JimDavis MT 97GTS 650R
Enthusiast
Well this season has been full of Disappointments. My car has been "the Viper from Hell" since March when I started experiancing idle & running problems. The first thought was a weak battery. Replaced the battery. Replacment battery went dead. Tester showed defective battery. Replaced the battery again. Engine idle and fuel maping all over the place. Flashed the computer, then after running, checked the computer for codes. No codes. (Didn't occure to me that when you flash the computer you temperarily erase the codes). Made a paniced call to replace the computer thinking it was defective. WRONG. Check the charging system. It's OK. Engine now runs with new charged battery, but Idle is all over the place. Change the idle control motor. No difference. Battery dead again. (EXPLATIVE) Charge the battery again. Detect a unusual current draw at the battery, but it just comes and goes with or without the car running. (ANOTHER EXPLATIVE) Put a hose with a restrictor on the idle control motor thinking this has nothing to do with the battery problem BUT, maybe, just maybe, this will stop my idle from "hanging". Yup,....it works, but, 50 miles later the idle is back to it's old tricks. Haven't fixed a **** thing. Desparate now, I replace the intake manifold gasket trying to at least solve the idle problem. Codes are back and running improves momentraily. Two days later, battery is dead. After removing the charger for umpteenth time, as I remove the cables, I hear a faint click! Later in the day with the car just sitting, I hear a click again. Trace the clicking to a "mini" relay box in the engine compartment. I finally find a mini relay which seems to be clicking without any prompting. The relay energizes the A/C clutch. Replace the relay (a stinking 5 minute fix) and the problem is solved. The poor running and idle were a direct result of the reacurring low battery condition as first thought. The cause, a defectave relay, was a revelation for me. Hope this little story helps someone, somewhere down the road. Needless to say, I am embarased. My thanks to all who tried to help when I didn't have a clue what was going on. A stuped little mini relay rendered my car useless for almost half a season, till by chance I heard the little "CLICK". Amen...Finis...End of story....Geeeeez
