I hate the maintenance section, it treated like a red headed step child, besides people with our cars know them better because they need worked on more.

I've been having charging problems since I installed my system so I finally hooked a voltmeter up to the battery. it reads 14.5 at idle with nothing on, when I turn on the heater fan and lights it drops down to what it reads not running (about 12.2). the needle only jumps about 2 volts higher when I rev the engine. When I turn the stereo on (subs and amp) the needle dances like all hell even with a strike cap. I'm almost possitive that the voltage regulator is suposed to sense the load and up the out put to keep voltage about the same to the battery, but it isn't doing it, I think my voltage regulator (located in the alt) has gone out. The way it sits now, by stereo actually drains the battery even if I'm going down the freeway.

Anyone know if i'm right about this or am I loosing my mind. Also, can you get higher output alternators for our cars.

do you have a hungry sound system??
If you do I would check into a voltage regulator for it if you dont have one. That's what it sounds like, not the VR in the alternator itself, I would also make sure your sound system is grounded well, too little ground can do the same thing!!


<a href="www.russelspc.com">
<img border="0" src="http://russelspc.com/jbody2.jpg">
</a>

I think you can get a higher amp altenator, someone else will have to varify that. I suggest investing in a farad capacitor if you're planning on keeping your system for a good while. it'll pay off. I have a 1farad cap on my 500watt amp and I can leave my system on half the day without ever cranking my engine up and not draining my battery. I like to play my system when I'm playing basketball with the boys n stuff.



...yes, but is it fast?

Ya, I've got a 1600watt amp and a 1farad strike cap (capacitor). I've also got a 204watt head unit but thats normal.

A poor ground can do that? I have it grounded to the shock mount bolts. The only problem is that the voltage drops WITHOUT the stereo running, if I turn ANYTHING on, it goes way down. the Stereo/amp is just making it worse thats all.

The alternator I have on there is like the 4th one since I bought the car, I'm getting a different model or something this time. I've done everything correctly, but I'm still having problems. The first two just plain went out (lasted about a year each) then the one before this decided the melt the regulator, and sieze the alt pully. I Just think whoever autozone is having rebuild them (Delco brand) doesn't know what there doing. Does BOSCH make alternators for second gens? there ususally higher output I think.

Hi Weebel

it does seem like an earth/connection--high resistance problem on the cable from battery negative to ground/and /or chassis.

Especially as you get a voltage drop on with anything switched on, and the voltage flickers when you put a big load like the sterio ON

Another thing could be the connection from the main alternator output stud through the fusible link to the battery Positive.

Does the alternator main output stud stay at 14.5 volts when you put a load ON even though the battery voltage drops?=this would point to a bad positive connection or fusible link

www.4alterstart.com (800)607-0016 do High Output and powder coated alternators, they may have one to suit you

also zena.net who actually do alternator welders as well as high output alternators

Hope this helps


Alont

i used an actual positive battery cable to run from the post on the alt to the positive cable on the battery cause the alt couldnt push enough current through the wire to the battery also stopped the headlight dimming prob.
There is many places that rebuild alts and they can upgrade them i have a 200 amp one in my car now and have had no probs at all for two years now it cost me 200 smackers.

I figured it out. it was the voltage regulator in the alternator. Aparently the alt I had in there was only a dang 75amp. I put a new 105 amp (biggest one I could get off the shelf around here) in it and it charges just below 15amps all the time. exept for when I turn the stereo on the needle jumps between 13.5 and 15 a little bit, but it's well within the window I need, so powering everything should'nt be a problem until time eventually tears this one down too and I have to replace it again. The strike cap it helping out a lot more now that it has more juice going to it and it charging back up again. (less needle bounce.)

No more dancing speedo, whoo whoo!.