[Diy_efi] CS Failure
Tom Visel
five10man
Tue Nov 29 16:31:50 UTC 2005
Nice! I'll have to open the next bad one that comes in.
David Allen wrote:
> Remembering back to my BMW repair days; these "LKM" boxes used to be bad
>about solder cracking. This happened at all the high current junctions on
>the circuit board where there was a large-gauge terminal soldered to the
>board. Such as where the relays and 32-pin connector terminals went into the
>board.
> There is a trick to repairing this type of solder cracking as it tends to
>recur. Use a solder remover to expose the pin. Wrap copper "bus wire"
>aroung the pin leaving both ends exposed out over the board. Re-solder this
>whole connection using Silver Bearing Solder and a high wattage (30)
>soldering iron.
> This should fix the solder cracking.
> I worked mainly on mid-80s cars so your car might not have the same setup.
>This is just my two cents worth!
>David
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: Daniel R. Nicoson
>To: diy_efi at diy-efi.org
>Sent: Tuesday, November 29, 2005 7:33 AM
>Subject: RE: [Diy_efi] CS Failure
>
>
>Tom,
>
>That's the best help I've had on this issue. The E-39 discussion group I
>listen in on doesn't have any solutions when I ask on this one.
>
>I'll take a look at those two solutions.
>
>Thanks!
>
>Dan Nicoson
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: diy_efi-bounces at diy-efi.org [mailto:diy_efi-bounces at diy-efi.org]On
>Behalf Of Tom Visel
>Sent: Monday, November 28, 2005 11:07 PM
>To: diy_efi at diy-efi.org
>Subject: Re: [Diy_efi] CS Failure
>
>
>Most likely you have a bad Lamp Control Module. It's located in the forward
>power distribution box under the hood, and it's about the size of a box of
>cigarettes, with a 32-pin connector. It controls current flow to all of the
>exterior lights that aren't headlamps, so if you're smoking bulbs, it's
>probably the culprit. If you have non-stock HID headlamps or high-wattage
>bulbs in your headlamps, it tends to kill this idiot box, which gets its
>power from the headlamp system.
>
>Bad news: The modules cost mega bucks, and there are many different part
>numbers to make JY hunting harder. Good news: You can install LED
>replacements for your taillamps, for less money than the module. The LED
>lamps will have a current limiting resistor in them so they won't accept
>extra current and die if the module is getting stupid. You have an
>electronic flasher (hope it never dies, it's spendy too!) so your bulb flash
>rate shouldn't vary; however, if it does, you can get a 6 ohm, 50W resistor
>and place it in parallel with the LED turn signal bulb and restore your
>previous flash rate. I buy LED lamps from
>http://www.superbrightleds.com/1157.htm Good service, good product, good
>selection, haven't had one die yet.
>.
>Hope this helps!
>TomV
>
>
>Daniel R. Nicoson wrote:
>Tom,
>
>I have a 1998 BMW 540 that eats one or two rear taillights each month. I've
>never seen anything like it in over 20 years of car ownership and 19 cars.
>The battery is in the trunk, I assume all power goes forward to the engine
>before coming back to the taillight assemblies.
>
>I did put my oscilloscope on the car once to see if there were any weird
>spikes, didn't see anything.
>
>I've cleaned all the bulb sockets, cleaned the multipin connectors, even
>tried conducting grease at the contact points. Still loose one or two bulbs
>each month. Any ideas here?
>
>I'd drive it into your shop and pay for a proper diagnosis if you're
>anywhere close to western Pennsylvania!
>
>Thanks,
>
>Dan Nicoson
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: diy_efi-bounces at diy-efi.org [mailto:diy_efi-bounces at diy-efi.org]On
>Behalf Of Tom Visel
>Sent: Monday, November 28, 2005 12:38 PM
>To: diy_efi at diy-efi.org
>Subject: Re: [Diy_efi] CS Failure
>
>
>I own a repair shop specializing in electrical and driveability diagnosis
>and repair. If my shop had no overhead, I could probably retire on the
>income I make from alternators which other shops (or customers) installed
>and had die on them due to high resistance in the output circuit.
>Intermittent or poor lamp circuit (L terminal) connections will cause
>intermittent no-charge problems. Poor or no connection at the sense (S
>terminal, the big one in the regulator connector) may cause the alternator
>to undercharge, but rarely to overcharge or burn out. What burns out
>CS-series (and indeed, all) alternators is heat. Internal heat, cause by
>overwork because the alt can't charge the battery properly and/or can't
>monitor the battery's state of charge. To diagnose your vehicle:
>
>With a fresh known good alternator and a fully charged battery (12.66 V or
>better) installed, check the voltage drop on the positive and negative sides
>of the charging circuit. To do this, get the alternator under a good load:
>engine running, lights on, heater blower and A/C running, cooling fans going
>if you have them. If you have an ammeter, clamp type or no, measure the
>current flow through the system. Positive or negative side will be the
>same, and be sure to include all of the wires at the battery in your
>measurement if using a clamp-type probe. Note the reading.
>
>While the engine is still running, using your DVOM, measure the voltage
>between the alternator case (the case thru-screws are good candidates) and
>the battery negative terminals. Note the reading. Now measure the voltage
>between the battery positive terminal and the alternator output stud. Note
>the reading. If you got negative readings, ignore the sign. It's the
>number that counts.
>
>Total your two voltage readings. This is the "voltage drop" in the charging
>circuit. It is a reflection of the resistance in the circuit - resistance
>which will put a long-term strain on your alternator's diodes and overheat
>and kill them. If you get a total of greater than 0.1 Volt per 10 Amps of
>alternator output, that is too much voltage drop and the connections and/or
>wires and cables will need to be improved. For a standard 105 amp CS130, 10
>gauge wire straight to the battery, with a 14 gauge fusible link, is
>sufficient. For a "high output" alternator, 8 gauge with a 12 gauge fusible
>link is recommended. Also, you can't have too many grounds. Besides
>keeping your alternator alive, quality grounds (less than .050 volts drop)
>will help stave off computer stupidity. You would be astonished at the
>number of vehicles that leave my shop with a sub-$150 repair (diagnosis,
>labor, parts, tax) when other shops told the customer that s/he needed a new
>ECM or a stack of new sensors.
>
>TomV
>
>Clayton Martiniuk wrote:
>Hello, I have an 1994 Chevy 350 that Keeps eating alternators for some
>reason. They seem to work for about two days and then shit out. I have a cs
>series alternator powered with one exciter/indicator wire at the F terminal.
>Looking at the indicator bulb, I'll start the truck, the light will go off
>for a while but turn back on intermittently. I heard that these years of
>trucks seem to have a problem. Some say to ground the back of the case to
>the batt but I dont see how on mine. I am probably close to duty cycle but
>no major power drains. It gets very cold here around -20 to -50. I am
>running an electric fuel pump. I am running an red top optima with 800 cca.
>Does this Battery require special needs? Is the answer an larger amperage
>generator or am I doing something wrong?
>I am sick of buying alternators and no one can seem to figure out whats
>happening.
> Thank you for your time
> Clayton Martiniuk
>
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