Charging Issues
Charging Issues I have a 2000 SS, and my stock alternator would not keep up with my aftermarket stereo system, so I found a custom alternator builder online who built me a 200 Amp alternator. I installed it when I did my original H/C swap and it worked excellent. The only issue I would have was that the battery would need to be charged a little if the car sat for a few days. This was a pain but I learned to deal with it. Last year I changed my entire setup, and installed a whole new engine, Procharger, amongst other things. I also replaced the original Optima Red top with a new one hoping it would cure my problems. I put an overdrive pulley on my alternator to see if it would help and it seemed ok all last year. Now keep in mind I only drove the car a handful of times last year due to troubleshooting other issues with the new setup. This year the third time I had the car out I was leaving a local car show just a few miles away and my voltage dropped into the red and the car ran off the battery until it finally died when I got home. So I sent the alternator back to the guy that built it and he replaced the voltage regulator, and when I got it back it worked fine. I take the car out 3 more times and I finally decide to get on it and at around 135mph my voltage drops back into the red. and I tried to make it home but the car died half way and had to be towed. So instead of paying another $90 and waiting 3 weeks for him to just replace the regulator again, I ordered a new regulator from his supplier and installed it myself. I also put the original larger pulley on, but it didn't fix it this time. I have run out of ideas. Has anyone run into any similar issues, I am about to have a meltdown. Any help is appreciated.
On this alternator all I had to do to change the regulator was take the dust cap off and remove two bolts that hold the regulator on and unsolder and resolder the connection to the rectifier.
I have no load tested the battery, is this something I could do at a local parts store?
I have no load tested the battery, is this something I could do at a local parts store?
