Electrical/computer stuttering

[JAP63]

Happened 4-5 times now...the car will be cruising or idling..Ill turn the headlights on..it will stutter or go to cut out..the check engine light and other dash lights will come on and when it happens i can hear the computer "tick"

Whats the go..
Computer losing power for a second?

Could it be leaking CAPS?

 

[AUSVR4]

So with more current draw it's struggling... I'm just spitballing here but bad earth? Bad alternator?

 

[vertex_vr4]

Caps is possible but if it only happens when you turn on the head lights its more likely its power/battery related.
Could be bad battery or barely working alternator???

I guess is you have a bad relay somewhere in the headlight circuitry and are shorting the battery.

 

[Jonson]

I'm with the others. If everything is operating properly before the lights go on I would say your losing voltage.

Check the output on your alternator. Should be around 14.7V with no lights or thermo fan on. Also check for Voltage loss between Battery and Alternator

 

[JAP63]

Im an idiot..i think it was just a loose positive terminal.

One other thing though..my thermo fan is on constantly..even when the car is started in the morning and is cold...
faulty temp sensor?

 

[BennyGee]

there is a little plug on the left hand side of the engine, just above where the bellhousing bolts on, and the wire that plugs into it controls the thermo fans when the car gets to a certain temp. if that wire is earthed out (as mine is, on purpose), then both thermo's run flat out, all the time. so check this.

 

[JAP63]

there is a little plug on the left hand side of the engine, just above where the bellhousing bolts on, and the wire that plugs into it controls the thermo fans when the car gets to a certain temp. if that wire is earthed out (as mine is, on purpose), then both thermo's run flat out, all the time. so check this.

Thatd sit near the factory o2 sensor connection then?

You earthed yours out..is that for better cooling?
Would there be any negative side effects to that?
At the moment it just the one fan on the gearbox side thats always running.

 

[brisvr4]

Jamie, the plug that Ben is talking about is actually on the back of the thermostat housing.
It has a single black wire coming from it, if you wire it up to a switch that grounds the wire it will turn both fans on high
It is right between the heater hose and the block.

 

[JAP63]

Jamie, the plug that Ben is talking about is actually on the back of the thermostat housing.
It has a single black wire coming from it, if you wire it up to a switch that grounds the wire it will turn both fans on high
It is right between the heater hose and the block.

Thanks
Ill have a look.