A/C Recharge car died (new info)
08-04-2006, 10:29 AM
#47
Burning Brakes
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Orlando,FL (formerly UK)
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Originally Posted by jeeper31
I'm finally cool...
Originally Posted by jeeper31
Isn't it ironic? Don't ya think?
Glad you got it happ'nin! -How much did it put you out at the end?
Oh, and that alternator was going to fail on you sometime soon. The failure was just finally brought on by having to supply the current demands of having to top off a battery after a recent start, AND drive the fan at high speed AND turn the radiator fan(s) AND hold in the compresor clutch on top of its regular duties. Tha camel's back finally broke, but it was going to go sometime soon anyhow.
At idle, an alternator can b-a-r-e-l-y top off a battery. It can do it, but slowly. -At speed (anything over 1500RPM), it has an easier time of things, but the load is still high. At night here in Florida I sometimes wonder how my alternator manages to run the headlights, the driving lights, the A/C, the radio, and still find the strungth to produce sparks to make the car run!
Keith
08-04-2006, 10:53 AM
#48
Race Car
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by VWaddict
Well, that's a matter of opinion!
Yeah, I really DO think!
Glad you got it happ'nin! -How much did it put you out at the end?
Oh, and that alternator was going to fail on you sometime soon. The failure was just finally brought on by having to supply the current demands of having to top off a battery after a recent start, AND drive the fan at high speed AND turn the radiator fan(s) AND hold in the compresor clutch on top of its regular duties. Tha camel's back finally broke, but it was going to go sometime soon anyhow.
At idle, an alternator can b-a-r-e-l-y top off a battery. It can do it, but slowly. -At speed (anything over 1500RPM), it has an easier time of things, but the load is still high. At night here in Florida I sometimes wonder how my alternator manages to run the headlights, the driving lights, the A/C, the radio, and still find the strungth to produce sparks to make the car run!
Keith
Yeah, I really DO think!
Glad you got it happ'nin! -How much did it put you out at the end?
Oh, and that alternator was going to fail on you sometime soon. The failure was just finally brought on by having to supply the current demands of having to top off a battery after a recent start, AND drive the fan at high speed AND turn the radiator fan(s) AND hold in the compresor clutch on top of its regular duties. Tha camel's back finally broke, but it was going to go sometime soon anyhow.
At idle, an alternator can b-a-r-e-l-y top off a battery. It can do it, but slowly. -At speed (anything over 1500RPM), it has an easier time of things, but the load is still high. At night here in Florida I sometimes wonder how my alternator manages to run the headlights, the driving lights, the A/C, the radio, and still find the strungth to produce sparks to make the car run!
Keith
Reman alternator - $220
New Gasket - $14
Car running, battery charging, a/c working - Priceless
I know it was aboutj to happen and I guess I can say I am lucky it happened when it did. I am not totally sure BUT I think i remember thinking to myself that when i started the car to pull it out it didn't sounds as strong as usual. I just blew it off though but maybe the battery was already on the way to being depleted. That means tie alternator might have failed on my 2+ hour trip back from my last autocross which took place on roads I wouldn't want to get stuck on.
08-04-2006, 08:51 PM
#51
Race Car
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by yieldsign2
Battery gauage in car should be reading close to 14, but a little over 13 if hot... just over 12 is still low.
edit - what amperage is your new alternator?
edit - what amperage is your new alternator?
08-04-2006, 09:11 PM
#52
Burning Brakes
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Orlando,FL (formerly UK)
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Stock dashboard voltage gauge usually under-reads and can certainly not be trusted for accuracy. The ONLY reading that I trust is across the battery terminals with a Fluke meter.
My battery reads 13.8V, but the dash meter scarcely makes it to 12V. Since the tank gauge never makes it to the top either, and the oil pressure gauge only makes it to 43/4 bar instead of 5 (cold) then i think it's safe for me to assume that most of the smaller gauges under-read.
Certainly this much is true: -If your dash voltmeter reads 12V, then the voltage at the battery terminals under charge will be higher. -Posibly by more than a volt.
Keith
My battery reads 13.8V, but the dash meter scarcely makes it to 12V. Since the tank gauge never makes it to the top either, and the oil pressure gauge only makes it to 43/4 bar instead of 5 (cold) then i think it's safe for me to assume that most of the smaller gauges under-read.
Certainly this much is true: -If your dash voltmeter reads 12V, then the voltage at the battery terminals under charge will be higher. -Posibly by more than a volt.
Keith
08-04-2006, 09:15 PM
#54
Nordschleife Master
I agree with Keith. For starters my gas gauge never reads higher than 3/4 of a tank even when full. My temp gauge is never over the 2nd mark when crusing at highway speeds.. even when its 90 degrees out.. however my aftermarket watertemp gauge tapped into the upper coolant hose says the temp gauge should be at roughly the halfway mark.
My volt meter tends to go up and down depending on temperature.. but usually hovers right around 13v.
My speedometer is off because i run different size tires than stock.. even then it 'sticks' once in a while when i get moving.
I dont even look at the tach usually..
.
The only gauge i really trust is the oil pressure, pegs to 5 bar at cold start and goes down to 3.5 bar once warmed up.. with 20w50 dino oil. It does however bounce around when im sitting at idle....just cant trust anything anymore, go with your gut instinct!
My volt meter tends to go up and down depending on temperature.. but usually hovers right around 13v.
My speedometer is off because i run different size tires than stock.. even then it 'sticks' once in a while when i get moving.
I dont even look at the tach usually..
.The only gauge i really trust is the oil pressure, pegs to 5 bar at cold start and goes down to 3.5 bar once warmed up.. with 20w50 dino oil. It does however bounce around when im sitting at idle....just cant trust anything anymore, go with your gut instinct!
08-05-2006, 07:11 PM
#57
Track Day
Join Date: May 2006
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YES! it would be a lot faster jsut go drop it off there theyll chage it up and test it....i just did so the guy tried to rip me off said the battery needed to be replaced i was like lemme see the machine and it was "BATTERY OK"
lol watch out for those guys they charge it for free btw
lol watch out for those guys they charge it for free btw
