Topic: **FIXED** Low Voltage, jumping needle, need serious help

[Wild Bill]

Couple of weeks ago I noticed my belts were getting old so I got some replacements; the power steering pump belt was too big, so I put the old one back on, left the new alt. belt on, and noticed I had some voltage problems; I had pulled the wires off of the alt. and put them back on in order to tighten up the power steer belt... since then, I have replaced my alt, the wires going  into the alt, the battery, re did the grounds going to the engine, alt, and firewall, checking voltage goes like this.... volt is find until I hit the brakes, then the needle jumps, same when I use the turn signal, the needle jumps, if the lights are on, wipers on, car in drive, brakes on, and maybe a turn signal, my voltage is jumping from about 10 to 13, if it is in park, it jumps from about 13 to 14...  i have bought a new wire harness for the engine, hadn't gotten it yet, so far I have spent over $300 on new parts that I did not need... it is not the gauge, it is not anything that I have already checked, replaced or tested......    any ideas?       neutral safety switch?? Ignition switch?? Ignition coil??  Starter and solenoid is newish, bought about a year ago..

[dfred]

were things ok before the belt change?, maybe try to throw your old alt. belt back on as well, the new one could be slipping or jumping.

[Wild Bill]

No it wasn't okay....
after I did the belt change and went back and then noticed the voltage problems, thats when I decided to go ahead and get a new alt, the 2 wire prong going into the old alt was really nasty so I got new alt and new connector, still got the problem, it sure acts like it is loosing ground somewhere but where? I have already re ran ground wires and checked and re checked the old ones!

[shadowrider]

I would go back & have the store replace the alt with another one, & then see what happens.
What does everyone else out there think?

[ta78w72]

Have you measured the voltage at the volt meter with a multimeter?  How did you assure yourself the gauge was OK?  Your gauge should read about 13 when driving.  When you put a big load on it it could go down a little.

It wouldn't be the coil, or the neutral start switch.  It could be a bad bulkhead connector.  But you'll need to take measurements with your multimeter.  I guess it also could be a damaged fusible link.  It could also be a bad ground somewhere in the dash harness.

[Wild Bill]

At the dash voltmeter? No, I hadn't, I had used the digital voltmeter at the battery and at the output on the alt.. when driving along with no lights no nothing on but the radio, my volts is above 15, then when I hit the brakes the needle will drop then go back up really fast... turn signals the same, it jumps up and down with the blinking, but before I touched anything that day, my volts never acted like this, it would just barely go down like normal when the accessories would come on, the whole time I've been testing, I've been using the digital hand held

[Wild Bill]

damaged fusible link? I thought that they either work or they don't... and the ground on the dash would affect the charging system?? I've made a ton of measurements, at the battery, alt, with everything on, everything off, in gear, out of gear.... i never touched the bulkhead connector originally, or the dash, I have moved the wires at the bulkhead to see if it would change the voltage reading any and it hasn't...

[ta78w72]

Well, that should tell you that the battery and alternator are probably OK.  You need to first connect your multimeter to the volt gauge and compare the readings.  You could have a bad gauge.  If that's OK, measure the voltage at the two thick red wires that go into the bulkhead.  One runs your headlights and the other all the other electrical stuff...I think that's correct anyway.  Measure also at the fuse box, you'll see where those wires are.

But you might have a bad ground too.  Check that your headlight switch is grounded.  I assume your dash lights work.  If they don't check for the bracket under the steering column.  Try running a strap from the cluster can to ground to see if that helps the problem.

It's hard for me to figure it out because I have no visual ability.  Has your dash harness been cut?

[ta78w72]

damaged fusible link? I thought that they either work or they don't... and the ground on the dash would affect the charging system?? I've made a ton of measurements, at the battery, alt, with everything on, everything off, in gear, out of gear.... i never touched the bulkhead connector originally, or the dash, I have moved the wires at the bulkhead to see if it would change the voltage reading any and it hasn't...

Usually, my experience has been that the link pops and you lose everything.  But I could see where that wire could fry a little and still conduct some current.  It's only a guess on my part.  The proof is with your multimeter.  And making sure all the grounds are working.  I guess you could disable some of the circuits by pulling the fuse and see if it affects the problem. 

Crazy things happen to these cars when something is amiss with a wire.

[Wild Bill]

Sorry, i was really tired yesterday and didn't read things right............

Yes, before the belt change everything was fine
I did put the old belt back on, and it did not fix the problem
I have a new wire harness coming in and then I can redo that too, that's my last guess, not sure what else it could be..

[Joker (§ir£Ðragon)]

It sounds like a problem with the gauges. Maybe a bad ground under the dash or a crossed wire.

[ta78w72]

It sounds like a problem with the gauges. Maybe a bad ground under the dash or a crossed wire.

That's exactly what I was thinking.

[Joker (§ir£Ðragon)]

It sounds like a problem with the gauges. Maybe a bad ground under the dash or a crossed wire.

That's exactly what I was thinking.

Yeah, timing of the problem may just be a coincidence.

[Wild Bill]

would a problem with the gauges actually cause my voltage to jump from 11 - 13 with accessories on?
i have a multimeter hooked up to the battery and one to the output on alt and it shows what the in dash volt gauge shows....

[Wild Bill]

i mean, this is not just a problem I am seeing on the gauge, it is really happening...
i had to kick my idle up just so it won't die on me when i come to a stop sign when the wipers, lights, and turn signals are all working at the same time

went to autozone today, they are the worst auto zone ever, stay away from northern new york auto zones, the girl in there didn't even know what  a power steering pump was... anyways, they "tested" as well as they could the whole system and it comes back good... good charge on the brand new battery and good amps on the brand new alt. around 70 amps I believe it was