Cursed Car? Still has CHECK GAUGES
08-06-2007, 08:15 PM
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Cursed Car? Still has CHECK GAUGES Ok so I replaced my alternator because the CHECK GAUGES light came on, I fired the car up and YAY! the voltage is normal and the check gauges light is gone, i drive it around a lil, take it home, park it. I go to drive it again, i turn on the ignition and the check gauges light is back, I assume it will go away as I start the engine, so I start the engine and WTF? My voltage is low again and the check gauges light still there. Someone please help
08-07-2007, 12:42 AM
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How do you know your voltage is low. what does it measure. You most likely got a bad alternator. Its usually a 50-50 shot on gettting a working one from a parts store when you buy a reman.
Did you try pulling codes.
Did you try pulling codes.
08-07-2007, 12:39 PM
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my voltage is at like 10 volts where normaly its at 14.4 at idle. 50 - 50 shot you say? thanks... ill contact those guys. any other ideas why it would work then not work?
08-09-2007, 12:03 PM
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Or you could just disconnect the battery after you start the car up. If you voltage stays low its not the battery. Or you can just throw parts at it.
I vote alternator as that would cause a low voltage condition.
I don't recall the last time I haven't had to go through 2 or 3 alternators from the parts store when changing one for someone. They will test fine. Then you put them in and a day later lights are dim or flicker. Bring it to autozone because they have an awesome tester there that checks for ripple, field etc. And tells you what the problem is. Its usually a diode. After a few more different alternators you will eventually get one that will not fail after a few days. Its kinda like playing lotto. I just get really pissed when I get the ones that completely doesn't work right out of the box.
Test to find problem before throwing parts at it.
I vote alternator as that would cause a low voltage condition.
I don't recall the last time I haven't had to go through 2 or 3 alternators from the parts store when changing one for someone. They will test fine. Then you put them in and a day later lights are dim or flicker. Bring it to autozone because they have an awesome tester there that checks for ripple, field etc. And tells you what the problem is. Its usually a diode. After a few more different alternators you will eventually get one that will not fail after a few days. Its kinda like playing lotto. I just get really pissed when I get the ones that completely doesn't work right out of the box.
Test to find problem before throwing parts at it.
Last edited by shotty128; 08-09-2007 at 12:11 PM.
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08-11-2007, 11:08 PM
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Originally Posted by shotty128
Or you could just disconnect the battery after you start the car up. If you voltage stays low its not the battery. Or you can just throw parts at it.
I vote alternator as that would cause a low voltage condition.
I don't recall the last time I haven't had to go through 2 or 3 alternators from the parts store when changing one for someone. They will test fine. Then you put them in and a day later lights are dim or flicker. Bring it to autozone because they have an awesome tester there that checks for ripple, field etc. And tells you what the problem is. Its usually a diode. After a few more different alternators you will eventually get one that will not fail after a few days. Its kinda like playing lotto. I just get really pissed when I get the ones that completely doesn't work right out of the box.
Test to find problem before throwing parts at it.
I vote alternator as that would cause a low voltage condition.
I don't recall the last time I haven't had to go through 2 or 3 alternators from the parts store when changing one for someone. They will test fine. Then you put them in and a day later lights are dim or flicker. Bring it to autozone because they have an awesome tester there that checks for ripple, field etc. And tells you what the problem is. Its usually a diode. After a few more different alternators you will eventually get one that will not fail after a few days. Its kinda like playing lotto. I just get really pissed when I get the ones that completely doesn't work right out of the box.
Test to find problem before throwing parts at it.
Disconnecting the battery while the engine is running is not a good idea on any LS car, this isnt the 60's anymore.
08-12-2007, 01:16 AM
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i had the exact same problem my car has gone through like 4 or 5 alternators from autozone good thing its got a warranty so they replace it for free, but anyways my car did the same **** and i found that the ground wire that connects to the back of the alternator to the battery was all toasted and burnt so i peeled it back and cut it and put a new copper post on it so it could get a good ground and that fixed the problem. so that could be it or if not is your alternator for sure. hope this helps
