JohnPPD
07-19-2011, 07:16 AM
Hi, guys & girls, I was wondering if there is anyone else who may have come across similar symptoms with their MMs, and could help me out.
About two months ago, I cleaned the engine. It wasn't too dirty, but I'm neurotic like most MM owners. I came across a newer Simple Green, which stressed it was safe for aluminum engines, applied it and tried not to flood the engine when rinsing, also tried to avoid the alternator all along. However, I think I screwed something up along the way. At first, I thought it was the COPs, but now, I'm not sure.
Here are my symptom(s). The day after cleaning, I started to feel random misses in the engine, mostly at idle at red lights. I had never had ANY missing issues with my MM, with what I considered a low 55k miles. It got better over the next few days, but never went completely away, although it was rather random. What did continue, and was more consistent, was it felt like there was something holding me back under acceleration on the highways. Almost a bucking, but light, not violent, just "noticeable". I pulled the coil covers, no signs of water around the COPs. The gaskets seemed to of held up to the rinsing. Pulled the COPs, plug tubes had no water in them, and they were shiny as all hell. Didn't pull the plugs, just put dielectric grease on there and buttoned everything up. I was considering installing the Granatelli connectors and/or new COPs, but nowing that these COP issues can be hard to trace...I was hesitant. Now a new problem has me looking at another culprit.
Here's the new problem that has developed over the last 3-4 days, and I'm pretty sure that it's related. If I accelerate, not WOT, just a nice acceleration, my interior lights dim and the voltmeter drops to about 8-10 volts. After I let off the gas, it goes back up to about 13, which is normal for me, after a few seconds. This sounds like an alternator issue to me??? It appears to be charging fine, as I haven't had any starting issues. FYI, '04, 55k miles, original battery alt & plugs.
Any advise would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
About two months ago, I cleaned the engine. It wasn't too dirty, but I'm neurotic like most MM owners. I came across a newer Simple Green, which stressed it was safe for aluminum engines, applied it and tried not to flood the engine when rinsing, also tried to avoid the alternator all along. However, I think I screwed something up along the way. At first, I thought it was the COPs, but now, I'm not sure.
Here are my symptom(s). The day after cleaning, I started to feel random misses in the engine, mostly at idle at red lights. I had never had ANY missing issues with my MM, with what I considered a low 55k miles. It got better over the next few days, but never went completely away, although it was rather random. What did continue, and was more consistent, was it felt like there was something holding me back under acceleration on the highways. Almost a bucking, but light, not violent, just "noticeable". I pulled the coil covers, no signs of water around the COPs. The gaskets seemed to of held up to the rinsing. Pulled the COPs, plug tubes had no water in them, and they were shiny as all hell. Didn't pull the plugs, just put dielectric grease on there and buttoned everything up. I was considering installing the Granatelli connectors and/or new COPs, but nowing that these COP issues can be hard to trace...I was hesitant. Now a new problem has me looking at another culprit.
Here's the new problem that has developed over the last 3-4 days, and I'm pretty sure that it's related. If I accelerate, not WOT, just a nice acceleration, my interior lights dim and the voltmeter drops to about 8-10 volts. After I let off the gas, it goes back up to about 13, which is normal for me, after a few seconds. This sounds like an alternator issue to me??? It appears to be charging fine, as I haven't had any starting issues. FYI, '04, 55k miles, original battery alt & plugs.
Any advise would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.