I drove up from San Diego to Los Angeles today and stopped half way for gas...at the gas station my car failed to start back up and I had to get a jump from the attendant. I let the car run for at least 5min to get the voltage back up to 13. Prior to turning off the car the voltage seemed fine as well. Once I got on the freeway again my voltage starts to drop down again eventualy all the way down to 8. My dash goes out and my headlights dim. Finally when I get off the freeway and I'm at a stop light my voltage crawls up a little, but once I start to go it goes back down....it kept doing this at every light. I replaced the battery barely a month ago. So what can it be? My alternator?

 

hey sc82

I'm a so cal 82 t/a owner, just wanted to say hi

 

Thanks Jproz1167 Hi to you too as well.....so can anyone else shed some light?

 

sc

I would check for a dead cell in the battery possibly, my t/a acted like that twice because I failed to bolt the batteries down, also had a alternator that supplied the car with power but wouldn't charge the battery, go figure, get a voltage gauge and test on the back of the alternator theres a 10 gauge red wire, you'll want to see at least 13.5 volts, if your getting battery voltage there while car is running change alternators, or try tapping the alternator with a hammer

 

LOL tapping it with a hammer, you know GM uses this technique and they call it a "tap test", usually for sensors and control modules to check for looses connections inside the components. Now back the topic, it sounds to me like your alternator could be going bad on you and may have taken the new battery with it which happens alot.

 

I bought a little battery and alternator tester thing and my battery was down to 5v...I then tested the alternator after my roomate halp me jump it and according to the thing it was normal. I didin't really see any loose wires and I checked my belts and they were on tight too. After my roomate jumped it this time it even started up after I let is sit a while...something that didn't happen lasgnight after I turned the car off. I'm confused now.

 

the hammer

the great pontiac adjusment tool ..... sc how old are the battery cables mine were the originals, could the alternator be siezing up when hot SC, does the battery sides look buldged, has it been bolted down to the tray, a loose battery knocks the cells loose very easy, mine once cracked the starter solonoid and it kind of did the same thing

 

volts tells you right there the battery more than likely shorted out inside and is causing you some problems and is working the alternator too much will in time burn it up as well. I suggest putting a new battery in it and then retesting it.

 

Thanks everyone for their help...I think I fixed the problem. I took out my battery and alternator today and went to have them checked at a local Pep Boys...both seemed to work right. The battery is like a month old so it didn't surprise me that it wasn't bad, there was no bulgine or anything. So I came back and re-installed the alternator and battery only this time I installed it so the belt would be a little bit tighter than when I took it off. So once I hooked everything back up (I used a wire brush on all the connections to clean everything up just in case) everything seemed to be fine. Volts went up...volts stayed up....I just hope the alternator doesn't come loose again or something. When I had originally checked the belt it seemed tight enough, but ultimtely I guess it wasn't. By the way the alternator was a bitch to put back in for some reason...it only took 5min to take off. Oh well, I hope I fixed the problem. Thanks again