First thing I would try is a different, fully charged battery. 12.3v on
these computer controlled engines doesn't make them happy. The melting
insulation on the battery ground strap would indicate a short somewhere,
perhaps within the battery itself. Even though your optima is relatively
new, it's cheap and easy to stick the battery from your wife's car in there
and see what happens. If that solves the problem, have the optima checked
and if bad you can probably get it replaced under warranty. If that doesn't
solve it you'll need to test for excessive current draw through some other
circuit.
RayB
2000 Jeep GC, 4.7L
http://www.dragtruk.com/ENTRIES/20KM1FD2KWBP.html
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-dakota-truck@bent.twistedbits.net
> [mailto:owner-dakota-truck@bent.twistedbits.net]On Behalf Of Stephen
> Cecil
> Sent: Tuesday, July 20, 2004 7:41 AM
> To: Dakota List
> Subject: DML: Dead Dak - Help please!
>
>
>
> Yesterday while driving home, about 100 yards from my house, my
> Dak (2K 4.7L
> Auto) stopped running all of a sudden. When I tried to re-start
> it, it would
> barely turn over. I have a 6-month old Optima battery. Thinking
> the battery
> was low, I got my wife's car and tried to jump it. It only
> cranked a little
> better, and the insulation on the engine ground strap started to melt!
>
> I thought it might be heat soak in the starter(my '69 Camaro
> w/headers used to
> do that all the time), but that's never happened to the Dak
> before. I got it
> towed to the house and tried to start it this morning. It will
> crank slowly at
> first and then faster as it goes, but as soon as it seems to
> catch, the engine
> dies. Also, the ground strap insulation melting thing is still
> there. No
> clanking or unusual mechanical sounds. It hasn't lit up the
> check engine light.
> I have checked the voltage of the battery (~12.3V resting).
>
> The last time I had something like this happen (in a Impala), the
> timing gears
> were stripped. Luckily I have a motorcycle to ride to work on,
> but I would like
> to see if I can fix this without going to the dealer. I have the FSM but
> haven't had the time to run through it yet. Any ideas or suggestions?
>
> I'm in digest mode, but I'll be checking the WWW gateway
> throughout the day.
>
> Thanks!
>
> Steve
> 00 CC Sport+ 4.7L Auto 3.55 LSD
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