I own a 73 pinto with a 2.0 and I cant figure out why my rpms drop and my car wants to die when I turn my headlights on...I have replaced the alternator, alternator regulator, and battery ground cable (mine was all chewed up and nasty) and saw no big change...I need big help PLEASE!
Have you tried replacing the ignition coil or the ignition control module? Either of those being weak or going out could cause that.
Sounds like a weak battery or a bad ground.
I agree w/ Pintony, there should be a ground strap from the pass side firewall to the rear bellhousing bolt. The headlights are grounded through the body.
My new battery wire is grounded from my bell housing to my battery and a small wire from my ground wire to my firewall... and im still getting the horrible idle when i turn my headlights on...what else could be the problem?
do you have a second ground wire from engine to firewall?
you have a new ground wire from battery but how's the battery condition? new? used? low power in battery?
Hello pinto4sho,
I know this is a simple sugestion.
Have you checked the tension on your alt. belt lately???
From Pintony
"When my car idles the voltage reads about 14 and when I turn my lights on my voltage reads about 12...Im confused."
I also thought of one other ground you could check....
each headlight has a ground wire on the back going to the body. After my 73 was painted I had to clean up these ground points as well.
Those are grounded as well....
Quote from: pinto4sho on April 30, 2008, 05:30:32 PM
Those are grounded as well....
mine were grounded too but still had to wire wheel and clean them up...
and.... I just confirmed with the guys at the autoparts store next door...
grounds to the bellhouse are a really bad idea for many different reasons
get your grounds (both battery and body) connected to the block
one suggestion was to get the body ground as close to the alternator as possible
when I explained your situation.... they laughed and said.... bad grounds.