Olds heater/electrical problem

My daughters car dies soon after she turns on the heater. She says the
lights are fine. What should I be looking for?

You don't say what year or style, but my first guess would be a broken
ground strap between the engine and the body. This is usually an open
mesh strap from the engine bellhousing to the body

When this is broken it tries to steal grounds and if you load up the
body with light and heater power it can not leave enough left for a
decent spark so the ignition shuts down.

A really dirty battery cable comes to mind also, but that usually
involves starter issues as well.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

MG2 wrote:
>
> My daughters car dies soon after she turns on the heater. She says the
> lights are fine. What should I be looking for?

Thanks Mike,

She just got it so I'm not sure of the year and she's not available
to ask at the moment. It's an olds 88 4 door probably late
80's......Mike T MG2

That mesh cable will be on the passenger side bell housing I believe up
to the body and the small black wire from the battery negative to the
body will likely be melted and need replacing if that is the problem.
The little ground can only take so much and it melts so if she looks
there and sees melt, the cable is toast for sure.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

MG2 wrote:
>
> Thanks Mike,
>
> She just got it so I'm not sure of the year and she's not available
> to ask at the moment. It's an olds 88 4 door probably late
> 80's......Mike T MG2

O.K. Had a chance to see it today. What she didn't tell me is the P.O.
hard wired the heater to the battery with a swich under the dash. One
wire only from the + to the switch then ro the blower motor in the
firewall. Could I just add a ground somewhere? Would that help?

MG2 wrote:
>
> O.K. Had a chance to see it today. What she didn't tell me is the P.O.
> hard wired the heater to the battery with a swich under the dash. One
> wire only from the + to the switch then ro the blower motor in the
> firewall. Could I just add a ground somewhere? Would that help?

Yes...

If I were working on it, I'd restore the original wiring and make
sure the ground straps between the battery, body & engine are all
in good shape.

If you're not going to fix it the right way, at least make sure the
bodged add-on wiring has a fuse in the (+) side of the circuit,
as close to the battery as possible.

Okee Dokee. Lets imagine I'm no mechanic. I aint gonna restore the
wiring at any rate but I do know a screw up when I see it. The wire
runs from the + terminal through the door opening to the toggle switch.
>From there it follows the path back to the motor in the firewall and
that's it. So let's jury rig this thing right! What gauge wire and fuse
size and path might give me the results she's looking for? Thank
goodness for boatds like this!

Should I just continue the wiring from the blower motor to a ground
then?

I would recommend 10 ga wire and a 25 A fuse for the fan motor.

I first would make sure there is a good cable from the engine to the
body. I would use a battery cable and for ease hook it where the
negative from the battery bolts on the engine, likely the alternator or
block and run from there to the fender or firewall. They sell battery
cables with two loop ends on them.

You likely have to get under to fix the original mesh cable. They are
usually on the bell housing up to the body on the passenger side.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

MG2 wrote:
>
> Okee Dokee. Lets imagine I'm no mechanic. I aint gonna restore the
> wiring at any rate but I do know a screw up when I see it. The wire
> runs from the + terminal through the door opening to the toggle switch.
> >From there it follows the path back to the motor in the firewall and
> that's it. So let's jury rig this thing right! What gauge wire and fuse
> size and path might give me the results she's looking for? Thank
> goodness for boatds like this!