Is it the voltage Regulator???
02-10-2008, 12:10 AM
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Is it the voltage Regulator??? Heres the problem I am having. When the weather is warm my car shuts off at anything less than 1500-2000 rpms. So when it begins to mess up I have to ride the clutch so that it does not shut off. At first I thought it was the pump, but I can turn the key off and on, and the car starts right up. Even with a new battery my voltage reads just below half after the car warms up. Also at WOT all my gauges will shut off and come back on, while the car keeps going. When I do let the care die out, it surges for a few seconds and then finally dies. My fuel gauge will drop 10 psi at a time and try to hold at 10-20psi (but surges real bad) before completely dying. Before I buy a new pump just wanted some insight. Thanks!
02-10-2008, 08:34 AM
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How old is the fuel filter? Voltage regulator is part of the alternator so if you suspect a voltage problem and the battery is new it very well could be the end of the alternator. Ohh also check the Exciter wire and make sure its still connected. Exciter wire is the single small red wire coming off the alternator. its really easy to just tear the wire out which will cause voltage problems.
02-10-2008, 07:36 PM
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Yes the fuel filter is new. Tomorrow I will check that wire and may replace all the wiring together, just to be on the safe side. Keep u posted.
02-11-2008, 09:55 AM
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My car always struggled during the summer w/ A/C on,
would start to sag the line after sitting at the light for
a minute or two. I believe there are a couple of problems
with the stock system. One is that the stock fan settings
let the engine bay get mighty hot especially with a high
thermal load (condenser plus radiator). Second is that
the alternator just does not have much to give at low
RPM (like any alternator) and has to push a lot of field
current to make up for low shaft input power. This makes
the regulator heat up. Over and above the bay air that
"cools" it. Third is the built in overtemperature protection
that I believe is designed in to that regulator. The high
load and high air temp cobine to bump you up against it
and the protection response is to pull back on the field
current and let the line voltage do whatever (drop out).
With it primarily on warm days, seems like part of your
trouble. Try something like, when it's in the act, pull
over and open the hood without touching anything else
and see it it gets better in a minute. How are your fans
set up?
Problems like ground strap resistance (block to chassis
to battery) can push the regulator's sense voltage and
the at-load-point delivered voltage around. That's an
easy, if tedious, remove / wire-brush / tighten job. 9
years old, maybe due. The sag-at-WOT indicates some
electrical intermittent kind of issue. Battery loose, is
one hard-acceleration problem that pops up. Look for
signs of arcing at the wheelhousing, + post to sheet
metal and make sure it's dogged down solid. Look for
any pinches / scuffs on the red cables as you chase
down the connections looking for crust. Anything that
might be OK sitting, but swing rearward at high pedal
and short to chassis or block.
would start to sag the line after sitting at the light for
a minute or two. I believe there are a couple of problems
with the stock system. One is that the stock fan settings
let the engine bay get mighty hot especially with a high
thermal load (condenser plus radiator). Second is that
the alternator just does not have much to give at low
RPM (like any alternator) and has to push a lot of field
current to make up for low shaft input power. This makes
the regulator heat up. Over and above the bay air that
"cools" it. Third is the built in overtemperature protection
that I believe is designed in to that regulator. The high
load and high air temp cobine to bump you up against it
and the protection response is to pull back on the field
current and let the line voltage do whatever (drop out).
With it primarily on warm days, seems like part of your
trouble. Try something like, when it's in the act, pull
over and open the hood without touching anything else
and see it it gets better in a minute. How are your fans
set up?
Problems like ground strap resistance (block to chassis
to battery) can push the regulator's sense voltage and
the at-load-point delivered voltage around. That's an
easy, if tedious, remove / wire-brush / tighten job. 9
years old, maybe due. The sag-at-WOT indicates some
electrical intermittent kind of issue. Battery loose, is
one hard-acceleration problem that pops up. Look for
signs of arcing at the wheelhousing, + post to sheet
metal and make sure it's dogged down solid. Look for
any pinches / scuffs on the red cables as you chase
down the connections looking for crust. Anything that
might be OK sitting, but swing rearward at high pedal
and short to chassis or block.
02-11-2008, 11:28 PM
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I have not been able to see the exact setting for my fans, but I believe they are set pretty low. They stay on even during cool weather. I always thought it was a little strange. I have pop the hood a few times when it begins to die out, but still the same response. Tonight when I got home it did it again. This time I kept the idle at 1k and the car stayed on. Although the lights inside and out were flicking. I'm really beginning to think the regulator has had it's better days.
02-11-2008, 11:36 PM
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Flickering lights is for the sure the alternator. I had the flickering lights issue for almost a year then one night the flickering got horrible and had weird charging problems all that day. Next day I changed the alternator and the flickering, low voltage and charging problems were gone.
02-11-2008, 11:44 PM
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That is my thought as well. So what about those alternators off ebay? Are they worth it? I can deal with paying $75 and a 1yr warranty oppose to spending $250 for another rebuilt unit at Autozone.
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07-13-2008, 10:05 PM
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Dont buy an alt of of ebay been there done that in the last week it lasted two hours you are better of taking it to your local rebuild shop and have it built and boosted dont buy junk from autozone i know i worked there for over a year you will spend less money in the long run if you take my advice my car just came out of the shop for the same thing!!!! Good Luck!!!
07-14-2008, 02:24 PM
#9
Don't buy an alt off of ebay, been there done that in the last week. It lasted two hours, you are better of taking it to your local rebuild shop and have it built and boosted. Don't buy junk from autozone, know I worked there for over a year. You will spend less money in the long run if you take my advice. My car just came out of the shop for the same thing!!!! Good Luck!!!
Oh yeah, and I agree 100%. An OEM alternator is the best choice. Aftermarket units seem to have a short life spank.
07-15-2008, 09:14 AM
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just get the alternator checked out before you do any buying. if you have flickering lights than that its most usually the voltage reg. it is fairly simple to rebuild an alternator but in this age its pretty much not done anymore. alternators at autozone are really $200+? thats crazy
