I was wondering if the voltage gauge in the instrument panel is accurate? Mine usually starts just a little above half way but if I turn my lights on and/or plug my ipod in cigarette lighter and turn the stereo on, it dips below halfway but not into the red. If I turn the stereo off and unplug the ipod, it doesn't go back up. By the time I get home (35 minute drive) it's a little lower but still not in the red. Should I be concered? I put an optima redtop on 1 year ago.

 

It should be easy enough to determine it's accuracy using a DVM. I have found that mine is fairly accurate.

 

^X2 mine works good, just measure it with a voltmeter

 

Maybe you should start looking towards your alternator? Same thing was happening on my car, turns out I needed a bigger ground.

 

Mine does the same thing ! I thought my alternator was going out for a couple of years before I quit thinking about it

 

checked it, 12.3 off after sitting for a few hours, 13.4 running when my in car gauge says below half after driving 30 minutes. I thought it was supposed to be 14v engine running?

 

I'm having the opposit problem with my 95. Granted it is a 3.4, but I'm having problems with too much voltage. My gauge reads very high and I keep losing all sorts of interior, exterior lights, my speakers, and radio.

 

Not sure on the exact specs, but it sounds like you may just have a funky gauge... your alt is definitely working

 

thanks.

 

FYI I got new thicker battery cables from innovative wiring and I get 14.3 volts when running now, and it feels more powerful too. It's a very finicky car though, it had already been running good, the new cables just made seem even more powerful, it maybe in my head, but the voltage increase is real.

 

my gauge will start in the middle, then work it's way down to the red.

battery was just replaced and still the same thing. voltage while running is 14 volts at start up, then drops to 13.3-13.6 after running, yet gauge is in the red. i've just given up on it.

edit: also changed the 12 gauge stock alternator wire to a 6 or 8 gauge, can't remember, and added two more grounds, didn't affect anything

 

If you haven't already, take your alternator to Autozone to get tested. It's free. With the engine running voltage should be pretty much in the 14.5 range and the reading should be steady.

 

i had a similar problem with mine and it turne out being a ground issue to the alternator..........i ran a 8 gauge wire from the alternator to the battery - post and bam 14.4V all the time even with a little 11lb race battery

 

tested fine at autozone even put a different alternator on and still had the same problem.


put a ground wire from the alternator to the battery too

 

^ check ur body ground from the battery to the chassis as well as from the battery to the engine block......

 

checked those, they're tight, don't seem to be dried out/cracked, or corroded or anything. :/

 

^^^ its an lt1 what do you expect lol jk

 

lol nothing. that's why i leave it alone, it runs good, that's all i ask.

 

Is the post on the alt tight? I had mine loosen up and it tested fine but would drop the voltage when driving.

 

yeah it's tight