suXor

Wow, first time I have had any problems with my car. Driving to the airport, in a bad traffic jam, my car starts missing the 1st to 2nd shift. It's fine after I get going a while. Hell, the radio shut off, lights were dimming, thought the car was going to stall. WTF? A search shows a few threads about slipping on first gens, but is this common?

38k miles, 99 3.0 CL, only mods are the stereo, exahust, and air ride. I only drive about 10 miles a day (if that), and it's generally a constant 45mph with no stop and go.

I need to take it to the dealership, but perhaps you guys have some ideas as to what the issue is? Seems like a vacum issue, or overheating of the tranny?

Thanks

Slooo97CL

iTrader: (1)

02-014 JUN 02 Recall - Ignition Switch Replacement
99-045 DEC 01 Recall - EGR System Warranty Extension
99-045 MAR 00 Recall- PCV Hose Routing

sounds like the ignition switch...these are all recalls possibly you might have gotten fixed or still need to get done.

Chinisimo

radio shut off, lights were dimming is a sign of a bad alternator. it's probably not the transmission slipping. it's probably just not enough juice to fire the spark plugs to burn the fuel...

this is what I think

Slooo97CL

iTrader: (1)

i was gunna say this but bad alternator at 38k? just doesnt seem right. unless you are running a huge system

Chinisimo

you never know man...

fgzar

chrisbpickering, how much did the air ride cost you? i have a 97 cl pre. and i like to make that one of my first mods.

thanks

suXor

At first I thought the same thing. Power drain, diming, tranny module not having enough juice....it all made sense. But the alternator light never came on. Isn't it supposed to illuminate if the alternator is not providing 12-14v+?

Anyway, got in the car at the airport after posting this thread on the plane in Chicago, and it started right up, everything seemed fine. However, as soon as I turned on the radio and AC, the gauges started going from normal to nothing as if the car was off. It did this consistantly the whole way to the dealership. One second I am going 60 MPH, @ 2500 RPMS, then I am 0 MPH and the engine isn't turning over (0 RPM). But hell I was still going

Then the SRS light came on. I was like WTF is up with the electical system. I moved the seat back a bit for what I thought might be a deployment of the airbag next (quite the pecimist ). Then the ABS light, then everyhting in the car would go almost dead, and come back.

So I exit the highway, come to the light at the dealership, and the car tries to stall. I throw it in neutral and rev to keep it going. Fly into the dealership and get a service advisor.

After standing up to the nice redneck service advisor that wanted to blame my "massive modifications under the hood" (he saw the air pipes ), they took a clooser look. Then they blamed a grounding problem (he saw the alarm siren using the same bolt as a 18ga groud wire for some accessory). Then he touched the alternator and almost burned his hand off.

They took it back, repalced the alternator and everything is good to go (after watching the stupid porter try to play with the air ride in the repair bay....).

They then state that it's possible my compressors and stereo might have done it in. I told them I drive about 8-10 miles a day at most, and have had all this in my car for almost a year now. Then they say it may have just been a bad alternator. Go figure.

My question is, could my stuff have killed it? I let the car idle when I go in to get my kids so the AC stays running, the air ride is fused at 50 AMPs, and the Stereo is fused at 60 amps. I doubt either electrical add on I have done actually draw that much, but with how little I drive could these actually have done it? Some of you guys have stereos that draw more than my 500 watt system and two air compressors, and drive all the time. I just want to be cautious so I doun't have this happen again. Hell I hardly ever drive my car, I don't red line, or play with the gears. I am a normal driver that never speeds. I just play with the air ride from time to time, other than that I just jam the stereo for my 8-10 miles a day...

Thanks for the responses guys!

suXor

2200 parts. Labor can run you 1k+ depending on what you have done. You can get the parts cheaper too, but you get what you pay for.

superj721

When the alternator went out on my 3.0, it did the same things you described..I would go have it checked..remember Honda/Acura doesnt make batteries or alternators, so we have AC Delco batteries and alternators which SUCK ASS!!!

J
Black '97 3.0 Premium
Tint, K&N, Clear Lenses,
Hyper Whites ,Bazooka EL-8,
18" Nitza Adagio w/Toyo Proxes
CL pics

dajuice27

Replace your battery.

Replace your alternator.

Problem solved.

suXor

See 4 posts up, they replaced my alternator at the delaership.