Topic: voltage issue- new info

[Hollywood]

has anyone else experienced this.  my voltage meter is jumping back and forth.  it never leaves the "normal" range but will go to low end, and when i hit the accelerator will jump to the high end.

today i completely changed the battery (as it was old) and both positive and negative cables and the problem persists.  i guess next is to pull the alt and have it checked out.

[ponchonutty]

You need to actually use a "meter" and see what it shows.  The OE gauges although normally work pretty well are prone to flap around.  What you did though is a good start.  The car also could be having some electrical drain too while it's running.

[Hollywood]

i dunno what the drain would be...unless there is a bad ground somewhere....the car came from factory with no a/c and there is no radio.  i wasnt running anything electrical.  i am going to have my friend put it on a multimeter to see what it is putting out before i take the time to pull it.

[jphillips3333]

I'd put the multimeter on it ... sounds like it's solid on acceleration, bounces at idle? ... how old is the alternator? 

While it's running at a higher idle, set the meter to DC voltage, put the red lead to the back of the alternator connection location, black to the housing.  Do the same at the battery.  You should see the same reading - 14+ volts.

BTW, they'll test your alternator free at the auto parts store.  PLUS, they'll hop right to it if you show up in uniform AND of course with the car.  Both of those are "attention getters" for most people.

[Hollywood]

oh you mean if i go in my "shopping clothes"  i'm gonna test it with the meter first then do the auto zone thing.  if it is bad would give me a good excuse to get ride of the one on it that someone painted blue.  i do not know how old it is.

[jphillips3333]

Agreed, best course of action.

[ponchonutty]

I've also seen bad plates inside batteries go bad causing the same effect as well.

[jphillips3333]

Yep - test the battery - you should get the same reading.

[Hollywood]

i was getting the same thing on the battery i just took out today, and then on the new one i purchased today as well.  i do not think it is the battery but will check while i'm at it anyways.

[ponchonutty]

Yeah double check it.  Like you said you could go to Autozone and see if they can check it.  My local NAPA has a nifty deal they hook up to the car and it'll show if you have a bad battery, cable, or charging system with in a few seconds.

BTW, why is it when I see your avatar I think if Super Troopers?

[Hollywood]

funny movie with lots of shenanigans

[ponchonutty]

YEP!  So, do you guys have a Farva on the force?  I live in a real small town and one of the guys that does the patrols is certainly a version of Farva!!!

[Hollywood]

every department has a farva...just this past wednesday i got a pic message on my cell phone.  when i opened it up, it was a picture of our farva.  he had just dumped a bunch of gravy all down the front of his uniform shirt and of course had no spare in his locker.  i should post the pic here. 

i want a 6.6 litres of cola

[RENOVATIONS]

Meow 

[ponchonutty]

That's too funny.  The one around here is a younger guy who constantly runs the crap out of the cruiser.  Once he decided to take off like it usually does and hit a small deer which got lodged up underneath the rear bumper.  So, he got the idea to ramp off of the nearby railroad tracks to knock it loose.  He knocked it loose alright....along with the whole a** end of the cruiser.