Don't know what is going on...

[ladysmanfelpz 10+ year member]

So my car is falling apart. I have a 1997 subaru legacy gt. Lately smelled and felt some rubbing/burning when turning left, but i noticed my bumper is coming off the clips so thought it was just that. Had our first snow today, remote started my car, got in and my capacitor with volt meter showed 13.7 volts when it normally operates at 14.3-14.5 after I did my big 3 install with 0 ga wire. Before the big 3 it used to run at 13.7-13.9. A wire did slip and I was able to reclamp it and put it back. Checked it and it is still fine. What is going on?!! Could alternator not have been operating as efficiently cuz it may have got a little wet?

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[mylows10 5,000+ posts]

maybe or another loose or bad wire

 

[gckless 5,000+ posts]

Alternators get wet. It's under your hood. Have you checked all your wiring? This could be anything, you asked a very broad question and didn't give much info. Have you checked anything?

 

[ladysmanfelpz 10+ year member]

I gave it a little gas and it jumped up to 14.1 but when before big 3 it never got over 14 so i think its all good. Maybe just wet like I thought. All wires were good. I'll monitor it but seems very strange to me

 

[ladysmanfelpz 10+ year member]

Oh and alternators on subarus are under the hood but right up front. Like right behind the radiator so maybe it could have got wet somehow

 

[gckless 5,000+ posts]

Oh and alternators on subarus are under the hood but right up front. Like right behind the radiator so maybe it could have got wet somehow

Yeah, I own a Legacy B4, know very well where they are. I wouldn't worry about it getting wet. Not unless you have other wiring issues.

 

[ladysmanfelpz 10+ year member]

When I came out it was squealing a little bit when it has never done that before. My buddy and I put in a new alternator about 2 months back. I'll tighten the tensioner belt when I get a chance, but I don't see how a little squeal can drop me .6 volts.

 

[I Like Waffle]

hmm, oddly enough my bumper has never fallen off any of my old american cars.

 

[gckless 5,000+ posts]

When I came out it was squealing a little bit when it has never done that before. My buddy and I put in a new alternator about 2 months back. I'll tighten the tensioner belt when I get a chance, but I don't see how a little squeal can drop me .6 volts.

If you have slip, you can see a drop like that. Think about if a main belt was slipping, how much HP you would lose.