New volt gauge..

[painterdave72]

Hi i just installed a new volt gauge in the cluster to see if that cleared my low volt reading.. it did not.. I have already checked the grounds behind the parcel shelf and they seem to be fine.. nice and tight...I had my alternator rebuilt last year locally and the people deleted the light function.. it is self energizing and does not use the light anymore.. could that cause the volt gauge to not read right?? i have checked with a volt meter at the battery and it charges properly.. around 13.5 at idle and 14.5 at speed.. anyone have any suggestions?? i see in a previous post that one of the other Daves has said that if u run a separate fuel pump ground that will correct the problem?? thanks!!

[Bitsyncmaster]

How low is your gauge reading?

[painterdave72]

the gauge reads almost 13 with nothing on and just idleing.. if i turn the radio and my amp and subwoofer and all it drops slightly.. if i turn the lights on then it drops to around 10 or so... but reads fine with a multi meter at the battery..

[Bitsyncmaster]

the gauge reads almost 13 with nothing on and just idleing.. if i turn the radio and my amp and subwoofer and all it drops slightly.. if i turn the lights on then it drops to around 10 or so... but reads fine with a multi meter at the battery..

That half volt drop (13 volts) would probably be fixed with a separate inertia switch ground wire. The drop to 10 volts with headlights is a strange one. Headlights run ground wires back to the the relay compartment ground bolt.

Can you take a volt reading on fuse #5 to the common grounds in the relay compartment. That reading would be what your dash volt gauge should read. You can probe the fuse on the exposed metal on top of the fuse.

[Flash66]

Ditto on Dave's post. Also Scrape clean or Replace fuse 5 and clean the contacts in the fuse box for #5. Your Volt gauge reading should be more accurate afterwards.

I noticed you made no mention of this.

[Elvis]

Told you to check the voltage gauge on the bench.

All power connections can be the problem or at least some of them add together.

Basic electrical laws. A high resistance causes a high voltage loss when a high current is flowing thru it.
If the alternator works (14,4V or close to it) then somewhere a resistance has built up and must be deleted.

What do you measure in the cigarrette lighter ? This should read almost the same as the volt meter.

With a multimeter and a long ground wire (-, the black on the multimeter) connected to the alternator
you can start searching vor voltage losses. really, a long wire, 3...5 meters long is OK.

What do you read directly at the alternator with no lights and fasn on - and how much with them on ?
Now measure the different points in the car. (cigarette lighter, fuse box...)
The GND and +12V screws thru the fire wall are interesting, on the engine side and inside the car.
Also the GND connection below the water bottle to the frame - this is where I had problems.

Afterwards you know your car and where the problems are.
Have fun,
Elvis & 6548

[JohnZ]

Told you to check the voltage gauge on the bench.

You were referring to me, not to mr. painterdave72 ;)

anyway good suggestions

[painterdave72]

will check the fuses later today.. My car has all new wire harnesses up front so the grounds there are pretty much brand new but i will recheck it.. Dave..

[Flash66]

Ditto on Dave's post. Also Scrape clean or Replace fuse 5 and clean the contacts in the fuse box for #5. Your Volt gauge reading should be more accurate afterwards.

I noticed you made no mention of this.

I was referring to Bitsyncmaster. Listen to his advice. He's spot on, and fuse 5 is where you need to concentrate your focus.

[painterdave72]

I think i fixed it .. i. cleaned the contact for fuse mumber 5 and it seems to have helped for the moment.. though where is the ground bolt for the fuse box area??