Voltameter question

[junehhan]

Hey guys, during normal driving, what does your voltameter usually read? It says in the manual that if the voltameter consistently reads below 13 volts, or above 15 volts, to have the electrical system checked. Up till a couple days ago, the voltameter has read solid at 14, but yesterday, it read 13 volts during normal driving, and now today it's reading 12.5 volts during normal highway driving. I don't think it's the alternator, but am suspecting the voltage regulator. I have an appointment with the dealership on Friday, so hopefully it's just something simple. The lights on the dashboard and guages also started flickering a bit, so maybe it's just all related.

[TripleTransAm]

Sounds suspect to me.
Some members on here have had a bad connection at the alternator resulting in improper charging, but I don't remember the details.

[Bluerauder]

Sounds suspect to me.
Some members on here have had a bad connection at the alternator resulting in improper charging, but I don't remember the details.
I have noticed that my radio/clock lights seem to dim and brighten at odd times as well. Voltmeter seems steady at around 14 ..... will have to check this a little closer to make sure that the readings are in the normal range.

[03SILVERSTREAK]

Mine reads 13.6 volts steady . I would check your alternator for proper voltage output .

[junehhan]

Thanks guys, although i've been severely disappointed by the service department at my dealer, at least they should be able to do something when I take it in Friday. I just got home from work, and it was reading solid 13.5 volts on the voltameter, so I guess there really isn't any immediate concern as long as it doesn't dip below 12 volts consistently. I believe there is a TSB out for dash and guage lights flickering once in a while, so at least that's a start. I think this is only the second or third time i've ever caught my guages and dashboard flickering.

[BillyGman]

Here's what you do to test it:

You turn the key to the "ON" position w/OUT starting the car. The voltage guage should be reading over 12 volts. If it isn't atleast a hair over 12 volts, there's something wrong.

If that checks out okay, and the meter registers more than 12 volts, start your engine and immediately turn on a number of accessories in the car. Turn your heater and fan on the highest setting, turn your radio on, and turn on your headlights and hit the high beams too. You can even hit your brakes too to get the brake lights on.

As soon as you have everything on, watch the voltemeter for 60 seconds while you rev the engine just a little bit (no more than 1,000 RPM's). All is you want is a slightly fast idle for this test, so don't race the engine.

After just 60 seconds, the voltmeter should climb to, and stay at 13.2 to 15.4 volts. If it climbs past 15.4 volts, there is a voltage regulator problem, which on many cars is integrated in the alternator(I'm not sure about Marauders).

However, if after just 60 seconds, the voltage does NOT climb to atleast 13.2 volts, there's more than likely a problem w/your alternator itself, since it isn't sufficently charging the battery. If you notice something obvious, such as the belt squealing all over the place, then that is ofcourse simply a matter of tightening the belt, and in the case of the Marauders, the belt tensioner itself might be in question.

Low votage=alternator (provided the battery hasn't been past it's prime)

High voltage= faulty voltage regulator.

those are the most common causes of such symptoms.

[junehhan]

Hey Thanks, i'm going to try that right now, since i'm heading out the door! I'll post results when I get back..........

[SergntMac]

No flames here, but I can't help wondering how y'all can see all these ".something" readings from a 3/4 sweep analogue gauge. Your eyes are better than mine...LOL! Nonetheless, you will surely see the dash light when you charging system drops below 11 volts.

/Steve is correct to point out that the production line altenator connection works loose after some miles, and when it gets loose enough, dash light. 11 volts isn't the end of the world either. When it happened to me, I logged another 200 highway miles before I could get to a repair shop. Apparently, the MM only needs 9 volts to stay alive.

Like BillyG mentions about a barrtey's "prime." The OEM battery performs less than what we would expect, it ain't no "die hard," folks. Best to budget for an upgrade sooner than later. Just some advice here too. When you go shoppng for those high CCA batteries, make sure it has a lower lip around it so the OEM battery retention system has something to work with. Marine batteries don't always have this feature.

Here's something that may come in handy...

http://www.nordskogperformance.net/m9025.html

Here's a nice replacement battery too...

