Paul

My 91 with 126 K miles has a problem with the electrical system. Volt meter
on the dash wanders on the high side. I have put a voltmeter across the
battery with the engine running and read 14.5 to 15.5 with a steady
frequency. Engine off, battery reads 12.97 volts. Checked the alt at
Autozone on and off the car and its okay,
replaced the voltage regulator just to be sure and it still wanders. Any
ideas? Thanks, Paul.

 

putt@webtv.net

>My 91 with 126 K miles has a problem
> with the electrical system. Volt meter on >the dash wanders on the
high side.

Reading your post brings to mine the age-old adage: if it ain't broke,
don't fix it.
The voltage meter is probably out of calibration, but as long as it
shows a positive charging action, I'd not mess with it further. The
factory supplied guages aren't all that precise. Of course you could
always bring it in and get the existing guage re-calibrated or purchase
a better 'after-market' guage.

Hope this is of some help......

Dave S(Texas)

Steve

That is a high voltage reading, 14.5 should be around the max.
I hesitate to tell you it is the alternator, but I would have replaced them
as a set.


--
Stephen W. Hansen
ASE Certified Master Automobile Technician
ASE Undercar Specialist



"Paul" <paulspencer56@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:sZMne.22121$j51.16902@tornado.texas.rr.com...
> My 91 with 126 K miles has a problem with the electrical system. Volt
> meter
> on the dash wanders on the high side. I have put a voltmeter across the
> battery with the engine running and read 14.5 to 15.5 with a steady
> frequency. Engine off, battery reads 12.97 volts. Checked the alt at
> Autozone on and off the car and its okay,
> replaced the voltage regulator just to be sure and it still wanders. Any
> ideas? Thanks, Paul.
>

aarcuda69062

In article <sZMne.22121$j51.16902@tornado.texas.rr.com>,
"Paul" <paulspencer56@hotmail.com> wrote:

> My 91 with 126 K miles has a problem with the electrical system. Volt meter
> on the dash wanders on the high side. I have put a voltmeter across the
> battery with the engine running and read 14.5 to 15.5 with a steady
> frequency. Engine off, battery reads 12.97 volts. Checked the alt at
> Autozone on and off the car and its okay,
> replaced the voltage regulator just to be sure and it still wanders. Any
> ideas? Thanks, Paul.

15.5 volts is too high, the fact that it cycles between there and
14.5 possibly suggests that there is a diode problem.

Connect your VOM between the alternator output stud and battery
negative, set the meter to AC volts, start the engine, if the AC
voltage (ripple test) is near or above 100mv, there is a diode
problem.

Parts store diagnostics are iffy at best.