Need advice

[waffletoast]

Well this is my first time being on here.
I own a 1988 prelude and I'm slowly working on fixing it up. The current problem has something to do with the electrical system. Occasionally when i go to start the car, everything will light up by when i go to start it, it all just dies. I go under the hood and wiggle the cables connecting to the battery and it will work again. Also, lately it will start losing power when I'm driving, the lights on the dashboard will flicker, so will the headlights and the radio will cut out. Then the car just completely dies and it won't start back up until I go under the hood and wiggle the wires some more. I feel like it is just the terminals connecting to the battery, as they seem a little loose. I was also told by a teacher of mine that it sounds like the alternator. Do any of you know what it could be?

[spiffyguido]

Does the battery warning light come on in the car sometimes while you're driving? If so, it's certainly the alternator. If not, you need to look at your wiring and potentially the battery. Something in your car's circuitry is preventing your car from getting the power that it needs to sustain normal operation. Check all your main connections carefully and see if you can find any problem areas. It probably wouldn't hurt to take your battery to get tested as well, just so you can rule that out as a problem spot.

Let us know what you find, and we'll help you more as required.

[waffletoast]

Thank you, the battery light will flash right before the car dies while I'm driving, but that's it. I'm going to put new terminals on soon and I'll check the battery with a meter tomorrow.
I also have another problem to address, I've owned the car since September and since then there has been this burning smell coming from the engine. It went away for about two or three months and lately it just came back. I have not been able to find the source of it. It kind of smells like burning rubber, but another idea is that it is oil, as the engine has been leaking oil too. Any ideas?

[spiffyguido]

If the battery light is just coming on before the car dies, I'd suspect that you're having a wiring issue. If the alternator was bad, the light would stay on for quite a while.

Do you have any idea where your oil leak is? The first step to fixing an oil leak is finding out where the leak is in the first place. Sometimes these are easy to find. Have a look around your engine and see if you can find the source of the leak.

[waffletoast]

That's why I'm hoping that it's just the battery terminals.

The leak is coming from the left side of the engine from what I've seen. It did stop leaking for the most part though, but it could just be low.

[spiffyguido]

Left side around the head gasket? Or higher up at the cam seals?

[waffletoast]

I'm not completely sure but I think it's the cam seals. It's close to the middle of the engine's left side.

[spiffyguido]

Near the top where the valve cover meets the head?

[waffletoast]

I'm honestly not too sure. I'll be working on it this weekend though and I'll see if I can figure it out.