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=ULT%2D9002 %2D002&view=257&applid=%7B0A9263E9%2D6514%2D47 17%2DB27E%2D770C22463548%7D#la rgerimage

[BillyGman]

MAC makes some good points, and I admit some of which I was thinking about when I wrote that last post. It's always best to use a diagnostic voltmeter that you can get from a car parts place or from Sears hardware that you hook-up to the battery posts in order to perform that test I was talking about.Or better yet that one that MAC has listed a link to. that looks nice. So does that battery.

But you might get a general idea of what's going on simply by using the dash voltmeter gauge. Another thing that I thought of is how Marty's battery has already went on him, and to my knowledge it didn't even have anything to do w/his alternator nor the voltage regulator. I was surprised when he told me that it went on him. But like MAC stated, these must be cheap batteries that they put in the Marauders, and I have been thinking of changing mine now rather than waiting for it to go like Marty's did.

[Bluerauder]

Here's what you do to test it:

You turn the key to the "ON" position w/OUT starting the car. The voltage guage should be reading over 12 volts. If it isn't atleast a hair over 12 volts, there's something wrong.

After just 60 seconds, the voltmeter should climb to, and stay at 13.2 to 15.4 volts. If it climbs past 15.4 volts, there is a voltage regulator problem, which on many cars is integrated in the alternator(I'm not sure about Marauders).


Made my check today ... got 12 volts in the ON position. May have been a hair over based on the angle to the meter. Will have to check this again.

On the road, it was steady at a little under 15 volts (my eagle eye calibration with a head on view was 14.8 volts maybe 14.769321. Saw no lights/guage flickering today.

[BillyGman]

yep, yours is fine.

[Bluerauder]

yep, yours is fine.
BillyGman,

Thanks for the diagnostic lesson. I'll keep my eye on this for possible loosening at the alternator. I'm coming up on 7,000 miles and have given it several "good shakings" already.

[LNYTUNS]

I have noticed that my radio/clock lights seem to dim and brighten at odd times as well. Voltmeter seems steady at around 14 ..... will have to check this a little closer to make sure that the readings are in the normal range.
My gage lights and radio do the same thing, but only with the Autolamp feature on. If you use the normal manual way of turning the lights on you will most likely see the flickering radio (bright-dim-bright-etc...) go away. The autolamp feature does seem to have some strange things with it, IMHO the late 80's autolamp feature was much better than the present. When I first picked up my car I had a low voltmeter all of the time, the car sat on the lot for 16 mos. before I adopted her, the battery is getting better with more driving, but I will most likely replace it with a better quality one come summer.

[junehhan]

Okay, I couldn't post any sooner since I was a bit tied up, but everything appears to be back to normal again, except for the flickering dashboard lights. During normal driving, it's been reading right at 13.8-13.9 volts, unless I am at a stoplight with my headlights on when it goes a bit lower. If i'm stopped at a light with my headlights, radio, climate control, and rear defroster on, it will dip to between 12-12.5. When I put the key to the on position, it also registered right at 12 volts as well. My dash lights, and guage lights seem to flicker when i'm idling with a bunch of accessories on, so i'm definately going to still have the dealer look at it Friday. In fact, I believe they only flicker when i'm idling while drawing a large current from numerous accessories.........

[BillyGman]

But it sounds like you left out the part I mentioned about watching what it does for the first 60 seconds during a fast idle right after turning on all the accessories. After only one minute, the voltage should rise and remain at a constant 13.2-15.4 volts.

[junehhan]

Oh yeah, I forgot to post about that part. I did watch the voltameter and right after starting up, it jumps to about 14.5 volts. Right after starting, when I put every accessory I could imagine on(radio, climate control with fan on high, headlights, fogs, driver side butt warmer, and defroster, the volts dipped down to 12 immediately afterward. However, after about 6 seconds, the voltameter jumped to around 13.7 volts during the fast idle.

[junehhan]

Sounds suspect to me.
Some members on here have had a bad connection at the alternator resulting in improper charging, but I don't remember the details.


Well, I paid a visit to the dealership this morning, and problem has been solved! :)

It was apparantly due to a loose connection at the alternator.