Hey guys,

This morning when I was driving to Church, my car started with some very weird electrical problems. I ended up turning around and driving it back home.

The Info: 1993 Honda Civic EX with an LS.

Started out driving and everything seemed ok, after roughly 10 mins I glanced down at my gauge cluster and noticed my Temp Gauge was running below normal operating temp. Not a whole lot but a little bit below where it normally runs. So I was thinking my Thermostat probably stuck open. I continued on. About 5 mins later my Radio cut off. I have a detachable faceplate and sometimes it will loose connection. I popped the faceplate off and put it back on, the radio came back on. Few seconds later it went back off. I was then merging onto the freeway.

All the sudden my Speedometer dropped rapidly to zero. Few seconds later it came back up to my current speed and the radio came back on. Few seconds later at the same time the radio cut off and the speedo dropped to zero.

It kept doing this, I then noticed what seemed to be happening was that everytime the A/C Thermostat cut the Compressor off the speedo would work and the radio would work, when the A/C Thermostat cut the compressor back on the Speedo would quit working along with the radio.

Just a bit later the radio quit for good along with the speedo, and the dash clock was not lit up. Then my battery light came on. At first it was only on when the A/C Compressor was on. When the compressor was off the battery light was off. A bit later the battery light lit up and stayed on the rest of my drive back home. I also noticed my Oil Pressure dropped. Going down the freeway it would only do 60psi instead of the normal 75-80 psi. At idle the gauge would almost sit at 0 instead of on 25 psi.

I got home, switched ignition off and tried to restart but nothing. When jumping from the battery to the starter solenoid my meter is showing the Volts on my battery dropping from 12V down to around 2Vs which is why it won't spin the engine over and just causes the starter to click.

It seems that this problem is/could be A/C related, does anyone have any idea what I could check.

Right now I have the battery charger on it, I have checked my Grounds going from Valve Cover to Radiator Support, the T-Stat housing ground along with the frame to tranny ground.

I am not the best with electrical diagnostics when there seems to be this many things involved so I am kinda stumped but need my car for work tomorrow and the rest of the week.

Any help/insight would be great. TIA.

Matt.

EDIT: I just went out and the charger had charged the battery up enough to be able to start the engine. Everything appeared normal, I clicked the A/C on and instantly the battery light came on. I then turned the A/C off but the battery light stayed on and would not go off.

 

Sounds like the alternator is toast. Have it tested, check the alternator belt tension, and also clean the battery connectors and battery ground wire connection.

 

RonJ, Thanks alot for your always helpful and knowledgeable response. You were right, it was indeed the Alternator. I am not the best when it comes to diagnosing electrical problems so my Dad came over and took a swing at it and determined the Alternator was toast. I had bought it new when I did my swap and had a lifetime warranty on it so we took it to Autozone and they tested it and it failed so I got a new one for no cost. Just put it on but came in for a break(HOT) before I fire it up and test it out.

Just glad it showed its face today and not tomorrow or another day during the work week.