Help, Having Voltage loss issues
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 906
Likes: 2
From: The Woodlands TX
Help, Having Voltage loss issues
Ok all of a sudden today my service charging system message came on then went off. It keeps doing it intermittently. I noticed that with RPM or just sitting and idling the voltage gauge drops below 12 then recovers. This is all of as sudden. No issues before. My car is an 06 ZO6, procharger, meth, etc. Anyone have this problem or have ideas? Is it my altenator? Any help would be appreciated.
Last edited by flyinmedic; Oct 10, 2010 at 08:48 AM.
Pro
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 587
Likes: 13
From: Dyersburg TN
Check your starter hot wire (Hot wire from battery to starter-at starter side). I have an 06 Z and had a situation where the header heat and combination of the high HP engine would actually rock during reving RPMs and ground out the hot starter wire...hence pulls voltage down, even a small arc under acceleration will cause it. Let off gas and let it idol and the wire clears. No rocking so the grounding issue clears and charging is normal. It appeared it was a combination of high heat, big rocking motor and wire insulation being worn away and brittle over the years of driving. I replaced the wire at the starter and have had no issues and charging as usual..It's tight up there near the starter so make sure no wires have dried out and are causing a ground issue near the headers..Just my .02 and a possiblility.
Took me a few days to find that little PIA.
Took me a few days to find that little PIA.
Pro
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 699
Likes: 0
From: Dallas TX
I don't have a sure fire way to fix it but, I had the same problem, service charging system message would pop up mostly at stop lights. I looked all over the fourm and found 101 reasons why Batt, Alt. Starter, Check this wire, etc,etc. to fix it, But none of them seem to work for anyone but the person writing it up. I replaced the batt. and the problem has gone away now for 3 months or so.
Hope this help.
Hope this help.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 906
Likes: 2
From: The Woodlands TX
Thanks for the replies, I'm going to replace the altenator and see it that helps. It is very intermittent. I drove it last night and it only did it on start up/idle and held 14.2 while driving. I had the battery/altenator tested and they showed good but of course it wouldn't drop the voltage at that time.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 3,418
Likes: 1
From: Chicagoland Area IL
Thanks for the replies, I'm going to replace the altenator and see it that helps. It is very intermittent. I drove it last night and it only did it on start up/idle and held 14.2 while driving. I had the battery/altenator tested and they showed good but of course it wouldn't drop the voltage at that time.
* Engine is heat soaked?
* AC ON?
* Especially on long bumper to bumper traffic trips (lots of idle time)?
It's usually a high load on charging system from above. With FI cooling fan runs more aggressively then stock putting a high load on system.
When I get a voltage dip it's do to above. Also check battery voltage before starting car.
Mike
