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PLEASE help!!


chronic139

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Posted

Last night i noticed my car idleing very irregularly. It sounded like increasing then decreasing and so on.This prompted me to do a quick scan of the guages, on which I found the voltage to be below 13 (im guessing around 10 or 11). I parked it last night and went out this morning to check and it is the same. It starts without trouble. I thought maybe alternator but the sounds seem to be coming from the power steering oump. Any suggestions?? :shock:

Posted

I just recently replaced the alternator on my '94 Cutlass. Before I replaced it, the voltage on the gauge was low and the engine seemed to be whining a little more than usual. When I listened to it, I couldn't tell if it was the alternator or the power steering pump. There were two things that verified the alternator was the problem.

 

First, the ABS warning light had come on a couple of times. Both at night. I'm not sure if your car has ABS, but if the light has come on recently, that's a good indicator that the alternator is not charging enough. GM designed the system very well. The ABS system uses quite a bit of electricity. If the system 'notices' that the alternator is not producing enough charge, it disables itself. You will still have brakes, but not anti-lock control. This conserves power to allow the car to make it farther if the alternator has failed.

 

Second, I hooked up a voltmeter to the battery posts while the car was running and stopped. There was very little change when the car was started. Basically, I did this to verify that the gauge was reading correctly. Hope this information is helpful.

 

Tony Graczyk

'94 Olds Cutlass SL

Guest Anonymous
Posted

Start your car and unhook your battery. If it stalls the alt. isn't charging.

Posted

sorry, the car is a 3.4 by the way if this makes any difference. (besides the huge pain in the ass it gives me if its the alt).

Guest Anonymous
Posted
sorry, the car is a 3.4 by the way if this makes any difference. (besides the huge pain in the ass it gives me if its the alt).

 

Sorry, didn't know it was a 3.4.

Posted

well it was the alt. Barely made it to work on no voltage. Spent 4 hours and almost completed. Another half or so tomorrow morning. What a bitch of a job. Hope it dont die again in my ownership of the car. Then again I plan to keep it forever so who knows.

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