Odd electrical
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Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Trumbull CT
Odd electrical
I am dropping system voltage on short runs and the engine is dying when I let the RPMs come down. The battery also goes dead but charges back up on a charger when I get it home. I thought it was a slipping alternator belt. I tightened it up and tried again with the same results. I checked and my alternator is putting out 14.5 Volts at high idle so I replaced the battery. Same thing. I am going to replace the alternator but was wondering if it could be anything else?
Thread Starter
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 97
Likes: 0
From: Trumbull CT
I am dropping system voltage on short runs and the engine is dying when I let the RPMs come down. The battery also goes dead but charges back up on a charger when I get it home. I thought it was a slipping alternator belt. I tightened it up and tried again with the same results. I checked and my alternator is putting out 14.5 Volts at high idle so I replaced the battery. Same thing. I am going to replace the alternator but was wondering if it could be anything else?
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 97
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From: Trumbull CT
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 97
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From: Trumbull CT
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
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From: Dayton, Ohio
It sounds as if your saying above you think the reason the car dies is because the battery voltage has dropped and the ignition system is being starved , correct ?
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 97
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From: Trumbull CT
That looks good to me. New battery,new alternator,what is your dash voltmeter doing during these short runs ? Does it ever dip below 13.5 ?
It sounds as if your saying above you think the reason the car dies is because the battery voltage has dropped and the ignition system is being starved , correct ?
It sounds as if your saying above you think the reason the car dies is because the battery voltage has dropped and the ignition system is being starved , correct ?
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
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From: Dayton, Ohio
Does the generator or battery light come on when the key is in the On position ? Does the generator or battery light come on while your driving ?
How does the neg battery cable look where it bolts to the frame ?
How does the neg battery cable look where it bolts to the frame ?
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Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Crossville TN
I think you may have some bad connections on some of the power wiring. If the connections (or the wire, itself) is weak/bad, the battery can't get recharged, no matter how good the battery and/or alternator is. The fact that you are constantly seeing over 14 volts from the alternator indicates that the alt is sensing that the battery is discharged. So, I think you have a wiring problem in the main power circuits and/or the sensing loop to the alternator.
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
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From: Dayton, Ohio
I had a customer come in with a new battery from a Shell gas station,customer said it kept going dead,I tested and determined the new battery was bad, 4 new Shell battery's later I put in one of mine and he was back on the road. The Shell station was selling stale ,poorly stored battery's.
