Hi folks

I have a strange intermittent problem in my 1.3L MPI Felicia (1997).

If I have the headlights on and I partially depress the clutch and accelerator, the headlights blink off for a second and then come back on.

Also if I have the fan on a higher setting so that you can hear it, you can hear the fan temporarily cut out and then come back on.

The alternator and battery are exactly 2 weeks old. I changed the alternator because someone said that the one I had in it was not the right one and that is what could be causing the problem. The new alternator is bought directly from Skoda.

Someone else suggested it could be an earth problem. Does anybody have a diagram or a list of where the earth connections are.

I also notice that I seem to lose water occasionally. I suspect it is when the heater is turned on. Could these problems be connected in so far as water is dripping onto some electrical connection?

If anyone has heard of this problem and knows what to do I would be grateful. The mechanic who is going to fix it for me suggested I go on the internet and ask as someone else will have come across this problem and that will cut down his investigation time.

John

I could only guess that possibly the alternator drive belt isn't tensioned correctly. With the engine not running, push down on the belt with your thumb with a bit of force, it should deflect but not by much. Although based on what you've said about the alternator being new I doubt it's this (I'm not much use). Good on the mechanic suggesting to ask on the internet

I would guess the water loss with the heater on is unrelated, but the heater matrix isn't too difficult to change DIY.

:)First of all I would check/clean/repair as needed the earth connection from battery to chassis, and from chassis to engine/gearbox.

Fusebox problems are quite common on the Felicia, often caused by water dripping into it from a leaking windscreen. Try switching on the fan and headlamps and wiggling the relays in the fusebox, the fusebox itself and the fusebox connections. You might find that you reproduce the symptoms or temporarliy cure them.

I put the battery in recently and only noticed the live and negative leads. Is there a 3rd lead that should attach to the chassis.

Also any hints as to where I can find the earth connections between the engine/gearbox and chassis. As I am looking from the front of the car, is this connection at the front/rear/left/right/top/bottom of engine etc.

I was wondering if the suspected water leak from the heater mechanism could be interfering with the electric and causing this problem.

John

If it happens when the car is moving, it could be due to engine movement stressing any attached cables.

I would say it is a bad earth in the engine bay

OK, there are several things it's NOT:

The alternator.

The alternator drive belt.

The battery.

It's highly unlikely to be the ground connection because that usually shows up most obviously when you try to start - the engine will spin slowly on the starter.

When you press the clutch pedal, various bits of the car get mechanically stressed - spring force, action and reaction and all that. Something clearly is being pushed aside which is breaking an electrical connection temporarily. Trace the route of the clutch cable and look for any wiring that's near it at any point. My guess is that some electrical connector is dodgy and the tiny disturbance caused by the clutch cable moving against it is breaking the connection to the lights and fan. If it was anything on the main circuit the engine would cough horribly at the same time.

I still say it is an earth fault, and that the earth is trying to go back along the clutch cable. this is a classic fault ive encountered loads of times. Braided power steering hoses are the best sarrier of the earth return untill they get to hot and go bang, so no go and no steering