the new battery help at all?

[adrenalin2k4]

I installed the new CCRM (Constant Control Relay Module) and the new battery, plus, new battery terminals. The car started up just fine. I went over to a friend's house yesterday which is about 2 1/2 miles from me and the car started acting up. It has a miss now and at an idle it will stall. The battery light is still on and now the check engine light comes on once in a while. I was having transmission issues. I posted those in another thread. Now the thing will shift on it's own, but will not go into overdrive. Granted i haven't changed out the solenoids yet, due to lack of funds. But, how does a car go from having to manually shift an automatic to shifting like it it is suppossed to. There is a serious electrical problem with this car, that has me really puzzled. Man, i wish that this bad luck streak i am on will end sometime soon and turn to some good luck. I go from happily married with 2.5 acres and 2 houses to being divorced and loosing both houses, my truck, my sanity, and now this car is hating me and i really and truly cannot afford to take it to a repair shop.

[adrenalin2k4]

I got a CCRM from a 2001 model. The car will start and run, but will run very poorly. It will also die at slow speeds as well, not to mention my gas milage is no where close to what it was before. I got the right CCRM for my car and now it will start, but, when i give it a little gas, the car will die and not start back up. If i put the one from the 2001 model back in it. The car will run like i have mentioned before. But, i can pull the 2001 ccrm out of in put the 1997 back in it and the car will start and then die once i give it a little gas. This car has an electrical problem that completely baffles me. I have tried everything imaginable except replace the PCM or the ignition. Anybody have any ideas at all???

[adrenalin2k4]

I know where the EEC (Electronic Engine Control) is located. But, where is the PCM (powertrain Control Module)?