i have a 1996 cutlass supreme v6 3.1 my alternator went out on me a few months ago so i changed that as well as the battery at the same time... i was good for a little while after that then the problems started i do have a big audio system in my car my alternator i replaced the original one with was a remanufactured one when i first experienced the problems i went to autozone they do free battery and alternator testing they said the battery was fine but the alternator was putting out 10 regulated volts so i replaced it (came with a 3 yr warranty) then i was good for a week (i do work in a car audio shop so i have a good understanding of car electronics) so then the problems came back so me and the guys i worked with also the guy at autozone thought that the problem could be from the ignition wire that tells the regulator to turn on in the alternator was bad so i ran a brand new ignition wire to the alternator from the ignition that helped a little bit the car wasnt going down as low in voltage i monitor the voltage by the gauge that i put in the dash an auto meter gauge. so i was getting frustrated at this point so i just drove it like that then it really started to irritate me the voltage would get to about 11 volts driving down the road (no lower unless the turn signals were flashing) when it was 11 volts my radio would shut off when i hit the brake. recently i could smell the serpentine belt burning long story short on that the ac compresser was bad so i bought a bypass pulley and cut that out of the situation seemed better the car stays at about 12 volts now running.
i metered the battery with the car off it was 12 volts good when the car was running the voltage would drop by .01 volts kept going down rested at about 11 volts flat so i thought regulator again my theory is that the ac compresser was putting such a strain on the other pulleys that the regulator in the alternator was over working and just died so i replaced the alternator again tonite and the gauge stays at 12 volts now dowsnt go lower, the radio doesnt shut off and it seems good but i know when the car is running the system is at 14.4 volts im wandering if anybody knows anything im at my whitts end with this problem the stuff was all happening with either my radio volume all the way down or the radio off all together
now my alternator is a 110-120 amp alternator and my system max pulls 200 amps
i am buying a second battery for the system in a few days
please help!!!!
Update:and with the system totaly off the problem is still there
Answers & Comments
Verified answer
Ok, are you saying that NOW your reading 14.4 volts while running... that's good, that's what you want.
But your problem is that system. Go to where you brought the main power lead off the batter or fuse box, or wherever you did. Remove it, this will take your system out of the picture. Now see if your vehicle runs ok with your new alternator. If it does, go return the alternator you just bought and find one rated at 250 amp ATLEAST.
*** ADDED ***
I didn't say "off" I said unhooked. There is more than an over current condition concern here, there may be a hard fault in your audio system. No go unhook it completely and see if your problem still exists.
It doesn't matter if you put 10 additional batteries in your car, if the charging system cannot support the load, it will eventually drain them and you will be sitting back in this place asking these same questions.
possibly ask on the car group this is the car audio group and pick you vehicle name or get a manual there may be something else in the chain that is causing problems or a poor ground or short or something. or connection to the alternator plug in or otherwise.
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