Voltage drop on the 01 Camaro SS
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 6,012
Likes: 2,293
From: Conroe, Texas
Thought it might be the alternator so I took it over to Advance Auto to get it tested and it was deemed bad. Couldn't get another replacement from them and ended up at O'Riley's for one of there's and had it bench tested before purchase and after install the problem remains. I'm thinking it's not the alternator at all now and I still have the AC Delco I replaced for the Murray. Hope someone who reads this can steer me in the right direction. Sometimes when driving the voltgage gauge will show a drop into the red zone then back up to 13-14 and it does this periodically while ruinning which tells me it's something powering on and off. Could the fans and other items be powering up at the same time causing the issue? The A/C doesn't have to be running to get this below voltage reading either.
Could it be a ground issue? Maybe loose?
Could the belt slipping or bad belt tensioner cause that sort of dip?
FWIW - When my 99T/A's dash gauge showed a voltage drop like that the dash lights and headlights would immediately dim. The alternator tested bad, the voltage regulator was failing.
Could the belt slipping or bad belt tensioner cause that sort of dip?
FWIW - When my 99T/A's dash gauge showed a voltage drop like that the dash lights and headlights would immediately dim. The alternator tested bad, the voltage regulator was failing.
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 6,012
Likes: 2,293
From: Conroe, Texas
Could it be a ground issue? Maybe loose?
Could the belt slipping or bad belt tensioner cause that sort of dip?
FWIW - When my 99T/A's dash gauge showed a voltage drop like that the dash lights and headlights would immediately dim. The alternator tested bad, the voltage regulator was failing.
Could the belt slipping or bad belt tensioner cause that sort of dip?
FWIW - When my 99T/A's dash gauge showed a voltage drop like that the dash lights and headlights would immediately dim. The alternator tested bad, the voltage regulator was failing.
Two thoughts:
- You wouldn't be the first member here to get a dud alternator from a local parts store. (You wouldn't be the 500th, either!) Many of us have had really bad experiences with parts store alternators, particularly remans.
- You could have a loose or broken exciter wire.
I would check the exciter wire first, then double check the belt routing against the sticker in the engine compartment. (Free, easy stuff.) Then I would take the "new" alternator to get tested before going further.
- You wouldn't be the first member here to get a dud alternator from a local parts store. (You wouldn't be the 500th, either!) Many of us have had really bad experiences with parts store alternators, particularly remans.
- You could have a loose or broken exciter wire.
I would check the exciter wire first, then double check the belt routing against the sticker in the engine compartment. (Free, easy stuff.) Then I would take the "new" alternator to get tested before going further.
Last edited by wssix99; Oct 31, 2022 at 08:54 AM.
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 6,012
Likes: 2,293
From: Conroe, Texas
Removed the alternator today to get it tested and it passed after mulitiple tests ran so I'm ruling that out. Going to pull and clean all the grounds tomorrow and get it put back together so I can run a test on the exciter wire. Do I need to connect it to the alternator and splice a wire into the exciter wire in order to test for 5v or can I just test the pin in the connector plug? From a visual inspection I don't see anything wrong with the wire or the plug connector ans I'm starting to wonder if it has something to do with the power wire on the Ractronix hot wire kit. Pulled the 20amp fuse and it looks to me like it's seeing too much heat which could be either from a poor connection or too small of a wire for the Walbro 450 pump.
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 6,012
Likes: 2,293
From: Conroe, Texas
Cleaned all the grounds except for the one at the back of the motor on the drivers side and I sure hope that's not the problem. The voltage drop between the fuel pump and battery on the power and ground sides were within 0.5v so that's good. I really don't like the 12g power wire on the Racetronix hotwire kit and will be replacing it with 10g wire. Started it up in hopes of the problem being solved but nope. I'm starting to think it's the lead from the alternator to the battery so I'm going to make another one tomorrow and see if that fixes it. If that's not it I'll be going with a truck alternator or a higher amperage one designed for the car.
Trending Topics
Surging power draws could be causing the problem you are seeing. So, if there are short spikes in power usage that aren't blowing your fuse, that could cause what you are seeing.
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 Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 6,012
Likes: 2,293
From: Conroe, Texas
I ran a new lead from the battery to the alternator to see if that cable was my issue and I'm still having voltage drops below 12V so that rules out the factory lead being bad. The battery is an Optima red top and I'm getting 12.5V there and when running 14V. From what I've read here on the forum going to larger amperage alternator fixed their issue so that looks like my next move along with a Optima yellow top battery.
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 6,012
Likes: 2,293
From: Conroe, Texas
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 6,012
Likes: 2,293
From: Conroe, Texas
Mostly at idle and when you raise RPM's it jumps back up to 14v and I'm still chasing down possible issues. I had a Viper alarm system installed many years ago that had left me stranded with a no start back in 2015 when the LSX was installed. I was able to bypass a relay the alarm system was using to control the starting of the vehicle and I'm now finding out that the guy who did the install has gone in and tapped into several different wires under the steering column as well as the wiring for my headlight switch.
What a mess this has turned out to be and I'm done with taking my car to anyone for anything. There's way too many half assers out there and now I find myself repairing wires and removing everything he did. Finshed that up today and the problem still remains...
Part of me thinks it's just a POS alternator even though it passses with flying colors at three different part stores and I'm leary of just throwing on a Powermaster 150amp when the problem could be something other than the alternator. I found a Youtube clip about installing a 470 ohm 0.5v resistor on an exciter wire plug assembly and connecting it to a keyed 12v power source to see if that solves it but haven't tried that yet.
What a mess this has turned out to be and I'm done with taking my car to anyone for anything. There's way too many half assers out there and now I find myself repairing wires and removing everything he did. Finshed that up today and the problem still remains...
Part of me thinks it's just a POS alternator even though it passses with flying colors at three different part stores and I'm leary of just throwing on a Powermaster 150amp when the problem could be something other than the alternator. I found a Youtube clip about installing a 470 ohm 0.5v resistor on an exciter wire plug assembly and connecting it to a keyed 12v power source to see if that solves it but haven't tried that yet. 
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 34,646
Likes: 2,573
From: Schiller Park, ILL Member: #317
Powermaster makes a quality product. I would trust that over any chain parts store alternator rebuild, truck version or not.
With that said though, I'm also not entirely sure that the alternator is the problem since more than one seem to be showing the same sort of odd, intermittent behavior. You mentioned this earlier:
Has that possibility been resolved? The post after this one wasn't exactly clear on whether or not you upgraded the wiring on this.
With that said though, I'm also not entirely sure that the alternator is the problem since more than one seem to be showing the same sort of odd, intermittent behavior. You mentioned this earlier:
...I'm starting to wonder if it has something to do with the power wire on the Ractronix hot wire kit. Pulled the 20amp fuse and it looks to me like it's seeing too much heat which could be either from a poor connection or too small of a wire for the Walbro 450 pump.
