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Saturday, February 20, 2016

UPDATE>>>>This post for backyard mechanics, automotive engineers an' ecletronics technitions

Boy howdy I been scratch my head for a few weeks now with this damn "billy jeep" not run right. Yesterday I had me a plus in my "Billy Bob can fix anything" attempts to find the cause of the problems. Expect some details...that's the way I do things.

If'n ya remember, a couple months ago the battery was slap dead. I have what is called a 40 amp "smart" battery charger what is operated by electronics. The battery was fully charged with this charger. The engine was cranked up. It don't run right. Hard to start an' rpm only go to bout 2500 with a Rrrrrrr, Rrrrrr, Rrrrrr at that rpm. The engine was shut down an' the battery charger was stowed. Ya see, it was way way too cold for the old Billy Bob to be sit'n outside in a cold car try'n to figger out why this sucker don't run right.

A month passes. It's warmer. I goes outside to start the "billy jeep". Errrrrr, Errrrrr. Errrrrrr....the freak'n battery is low again. Battery charger is hook up again an' I charge up that battery overnight. The next day I goes crank 'er up. The battery charger is still hook up. What the hell, it don't run right. Rrrrrr, Rrrrrrr, Rrrrrrr....2500 rpm.

Ok, let me 'splain something bout cars. They are operated by computer....an' a gazillion little electronic devices what talk to the computer to make it go a hunnert mile a hour in 6.3 seconds. The designer of these computers was thoughtful. He added a mode called "limp home mode". The car will run, but ya ain't never gonna go a hunnert mile a hour. This is the mode that the "billy jeep" goes into. There's more details I could go into, but what the hell, I ain't gonna.

Ok, yesterday. I have a back doctor appointment. While wait'n for "yo mama", my driver, I cranks up the Jeep. Just as expected....Rrrrrrrr, Rrrrrrr, Rrrrrrr....2500 rpms. I says a few words an' off to the doctor appointment. Think'n all the way.

On return, I says "let's reset the computer". On most cars, all ya gotta do is disconnect the battery an' wait bout 3 minutes an' walla, the computer is reset. But not on my Jeep. Ya gotta disconnect the positive battery terminal an' touch it to the negative terminal for a minute. This discharges the capacitors in the computer....an' walla, the computer is reset. I do that. I crank the "billy jeep" up an' it sound like hell. Barley get it crank up an' it's in "limp home mode". Before I go on too much further, in the last couple months, it's cranked up a few times just like it suppose to do.....think hunnert mile a hour. Then all a sudden it run like shit.
Ok, back to yesterday. I'm stand'n outside. The "smart" battery charger is hook up. The engine is run'n an' sound like shit. The charger is put'n 37 amps into my charged battery. Think'n this is way way too much charge for a charged battery, I disconnect the positive cable. The freak'n engine die....shut slap down.
I goes an' crank it back up. MY GOD, it sound like a hunnert dollar bill. Rpm go to 8000 rpm lickity split. Scratch head an' crank it up bout 10 more times....sound like a hunnert dollar bill each time.
I gotta go pee, brew up a pot an' do me a little think'n. 

Before I go any further.....this was yesterday, not today. Will it crank up an' go a hunnert mile a hour today? I'll let ya know after I find my other shoe. Until then....laters.

Well shit, I wrote all that stuff for nuttin. Fount my shoe an' go outside an' crank that thing up. Yeeee Haaa, it sound perfect. That is for bout 5 start ups. Then the freak'n engine just die....shut down. Crank it back up 3 times in "limp home mode". What the hell??? Then it start up an' sound like a hunnet dollar again. For another 8 start ups. Ha ha, I had to pee so I'm back inside. Scratch'n my head. Gonna do me some Google research an' see what I find. Back laters.

12 comments:

  1. BILLIE I have same year Jeep,same problems when battery go dead,has something to do with the fuel pump,which runs off the computer.

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    Replies
    1. That was my fist thought....fuel pump or fuel filter. After much intense research....I need a crankcase position sensor. That what the fault code say anyhows.

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  2. Newer vehicles and computers are great when they work right.
    But really suck when they crew up.
    Good luck.

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  3. Take it to an AUTO ZONE or another auto parts store. Most will run a test for "codes" for free.

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    Replies
    1. I already have the fault codes....an' I don't like 'em.

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  4. I envy you with all your skills, mechanical and otherwise. Everything falling apart here, no one to call on for help and can't walk but steps. #$&=!8*. Hoping for no high winds and certainly no high waters.
    Good to hear you are fixing the car issue. Smart man you are, Billy Bob. I admire you. I'm betting you could be a nice person to be around with the right conditions.

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  5. I learned something new today. Didn't know about the limp home mode. I have an new(ish) red sports car now, traded in the Jeep. Doesn't even use a key, just have to have the fob in the car. I asked how do I get home if the battery in the fob goes dead. Dear in the headlights look from the salesman. And now I find out new(ish) cars have a limp home mode. Good to know ahead of time.

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  6. Hermit's Baby Sis (Texas Ann)February 22, 2016 at 10:41 AM

    Good to hear from you (again) Billy Bob, and especially when you have come up with a problem solution. Leave it to the old BB, he always comes up with something! Even if it's a limp-home-mode. Never heard of it myself, but sounds like a good thing to have ...

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  7. BB, try cleaning the battery cables! I had the same problem. It turns out heavy current will flow through slightly corroded cables but light current to computer will, not causing the computer to go in limp mode.

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  8. Checked on the BillyBob tree in San Pedro. It made it through the storm with some damage. Park maintenance has already trimmed it nice and clean of damage. Pic in the blog tonight.

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