Help with my 1988 All-Trac, had a weird experience today...

[09yota]

OK, was picking my sister up from a baseball game today and I've been driving the All-Trac for about a week now, and had this weird little encounter today.

I was pulling up to my moms house and the car gave a brief sputter, gave it a little gas, no more than 1500 RPMs total according to the Tach and all of a sudden I saw a small flame/spark of some sort shoot under of the drivers side of the hood, right where the brake fluid reservoir is. It never came out of the hood, i just caught it out of the corner of my eye. I then noticed the Anti-Lock light came on. I pulled to the side of the road and began to get out of the car when it began to run fine. I checked the temperature gauge and it was regular. So i shut the car off then lifted the hood. There was no fluid, nor any smell of something burning. So i got back in the car, started it up, and figured I would take a better look when I got home, which is only two blocks away. The whole two blocks back home, the car sputtered twice, and the Anti-Lock light would flash when the car did this. At one point it was as of the whole car was losing power. The radio cut out, as did all the interior gauge lights, and headlights. I gave it a little gas and it began to run fine. I only saw the flame or spark once just that once. However, I am a little pre-cautious about driving it now. Anyone have any ideas on what this could possibly be? Experienced the same problem? Or any good ideas on what I should look for under the hood?

I appreciate all your help in advance!

-Josh

[iToaster]

I wouldn't drive it just because it's a brake system problem. The lights and things cutting out makes me think that a wire is shorting out (and possibly igniting spilled brake fluid or something). I'd advise you to check the electrical connectors and wiring under the hood that are related to the brake system and see if they're damaged.

[09yota]

Originally Posted by iToaster

I wouldn't drive it just because it's a brake system problem. The lights and things cutting out makes me think that a wire is shorting out (and possibly igniting spilled brake fluid or something). I'd advise you to check the electrical connectors and wiring under the hood that are related to the brake system and see if they're damaged.

I actually went out and checked the battery. When i grabbed the negative terminal, it was very tight. However, when i grabbed the positive terminal, it instantly shot sparks. I tried to grab a wrench to tighten it down, but the second i put the wrench to the nut, it began to spark. Think there could possibly be a short somewhere on the wiring to the battery?

[iToaster]

That certainly doesn't sound normal, and considering you haven't popped a fuse yet I think you might have a short on a power line from the battery (likely to the ABS). It's hard to say what exactly, but on a 22 year old car there's been a lot of time for things to rub, I'd look in the vicinity of where you saw the flame for an exposed wire.

[Bitter]

remove the negative terminal and tighten the positive, when you reattach the negative does it arc out badly or just spark a tiny bit and then go together?

[09yota]

Thank for everyone input! I figured out the problem today. Went and checked the battery, and the rubber piece on the bottom of the connector was off and the connector was rubbing up against the metal bar that holds the fuses. So i removed the connector and rotated it around, put the rubber piece back on the bottom of the connector as best as I could, and WOO, she was running fine. I even took and shook the battery around some, well what little i could with the tie down on, and nothing touched. I'm very relieved it was nothing major. I guess the anti-lock light came on because the car battery was drained for a second with the connector touching, and when you first start the car up, all the lights come on. Drove it around a bit today after I did the fix and it runs great! Again, thanks for everyones help!