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idle cycle/ lights dim. engine cuts out

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Old 12-06-2016, 03:54 PM
ursula2005's Avatar
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Exclamation idle cycle/ lights dim. engine cuts out

ill try to make this short. this all started happening recently with the cold weather and all. i left my car out on the street one night while at a friends place then that morning i went to start it up and it took more than the usual cranks to get going. i drove about eight blocks then came to a stop at an intersection then it stumbled as if it were going to cut out...lights dimming and all.
now i notice when it does its idle cycle for example after i let it warm up then drive to a light and the secondary air pump will come on as its turning on the lights dim all over the dash pretty dramatically and it kinda stumbles/shudders. also the idle is very low without the idle cycle running. about like 100/000 rpms.
i recently had my alternator replaced and i have tested the battery and alternator frequently to make sure there isnt any funky voltages. i hear there should be about 15 volts? mine is 14 give or take?
the secondary air pump has been working extra hard this past year cause i had an 02 sensor on its way out now that ive changed them out the air pump rarely comes on now just in the morning for a short while and at its first or second intersection.
im leaning more towards an electrical issue. i remember years back in the summer the car would get very hot and the air blower wouldnt work, being a novice i went into the fuse box and pulled the k40 out then replaced it and the air would turn back on. this was happening quite frequently for a while there. i think it was due to my water pump failing and the engine overheating so compensating it shut down electronics?
also the blower motor is erratic in behavior at times and when it acts up the lights also dim. it will speed up and slow down as it pleases. ive replaced the blower motor and resistor so i dont think it has anything to do with that.

sheesh i guess that wasnt short at all...basically im on a witch hunt again and im thinking with all my past experiences im leaning towards a relay but im thinking about replacing the k40 relay. and maybe the secondary air pump relay? then maybe clean the secondary air pump out? what do you guys think?
i obsess with forums and they have been super helpful in the past! im thinking maybe that fan in the k40 relay stopped working and maybe its all dry and cracked up in there. any comments or suggestions would be helpful. i didnt spellcheck or anything nore did i do punctuation, meh.
thanks again crossfire gods!
 
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Old 12-06-2016, 04:14 PM
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Default Re: idle cycle/ lights dim. engine cuts out

The secondary air pump relay is part of the K40 ( RCM ) module, not separate.
Overall, it appears to me that you may have a battery ground cable problem, perhaps loose at the terminal or corrosion on the connection at the fenderwell end ?

Always measure the battery voltage from the engine block to the positive terminal, that is what counts. 13.8 - 14.4 is about normal when running, 12.2 - 12.6 when everything is off.
 

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