Vyse

So i go to start my car today and it warms up as usual, and i head to the auto parts store to buy a fuel filter, air filter, and carb cleaner, about a few minutes into my drive, the car begins to feel very sluggish, hard to make turns, and overall crappy. Now i just replaced the water pump, hoses, and thermostat and also had it flushed out, so i feel it couldn't be overheating, so im only 2 blocks from home so i go slow and drive home but then i begin smelling burning wires and electrical smell, and just as i pull in my spot the car begins to run a little better

Now I'm hoping its just the alternator but i've never had this happen before

Any input is welcome thanks guys!

oldcutlass

Your going to have to inspect for a solution to this. Look for evidence of burning wires both under the dash and in the engine compartment. Check the wire bundle that contains the heavy wire off the back of the alternator.

Vyse

Alright, going to get my flashlight and inspect it. Thanks for pointing me in the right directions

Vyse

Sorry for the delay, well found 2 wires that were sitting on the block and getting pretty hot, they are from the unplugged AC since it didn't work and has no belt anyway.

So now that the weather is nice, I let it warm up a bit and drive it. It drove fine but then felt very bogged down, when I released the gas the car would almost completely stop and the steering started to get tight. The only major thing u changed was the plugs and wires and they are firm and secure. Could it be the dist? Any of you guys have had anything similar?

BlackGold

Does the car burn any oil? Many well-used 307s do. If so, your catalytic converter might be plugged. The plugged cat will make the engine very sluggish, getting worse and worse. It will eventually have troubles idling. The cat will also cause the engine to run hot, which could explain your burning smell.

I'm not sure how you inspect for a plugged cat. You'll still feel exhaust pulses coming out the tailpipe even after it's making the engine run bad. Replacing the plugged cat is a fool's errand, unless you first stop the engine from burning oil.

Vyse

Actually I had the cat hollowed since it was blocked before, and it's never leaked oil, might be due to it's low miles and little use. I was told it could be as simple as a fuel filter or might need the carb rebuilt. But I'm still troubleshooting. Thanks guys

Vyse

also said it might be the fuel pump or the choke plate. Going to go over these things and see how ill be able to test them. thanks

Lady72nRob71

Check your voltage at the battery when car is running.
I had a regulator crap and the alt chunked almost 20V into the battery. Belt was slipping due to high load and there was some hot wire smells too.

If the car will not stay running or the probelm has been persistant, shut the car down.
Feel the alternator carefully and lightly. If extremely hot, that may be your issue.
Check battery voltage engine off. If over 13.5V, it may have been overcharged.

Vyse

Yep that was it, the battery has a dead cell and the alt is dying.

Going to head over and buy them sometime this week. any alt recommendations?

THANKS FOR THE HELP EVERYONE

Lady72nRob71

Glad you found the issue.
I would try to find a local electrical shop to rebuild the alt (or you can do it yourself with a rebuild kit). I did one a while back and there is a thread about that on here https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...lternator.html
I have heard many bad stories about off the shelf rebuilt alts, plus many do not come with pulleys.

As for a battery, Walmart seems to sell a very good ones. They were rated very high in a consumer mag last year and I have a 7 year old one still working like new.

Vyse

yep, walmart is where i will go, and im going to check out the thread on rebuilding.
on a side note now the bad brakes are sticking...
I just had the brake lines replaced from front to back about a month ago so ill have to check it out in the morning. thanks again for the help.
This winter really took its toll on the old girl

DeltaDevil88

For battery I just went with a Red top duralast from Auto zone if I would have had a little more $ to play with I would have went with a red top optima. My duralast battery has worked fine in cold and hot conditions so I'm happy.

Keep us up to date on the fix with pics if you can!