slick Posted August 14, 2005 Report Share Posted August 14, 2005 Yeah, car drove fine yesterday. Little rainy outside, no biggy. So, we are heading out to my buddies place last night, need to stop for beer. So, i pull into the gas station, and put the car in park, but didn't shut it off because my friend that was with me was only going to be inside for like a minute. Started to get hot, so I turned on the AC. No biggy, done this several hundred times before. Car acts normal. All of a sudden, my battery light flickers in the cluster. I look at my guage, the voltmeter is showing only about 1.5-11 volts. I'm like what the hell. This is abnormally low for my car. So, i turn off the AC, and shut my car off. I figure, eh, its been raining like hell, maybe a little water got on the belt. So, my friend gets back in the car, and i turn it back on after a few minutes. Still sitting at the same voltage. By this time, the rain has stopped, and where we had to drive was right across the street. So, I pull in there, and still figure wet belt. Come out a few hours later, turn on the car, and its sitting around 11.5 volts or so. After a minute or two of running the car, the volt guage is creeping up to normal, so I figured it was fixed. Put the car in Reverse, the volts drop back down to where they was. I like what the hell. Drive home, come upstairs, and go to bed. I figure, ok, somethings up, not sure what the fuck it is. Go outside a few minutes ago to go to work, still really low voltage. Car starts perfectly fine. Doesn't crank like hell if it was a low battery or anything. Any ideas? I thought about unhooking the neg. terminal for a few minutes, then doing an idle relearn afterwards. Also going to take my multimeter with my car running and test to see if it is charging or not. Thanks, Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GP1138 Posted August 14, 2005 Report Share Posted August 14, 2005 You better hope your alt isn't going out. Though you should have no trouble changing it, since you're the alternata masta! Other than that, could something electrical have fucked the alt up when you switched the A/C on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DOHCRagtopguy Posted August 14, 2005 Report Share Posted August 14, 2005 Dude, I had the exact same symptoms on my Olds last month. It was the alternator. At idle, voltage just kept dropping slowly. Driving, it was ok. Finally got to the point that it barely kept up, I got the alternator rebuilt for 95 bucks, now it's fine. With full load + A/c it stays right at or just under 13v at idle in drive. Fucking heat is killing alternators left and right. Two of my friends at work had them burn out in the last 2 weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slick Posted August 14, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2005 I'm heading outside right now to check on a few things: Reset ECM Checking all grounds Taking my multimeter to my battery with the car running to check to see if its charging Then I'll go from there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supreme_style21 Posted August 14, 2005 Report Share Posted August 14, 2005 GM alternators go bad? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GP1138 Posted August 14, 2005 Report Share Posted August 14, 2005 GM alternators go bad? :shock: :shock: :? :? That'd be news to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supreme_style21 Posted August 14, 2005 Report Share Posted August 14, 2005 Fucking heat is killing alternators left and right. Two of my friends at work had them burn out in the last 2 weeks. The heat is rough on those 3.4's.... no real air circulation where they've got those stuffed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dannymik Posted August 15, 2005 Report Share Posted August 15, 2005 I agree with above, alternator on the good ole 3.4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1990lumina Posted August 15, 2005 Report Share Posted August 15, 2005 Yeah, you might as well check the voltage output with full load to see what's up. At least your guys' cars' dummy lights work half ass. When my alternator decided to take a shit the volts light was on for 5 seconds before the engine died :? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88Regal Limited Posted August 15, 2005 Report Share Posted August 15, 2005 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slick Posted August 15, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2005 Welp, heading outside hoping to see what the problem may be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dannymik Posted August 15, 2005 Report Share Posted August 15, 2005 Welp, heading outside hoping to see what the problem may be. may the DOHC god be with ya Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slick Posted August 15, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2005 Well, first popped the hood, and checked the voltage- 12.20 volts. So I'm like ok, start the car, and then its sitting at 11.88 volts. Not a humongous drop in voltage. The thing is, it seemed to stay constant. So then I turned on the AC for more of a load. It dropped down to 11.47, then 11.46, then shot UP to 11.70, and pretty much stayed there. I'm going to assume its the alternator on this one, and do it tomorrow afternoon once I get off of work. I have too much stuff to do this morning before work to get it done, that, and I need to see if one of the guys living here has a few things I can use (in the midst of moving, I have lost my tire iron and a few other small tools ). But, on a good note, checked the timing belt. Perfect condition. No cracks, frays, nothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chadz34 Posted August 15, 2005 Report Share Posted August 15, 2005 My car has already had an alternator replaced and look at my mileage. GM alternators are the shit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slick Posted August 16, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 16, 2005 My car has already had an alternator replaced and look at my mileage. GM alternators are the shit! You didn't do it yourself? Anyways, going to do it tomorrow afternoon. I think I'm going to start the timer on my cell just to see how fast I can do it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy Posted August 16, 2005 Report Share Posted August 16, 2005 Anyways, going to do it tomorrow afternoon. I think I'm going to start the timer on my cell just to see how fast I can do it! I say it will be less then 40minutes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HokemBokem Posted August 16, 2005 Report Share Posted August 16, 2005 Yea try and make a record Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1990lumina Posted August 16, 2005 Report Share Posted August 16, 2005 Yup, gotta love our alternators. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slick Posted August 16, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 16, 2005 Yup, gotta love our alternators. Your's is easy. My car is a 3.4. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dannymik Posted August 16, 2005 Report Share Posted August 16, 2005 Yup, gotta love our alternators. Your's is easy. My car is a 3.4. so Slick, your record for changing an alt on a DOHC, is it a sober or drunk record? You seem to like sipping on grandpa's cough medicine quite often :alcoholic: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slick Posted August 16, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 16, 2005 45 minutes SOBER with white93z34. I'm going to see if I can do it by myself in 45 minutes. Hell, I'm going to see if I can do it faster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slick Posted August 16, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 16, 2005 Well, I'm gathering all the stuff right now to do the alternator. Once I have everything sitting there, I'm going to get a glass of water, come back outside, and start the timer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digitaloutsider Posted August 16, 2005 Report Share Posted August 16, 2005 I can hardly contain myself! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1990lumina Posted August 16, 2005 Report Share Posted August 16, 2005 Me neither Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy Posted August 16, 2005 Report Share Posted August 16, 2005 it's been almost an hour... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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