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1976 Fleetwood

Started by jmontgomery, March 09, 2014, 07:18:44 PM

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jmontgomery

I am looking for some help with my 76. It seems that I have an electrical issue. Sometimes the car runs fine other times the car is completely dead. Some times while I am driving the generator light begins to flash and the engine shutters. Have any of you ever experienced any thing like this. Thought? The car only has 29,000 miles.

austingta

A) A bad ground, especially the cable from battery to ground
B) Defective alternator, especially if you have to jump the car after it dies.

Just wild guesses based on so little information.

mgbeda

The side terminal batteries and cable used to have an issue with intermittent opens at the battery.  This could affect the alternator too, since the charging wire goes to the positive battery terminal first.  This could happen if the terminal was over tightened or just from corrosion.  You know this is the culprit if you can get the car started again by wiggling the battery cables.

You also could have an intermittent short in one of the wires leading to the starter solenoid.  That's where all the electricity finds it's way into the rest of the car.  Heat can cause the insulation on those wires to crack.

More guesses...

-mB
-Mike Beda
CLC #24610
1976 Sedan DeVille (Bessie)

35-709

Check the fusible link wires at the starter (see your shop manual), those wires live in hell.  The fusible link wires on my '73 were all but completely broken.  One of them (#10 Red on my '73) is the main 12 volt wire to the ignition switch.  There are 3 of them (again, on my '73, '76 might be a little different).  If they need replacing replace the fusible part with the same length as factory and the same amperage.  Available at your auto supply store. 

A couple of pics of my fusible link wires ---
1935 Cadillac Sedan resto-mod "Big Red"
1973 Cadillac Caribou - Sold - but still in the family
1950 Jaguar Mark V Saloon resto-mod - Sold
1942 Cadillac 6269 - Sold
1968 Pontiac Bonneville Convertible - Sold
1950 Packard 2dr. Club Sedan
1935 Glenn Pray - Auburn Boattail Speedster, Gen. 2

Aprules2

X2 on the fuse able link wires.... I had all kinds of crazy unpredictable electrical problems. One night it died and after I replaced all 3 I never had a problem again.

Aprules2

Forgot to mention I had a 75 Coupe DeVille