Pls help me, PorschePHD,Steve
05-22-2004 | 05:08 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Race Car
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 3,811
Likes: 2
From: Singapore
Pls help me, PorschePHD,Steve
Hi friends, PorschePHD and Steve,
My car was acting wierd earlier today. I've not driven it close to a week since I've been away. Today I got in the car, turned on the ignition and it cranked up as per normal. However within 2-3 minutes of warming up, while idling, the hifi went of and on, my lights went bright and dim and my rev kept bouncing up and down. The car was idling fine but the rev just kept bouncing up and down very quickly.
Now has this got to do with the battery going old(last change was close to 2 years back) or electrical?
My car was acting wierd earlier today. I've not driven it close to a week since I've been away. Today I got in the car, turned on the ignition and it cranked up as per normal. However within 2-3 minutes of warming up, while idling, the hifi went of and on, my lights went bright and dim and my rev kept bouncing up and down. The car was idling fine but the rev just kept bouncing up and down very quickly.
Now has this got to do with the battery going old(last change was close to 2 years back) or electrical?
05-22-2004 | 05:21 PM
#3
Thread Starter
Race Car
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 3,811
Likes: 2
From: Singapore
Kevin,
I doubt it's the alternator, just had a new alternator put in abt 1-2 yrs back and my car has only done like 15k miles ever since.
Has the voltage regulator got anything to do with the battery? Pardon my ignorance.
I doubt it's the alternator, just had a new alternator put in abt 1-2 yrs back and my car has only done like 15k miles ever since.
Has the voltage regulator got anything to do with the battery? Pardon my ignorance.
05-23-2004 | 03:26 AM
#6
Thread Starter
Race Car
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 3,811
Likes: 2
From: Singapore
guys,
I just spoke to my mechanic and he said that the voltage regulator is in the alternator which means if it is the regulator, than I'd need to get a new alternator. I hope it's just the battery. Will wait and see till tomorrow.
I just spoke to my mechanic and he said that the voltage regulator is in the alternator which means if it is the regulator, than I'd need to get a new alternator. I hope it's just the battery. Will wait and see till tomorrow.
05-23-2004 | 03:56 AM
#7
RL Technical Advisor
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 11,871
Likes: 67
From: Portland Oregon
Sameer:
If you have a digital voltmeter, you can test system voltage at the battery terminals.
At 2000 RPM, you should see 13.2 to 13.8 VDC at the battery. Anything more or less says that the alternator or regulator has a problem and should be checked out.
If you have a digital voltmeter, you can test system voltage at the battery terminals.
At 2000 RPM, you should see 13.2 to 13.8 VDC at the battery. Anything more or less says that the alternator or regulator has a problem and should be checked out.
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05-23-2004 | 12:04 PM
#8
Rennlist Lifetime Member
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 4,574
Likes: 6
From: Kansas City
Chances are it is the alternator. Nine times out of ten when the tach starts to bounce the signal coming from the alternator is getting a spike. This is caused from a bad diode. It also can be caused by the system running such low voltage it can't keep up. Normally the car will die by that point. Check to see if your alternator light comes on when your key is just on the on position and not started. I would bet the alternator has gone south.
05-26-2004 | 07:08 AM
#10
Thread Starter
Race Car
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 3,811
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From: Singapore
Friends,
I finally got my car back today and had the problem sorted out. It was just the old battery(abt close to 3 yrs) that we replaced and the car fired up fine and running with no problems at all. Thank god it was'nt the alternator as that would have coseted me much much more.
Steve, Porsche PhD, friends,
thanks for all your advise.
I finally got my car back today and had the problem sorted out. It was just the old battery(abt close to 3 yrs) that we replaced and the car fired up fine and running with no problems at all. Thank god it was'nt the alternator as that would have coseted me much much more.
Steve, Porsche PhD, friends,
thanks for all your advise.
05-26-2004 | 04:21 PM
#11
8th Gear
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
From: Minneapolis, MN
Sameer -
Glad to hear you cleared it up so easily. I had something very similar happen to a limousine I owned some years back. The battery had gotten too weak and was putting out just enough juice to start/run the vehicle but soon after starting the alternator couldn't keep up enough power from the weak battery to run all the electronics and still feed back enough power to charge the battery back at the same time. Presto, a negative power feedback loop. At the time we were all convinced it was the alternator and it was actually the guy who installed the stereo who told me to check the battery first.
**** happens.
- Dan
Glad to hear you cleared it up so easily. I had something very similar happen to a limousine I owned some years back. The battery had gotten too weak and was putting out just enough juice to start/run the vehicle but soon after starting the alternator couldn't keep up enough power from the weak battery to run all the electronics and still feed back enough power to charge the battery back at the same time. Presto, a negative power feedback loop. At the time we were all convinced it was the alternator and it was actually the guy who installed the stereo who told me to check the battery first.
**** happens.
- Dan