V1 IDRVSLO / TRACK / 08 SS TC **REGISTERED** #105

[IDRVSLO]

Well, still not turning over even with that box installed.

I checked the voltage at the starter where the battery cable connects. When I am grounded at the middle tunnel ground I get a reading of 12v. When I ground anywhere on the engine....like the engine ground cable and test the starter voltage it's at 4v.

That just seems odd to me.

If anyone knows the pin locations for the data wires I can check continuity also before I cut the harness apart.

Any other ideas or spots I should diagnose?

I have not grounded the headlight harness separately because I got good continuity between that ground pin and the tunnel grounds.

 

[Briann1177]

It's not important for start up. It's used for remote door lock/unlock and for receiving the tire pressure signals from the monitors inside the tires.

 

[Briann1177]

And you should not get 4V between the starter post and your engine ground cable. Sounds like you have a bad connection. Measure resistance between the engine and the frame. You should get < 5 ohms.

 

[Lonny]

Find a heavy gauge wire and strip both ends. Attach one end to your battery ground. Use the other end to touch to your engine and grounds, with each new placement try your key and listen for changes.

On a build we are currently working on everything was working fine but the battery would not take a charge. I pulled the battery and installed a new one and then it wouldn't turn over. I checked the grounds and they showed continuity with a test light. After several hours of checking I used a long wire from the battery ground and when I touched it to the headlight ground everything came alive. Under a load with a new hot battery the ground would lose continuity.

 

[ctuinstra]

Find a heavy gauge wire and strip both ends. Attach one end to your battery ground. Use the other end to touch to your engine and grounds, with each new placement try your key and listen for changes.

On a build we are currently working on everything was working fine but the battery would not take a charge. I pulled the battery and installed a new one and then it wouldn't turn over. I checked the grounds and they showed continuity with a test light. After several hours of checking I used a long wire from the battery ground and when I touched it to the headlight ground everything came alive. Under a load with a new hot battery the ground would lose continuity.

I've seen this a lot over the years. Poor ground connections that will ohm out with the minute load of the meter but as soon as you put a heavy load on it - it opens up.

Also one poor ground can cause current to feedback through other circuits to use their ground and that's when all kinds of unexplainable weird things happen.

 

[Briann1177]

I really hope it's a ground issue. Looks like you already wrapped your harness and it would really suck to have to undo that.

 

[IDRVSLO]

Ran the ground from the battery back to the ground I used for the engine.

Different noises....pump didn't just run......turned over! (Thanks Lonny!)

So obviously dealing with a grounding issue. Before I cut the ground out of the headlight harness and ground that separately I think it makes sense to work on the engine ground to the frame. Any suggestions on another approach or should I just go ahead with the headlight ground?

 

[Briann1177]

Glad you're making progress. I'm not sure where you ran your headlight harness ground, but once you get a solid ground between engine and frame you can bolt your headlight harness ground somewhere on the engine. Or wherever is closer.

Are you going to run the engine ground wire to that bolt in the bottom picture?

 

[ctuinstra]

Take that nut off of and clean the heck out of the bolt and terminals with a wire brush to make them shiny. You can bolt the other end of the ground to anywhere you like on the frame as long as you clean off the powder coating to get down to bare metal.

That same exact ground spot is what caused all of the problems with Tiffany's power door locks and many other issues. The Cobalts have a bit if history with that poor ground.

 

[IDRVSLO]

GREAT SUCCESS!

So at the end of the day it was the engine to frame harness that was messing things up. I moved it from the stock bolt location down further ont he block to a new bolt hole. Still havent had it on long enough to get the radiator fluid to cycle. Also there is no way that the expansion tank will bolt in while it is clipped in. I have seen people having issue with that and will look around for the solution. Any trick to getting this thing to swallow up that radiator fluid?

I was one day off of my prediction for starting, so I feel pretty fortunate for that.......and not having to rip apart my wire harness. Thanks to all for the suggestions and solutions. Stage 2 and 3 will ship in the next week or two so I will be back on it then, not much to do now except design my intercooler setup, start working on the parking brakes and tunnel cover. Headlights and taillights will be ordered before rest of the kit arrives.

Wheels are now on the way! I will wait to post those when they are on the car!

 

[BaltimoreHokie]

Congrats!!!

 

[IDRVSLO]

Congrats!!!

Thanks!

I have searched and cant seem to find what people are doing to sort out the expansion tank mounting. It is just way off.......

 

[IDRVSLO]

In the pictures it is not clipped in place obviously, but when it is the bracket is way far off.

 

[Lethalcast]

There is a few things you can do. You can make a bracket and I think Lonny has them also. Or you can use a spacer. I used a rubber spacer I had and it raised it enough that it took some of the angle out and I can live with it.

 

[Lethalcast]

 

[Lethalcast]

Here is a few better pics, it's just on there hand tight.

 

[IDRVSLO]

Sounds good, thanks for the pics!

 

[Lethalcast]

Ya np!

 

[IDRVSLO]

Wheels will be here in around 10 days.....

Specs
Wheels: 17x9.5 w/5mm
Tires: 275/40/17

I ordered the 245 fenders but from current understanding they are not required for an inspection in WA as long as you are not driving in wet weather they are not required. A windshield is also not required if you are wearing eye protection. I will wear a full face helmet 90% of the time but will install my own windshield once I get the body parts on in order to design it. If I am just going out for a leisurely cruise on a hot day I want the option to not wear my helmet.

Next up is the IC design and adapting the factory parking brake lines in order to get my parking brake setup. I have ideas in my head, we will see how they play out.

 

[ncgoblin]

Wheels will be here in around 10 days.....

Specs
Wheels: 17x9.5 w/5mm
Tires: 275/40/17

I ordered the 245 fenders but from current understanding they are not required for an inspection in WA as long as you are not driving in wet weather they are not required. A windshield is also not required if you are wearing eye protection. I will wear a full face helmet 90% of the time but will install my own windshield once I get the body parts on in order to design it. If I am just going out for a leisurely cruise on a hot day I want the option to not wear my helmet.

Next up is the IC design and adapting the factory parking brake lines in order to get my parking brake setup. I have ideas in my head, we will see how they play out.

I ordered my wheels mid August still waiting Konig Dekagram I needed a 9” wheel with 5 lug 114 in the rear to fit 275s only ones that looked good to me but sucks to wait.