weird gauge problem..

[.::DuD3::. 10+ year member]

ok, i'm driving to the beach today, and everything is normal, nothing seems wrong. but after 3 hours or so of it parked, i'm leaving the beach and all of a sudden my "check gauges" light comes on and i notice that my voltage is real real low. now everytime i go to use my turn signal, the speedometer starts to flutter a little. i'm not sure what the problem is, but i've been noticing that my voltage has been decreasing a little over the past couple of months. you think my alternator or battery is about to die? or maybe my gauge all of a sudden broke? i'm just confused on how it can work perfectly one sec, and not the next.

Click to read more...

 

[saywhat? 5,000+ posts]

time for a HO alt.

 

[Prowler573 5,000+ posts]

ok, i'm driving to the beach today, and everything is normal, nothing seems wrong. but after 3 hours or so of it parked, i'm leaving the beach and all of a sudden my "check gauges" light comes on and i notice that my voltage is real real low. now everytime i go to use my turn signal, the speedometer starts to flutter a little. i'm not sure what the problem is, but i've been noticing that my voltage has been decreasing a little over the past couple of months. you think my alternator or battery is about to die? or maybe my gauge all of a sudden broke? i'm just confused on how it can work perfectly one sec, and not the next.

You're actually fortunate that you've noticed a slow decline over the period of a couple of months. Seems like the Voltage Fairy has decided to be kind to you ~ had it been me (and it has been me in the past) the alternator will be working fine all day or whatever then I get to where I'm going and park...when I restart the vehicle the alternator isn't charging at all. Electrical components whether they be automotive or audio can be really funny. It's actually more common (in my experience) for them to go out all of a sudden than slowly over an extended time period.

I'd say saywhat? is likely correct. Time to either buy an HO alternator or take your current one to a rewinder if you have one locally (normally the less expensive option).

 

[.::DuD3::. 10+ year member]

yea i'm definately thinking its the alternator because i just rode to my gf's house, and now it won't start up. just put an order for an 180 amp, but if i jump it can i at least get it home? i know if its the battery itll run when you jump it, but will it work for the alternator?

 

[Prowler573 5,000+ posts]

yea i'm definately thinking its the alternator because i just rode to my gf's house, and now it won't start up. just put an order for an 180 amp, but if i jump it can i at least get it home? i know if its the battery itll run when you jump it, but will it work for the alternator?

That depends on how far home is from the g/f's house. If the battery is bad and you jump it off then basically you're running the vehicle off of the current created by the alternator which is fine until you shut the car off and then, with a bunk battery, obviously the amperage necessary to crank the engine won't be present.

On the flipside of the coin, if the battery is good and the alternator isn't charging, if you charge the battery to totally charged how far you can get depends on the aH rating of the battery in question and what accessories you're running while en route. Just getting it running from a jumpstart probably won't get you far at all - the first time you hit the brakes and light the brake lights or engage a turn signal it's highly likely it'll die right then and there.

 

[.::DuD3::. 10+ year member]

well thanks for the help man, i was gonna try and get home, but i guess i'll keep here for the next couple days. thanks for all the help!