I've been restoring my 1971 GS stage 1 convertible for 14 years... I have also installed all new wiring harnesses, but I have a problem.. whenever I try to put the top up or down it draws power from the motor and makes the engine wants to stall... Frankly it's driving me nuts, and keeping me from getting this car on the road... Any help I could get would greatly be appreciated... Thank you ..
Lou
sounds like either a weak battery or poor connections. pulling voltage down like that could also damage the alternator.
first thing is to get a voltmeter and test the battery with the car switched off ( should be mid 12 volts to low 13s ) and then start the car and see what it reads when the alternator is running ( should be high 13s to low 14s ).
next thing is to check your battery connections and frame grounding connections.
beyond that, it would probably help to run a discrete ground wire of at least 12ga direct from the battery to both the vert top motor and the distributor. you might want to rewire the positive side in a larger gauge as well.
if you don't supply an electrical motor with enough voltage it will draw EXTRA current. if the battery / alt can't supply that extra current draw it pulls down voltage on the entire car. kind of a vicious cycle.
Thanks alot...I thought basically the same,and already did the ground straps ,engine to chassis,engine to body,body to chassis,and the top ground wire as well.....Something deeper ,i think....going to start all over,check them all again...etc...