Correct Volts Reading?
Correct Volts Reading? Hi I have a 98 camaro z28 A4 with 101,000 miles. when the car is running the voltmeter only reads a little under 13 volts and its a little in the red when the A/C is on, Do i need a new battery for sure before i waste my money?
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,907
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From: Bergen County, NJ
A couple for things;
First if it's the original battery you should consider a new one no matter what - 9 years is the upper limit for batteries.
Second, what options and mods do you have on the car?
What is your idle speed?
Do you have a volt meter to accurately check voltage?
First if it's the original battery you should consider a new one no matter what - 9 years is the upper limit for batteries.
Second, what options and mods do you have on the car?
What is your idle speed?
Do you have a volt meter to accurately check voltage?
Just been through this. It was my alternator. I replaced it and problems persisted. Turns out I got a bad new one at the parts store. Replaced it for the second time last night and it's now making just over 13.
Other things it might be is the excitor wire that comes off the voltage regualtor in the alternator (the plug on the top of the alt). I replaced that too for good measure.
Do get the battery tested first though. That's the cheapest and easiest.
Other things it might be is the excitor wire that comes off the voltage regualtor in the alternator (the plug on the top of the alt). I replaced that too for good measure.
Do get the battery tested first though. That's the cheapest and easiest.
^ FWIW: NAPA Alt's suck! I went thru three on my 85 until I got a good one.
Do you have UD pulleys? I've heard of charging issues w/ UD pulleys on autos..
It should read 13.5vdc.
Do you have UD pulleys? I've heard of charging issues w/ UD pulleys on autos..
It should read 13.5vdc.
well my car never had any problems wit voltage but it was around low 13 before i added a grounding kit and voltage stabilizer and cleaned all the factory grounding points (factory never took the paint off the grounding surface) my voltage is now ALWAYS over 13 no matter what!!! when i start it in the morning its about 15 , but your car seems to have a problem most likely alternator brushes going bad, OR one one of my other cars i had a faulty working battery guage lol man that stupid gauge made me go throgh three alternators and all of them giving me the same resalts and i ended up finden out the guage had a bad ground, so check that out to aswell. goodluck
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