charging WTF

[rockfangd]

ok so i have a weird problem on my 1994 olds cutlass supreme. january i put in a brand new battery rated at 750 cca, and a brand new alternator rated at 105 amps. ok so here is the problem., my ub3 cluster and my dis show around 12.4 volts while the car is running, 11.7 when the headlights are on, and up and down when i have my turning signal on??? so i had my alternator tested and my battery, both tested really good and it showed my alternator putting out 13.8 to 14.5, but yet my cluster and dis show completely different. Can anyone help me with this one as my cluster and DIS have always been dead on to what my alternator showed. (i confirmed this with a multimeter) also just for the hell of it i put in a brand new battery this afternoon but there is no change in the readings.

Any help is highly appreciated

 

[attachment deleted by admin] Removed to free up storage space.

[slick]

The loads on a vehicle will obviously take away from the output.

 

I'd start by cleaning all of your grounds.

[19Cutlass94]

check the wires and the grounds. and plus, in this heat, your voltage will be lower. One thing to keep in mind.

[rockfangd]

well the thing i do not understand is when i hook up a multimeter to the battery it shows about 13.5 to 14.1 when running but my cluster and DIS say about 12.6 to 13.0 when running

[slick]

You are taking reading's right at the source. I GUARANTEE that your guages are not taking reading's right at the source, but well back into the wiring in the vehicle. Meaning, your having other stuff being powered, your obviously not going to read what you would from the battery.

[rockfangd]

i figured but it was always accurate before about a week ago, that is why i thought my alternator went because of the gauge readings? werd

[Crazy K]

i figured but it was always accurate before about a week ago, that is why i thought my alternator went because of the gauge readings? werd

I agree with rockfand. on my 94 the readings are always low. in the other cars, everything is dead on.

 

 

something is wrong.

 

Rock... may I suggest cleaning and tightening the nut on the aux bat post? better yet... get a REAL nut for the post if yours has the brass ring-nut. I have on all mine, snatching them off of 95 1/2 and newer Ws aux post.

[rockfangd]

i figured but it was always accurate before about a week ago, that is why i thought my alternator went because of the gauge readings? werd

I agree with rockfand. on my 94 the readings are always low. in the other cars, everything is dead on.

 

 

something is wrong.

 

Rock... may I suggest cleaning and tightening the nut on the aux bat post? better yet... get a REAL nut for the post if yours has the brass ring-nut. I have on all mine, snatching them off of 95 1/2 and newer Ws aux post.

thank you i will most definately try that i havent tightened the nutin over a year anyhow lol

[Brian P]

Ken: Do the '94's still have the resistor inline for the dummy gauge?

[rockfangd]

dummy gauge, you mean like the dummy oil sender lol, very dumb idea. it always worked accurately until recently which is beyond me

[Pontiac6KSTEAWD]

When my alternator fried in my 6000, it did the same thing. I still havent been able to figure it out. Good grounds, good power. Checked with a multimeter at many diferent locations, all reads inbetween 13.1 to 14.2. but my guage reads about 11-12 with the batery light coming on with the AC on and rolling up a window. I think I have a bad guage cluster, but I havent been able to find a replacement for it yet.

[Crazy K]

Ken: Do the '94's still have the resistor inline for the dummy gauge?

??? dunno.

[ManicMechanic]

Ken: Do the '94's still have the resistor inline for the dummy gauge?

??? dunno.

 

One of the mysteries of life...Like why are there no records of the first 28 Cutlass Supremes built in 1994?

[89GP_SE]

now correct me if im wrong, but isnt there two different alternators, a 105 and a 110 amp or something like that?

 

if so maybe try going to a 110, still shouldnt make a difference.

[rockfangd]

well i rely on my gauges alot so this is a bummer

[19Cutlass94]

thw two alt's are 100 and 105 amp. dont rely on the gauges. they suck.

[rockfangd]

yeah but with me things always have to be right lol. i just dont understand why they always worked and now they dont