I bought a multimeter yesterday and checked the battery, the results
were:
engine not running - 12.9V
engine idling, no extras - 16.9V
engine revving, heater, lights, wipers, stereo, indicators - 16.5V
Which seems to suggest that the battery/new alternator is very healthy,
although the 16V readings were higher than I expected. Although this
morning driving to work with lights/heat/stereo on the car seemed to
struggle at around 3000-4000rpm (after that I cut the
lights/heat/stereo). I don't know if this is another problem(clutch
slipping maybe?) or if it suggests that the alternator wasn't the problem
and my battery is getting drained because of another problem somewhere
along the line. Or I might just be being paranoid as I often do after
something breaks on Saskia, I seem to notice any oddities about the car
and instantly attribute it to whatever the last problem I had was! I
wish I didn't worry so much!
cheers
John
--- Laura Gharazeddine <Laura.G@141.com> wrote: > > Run down to "Radio
Shack" and buy a cheap voltmeter, VOM or DVM.
> > They can be purchased for about 10 bucks.
>
> Good idea!
>
> Voltage s/b around 12 volts.
> > without the engine running, and 13 volts with the engine charging.
> > If your light is not flickering and is off, then you most likely
> fixed the
> > problem.
>
> Ummm...I hate to break this to you all, watching for the red ign/alt
> light to come on, but...the last time my altenator went out, I was
> coming back from Ventura and by the time I was half way home, I noticed
> that my headlights were dimming and I didn't have any turnsignals-but
> the red ign light never came on. Car died 25miles from home, AAA came
> out and the guy was really nice, trying to trouble shoot the car. It
> was then that I noticed that the ign light didn't light up at all when
> I turned the key. Got home (with my last AAA free call) and put the
> battery on the charger. Noticed again after charging that the light
> didn't go on when I turned the key-but at least I had enough charge to
> run the car in daylight.
>
> According to my mechanic, that the ign light didn't come on at all was
> a symptom of a bad altenator. (This one lasted a WHOLE week!) When we
> got the replacement altenator on, guess what? The red light came on
> when I turned the key-as it's supposed to.
>
> Nigel's getting a voltmeter from Radio Shack for Christmas!
>
> Laura G.
>
>
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