MY GUAGE SAYS THAT I MUST BE LOSING POWER SINCE I HAVE TO CHARGE IT 18 OR THE GUAGE SAYS THAT AT LEAST INSIDE MY CAR IT SHOWS 18 ON THE AMPS. WHATS WRONG

 

if it shows 18 you're over charging, something is putting too much load on the system and that will fry the alternator in short time.

 

if you r trying to read the stock voltmeter it might not b accurate....many factory guages are not.

first thing to do is to check the voltage at charging rpm WITH a good readable/acurate voltmeter and comfirm the numbers.

With a battery that is good and charged...no more than 16 volts....nominally 14.5 -15 with no acessories running.

 

If it shows 18 amps, you need a new alternator. It should put out close to 100 amps. I think you mean volts though, if so it's actually overcharging. You need to measure the voltage at the alt and battery and see what's really going on. If you're getting 18 to the battery, you're going to need a new alternator before you kill the battery(and other things).

 

if the gauge in the car is reading 18 volts you are "overcharging" meaning..bad volt regulator. now if you are reading 18 amps off of the alternator itself it is getting ready to take the big dirt nap. Time to get a new alternator.

 

if your battery is fully chared it should say 12.6

 

i dont really drive my camaro that much maybe 4times a month. but now that im starting to drive it more im starting to notice these things. so i will drive it i guess for another week or so and tehn see waht happens

 

id kinda like to check my alterantor....i have a voltmeter...where do i put which wire??? and what rpms do i run it at to test ???and exactly what should it read?? thanks

 

its in the red in the red whats wrong man somebody tell me wats wrong

 

Black wire of the meter to ground (engine block unpainted surface), red wire to the big terminal on the back of the alt.

Should read mid-12s with the car turned off, 14.2-14.5 with the car running.

 

Just put it across the battery terminals.

 

the needle is pointing at 18

 

Nobody cares about the needle. The factory gauge is not test equipment, it's a trim package.

What does a real voltmeter say?

 

dont know yet

 

went back to 13 after 20 min of driving

 

Rule #1 ... NEVER EVER TRUST FACTORY GUAGES!!!

My ranger read 10 volts when it was acutally 14.

my sister .... "My car wont start" (99 eclipse)
me ... "you have gas in it"
sister .. "gauge says 1/4 tank"
I put about 1/2 gallon of gas in and it starts.

RB83L69 is right, its trim package. They why some cars had the option for a tach and guages instead of idiot lights. Stop drivng that car around before you test it with a good radio shack volt meter. Borrow someones if you have too, heck .. my old mechanic would take 3 min of his time and put a meter on it for free.

 

good mechanic