Charging system issues: Car keeps dieing
Charging system issues: Car keeps dieing When the 1994 in my sig is at idle the battery gauge shows just barely above the orange caution range, when measured with a volt meter the battery will start at about 12.9 and slowly start decreasing so after idle for a few minutes it will be down at 12.5 or so, measured with Datamaster at idle the voltage shows about 11.3 at idle when i slowly start opening the throttle the voltage will climb slightly to 12.1 at about 2500 rpm but when i get to 4000 rpm the voltage drops significantly to 10.8, watching the battery gauge i also see this happening, at idle it is just out of the caution range, at 2500 rpm it goes up to the middle line of the gauge but over 3500-4000 it drops down into the orange caution range. The car died and didnt want to start for my wife this week 2 times. I replaced the battery and the alternator but the problem is still ongoing, it seems to idle okay but if you drive it at all you run the risk of it just shuting off. Any ideas? I really need to get this running ASAP. Thanks guys
BTW the lower datamaster voltages also match the reading on my HSW microedge display
***
I removed the ground strap from the battery and cleaned the body and strap with sandpaper, i also removed the pos wire and all the others from the battery block and cleaned all those connections, started the car back up and it was showing 13.29 volts at the battery at idle, i though i had fixed the issues but then i turned the car off and turned it back on and it was back down at 12.2 volts, i tried to turn it off and on a few times but it seems to be at 12.2 volts max at idle, the small wires that goes to the back of the alternator look to be fine as well, belt looks new and tight
BTW the lower datamaster voltages also match the reading on my HSW microedge display
***
I removed the ground strap from the battery and cleaned the body and strap with sandpaper, i also removed the pos wire and all the others from the battery block and cleaned all those connections, started the car back up and it was showing 13.29 volts at the battery at idle, i though i had fixed the issues but then i turned the car off and turned it back on and it was back down at 12.2 volts, i tried to turn it off and on a few times but it seems to be at 12.2 volts max at idle, the small wires that goes to the back of the alternator look to be fine as well, belt looks new and tight
Last edited by evilbeef54; Jun 14, 2009 at 04:18 PM.
Change the excitor wire and you should be golden. Plugs into the top of the alternator.
$10.00 on ebay.
Assuming all obvious **** is ok like fuses/relays and you have no corrosion on the cables anywhere.
.
$10.00 on ebay.
Assuming all obvious **** is ok like fuses/relays and you have no corrosion on the cables anywhere.
.
What did you do with it....solder it or spliced it together with butt connectors?
Everyone I know that has done it with solder, it didn't work. Butt connectors only.
Is everything clear of any corrosion?
Only other thing I can think of that causes your symptoms is the red battery cable. They sometimes corrode inside and I've also seen them "break" inside. They just kind of snap in two. They're still touching inside and will still charge but not 100% of the time. Maybe put the meter back on it and try to move that cable around and shake it to see if there's any sudden changes on the meter. Do it with all the cables and wiring for that matter, while looking at the meter.
.
Everyone I know that has done it with solder, it didn't work. Butt connectors only.
Is everything clear of any corrosion?
Only other thing I can think of that causes your symptoms is the red battery cable. They sometimes corrode inside and I've also seen them "break" inside. They just kind of snap in two. They're still touching inside and will still charge but not 100% of the time. Maybe put the meter back on it and try to move that cable around and shake it to see if there's any sudden changes on the meter. Do it with all the cables and wiring for that matter, while looking at the meter.
.
What did you do with it....solder it or spliced it together with butt connectors?
Everyone I know that has done it with solder, it didn't work. Butt connectors only.
Is everything clear of any corrosion?
Only other thing I can think of that causes your symptoms is the red battery cable. They sometimes corrode inside and I've also seen them "break" inside. They just kind of snap in two. They're still touching inside and will still charge but not 100% of the time. Maybe put the meter back on it and try to move that cable around and shake it to see if there's any sudden changes on the meter. Do it with all the cables and wiring for that matter, while looking at the meter.
.
Everyone I know that has done it with solder, it didn't work. Butt connectors only.
Is everything clear of any corrosion?
Only other thing I can think of that causes your symptoms is the red battery cable. They sometimes corrode inside and I've also seen them "break" inside. They just kind of snap in two. They're still touching inside and will still charge but not 100% of the time. Maybe put the meter back on it and try to move that cable around and shake it to see if there's any sudden changes on the meter. Do it with all the cables and wiring for that matter, while looking at the meter.
.
12.97 volts at idle at the battery and 13.05 volts at the back of the alternator Trending Topics
i suppose that could be the case, it would be weird that the first alternator had a problem (it was less than a year old) and the new one has the same problem, but im out of ideas of what else could be wrong
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
Gas Monkey Built a 6-Wheel Ferrari Testarossa With a Corvette LT4 Engine
Verdad Gallardo
7 Most Reliable High-Performance Engines GM Has Ever Built
Verdad Gallardo
Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin
Verdad Gallardo
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo Drive it to get a free test on the batt and alt while their in the car. Someone on here like last month posted about getting a bad NEW alternator. It happens. Could be a bad battery too, even if its not that old. They short out all the time.
