Seem to be having the same issue as most of you guys!

T

terccraz05

Member +
Okay well there is a new issue that has come up and need some of your guys input. I was reading about the voltage stabilizers and noticed that most people are having the same issue as me but I think mine is different.

Problem: With the car running I am receiving 14.2 volts to the battery with no acc on except the radio and amp. If I turn the fog lights, headlights, heater to high and the rear window def on the car all the sudden drops to about 500rpm and 11.9-12.2 volts. Also I have 4 aftermarket gauges. Now only two of them are supposed to light up and they do. However when everything is on one of the gauge dims and then gets bright and then dims. Sometimes it doesn’t even come on. I have to turn the lights off then on again to get it to come on. Could this be a power draw???

Process of elimination: I bought a total of two alternators thinking I might have a got a defective one but still same results. I bought optima red top battery, still same problems. I bought a earth kit and it has a total of 7 grounds. Still same problem, I checked the grounds and am reading the voltage from the battery correctly.

What might cause this? I have 4 aftermarket gauges. All four are wired to the ignition 12v and are grounded though the dimmer switch. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
dac69er

dac69er

Super Moderator
being grounded through the dimmer switch is more than likely your problem. i would use a seperate ground mate. link all the grounds for the gauges together and then attach them to some metal that is attached to the body.

most electrical problems are caused by bad grounding points/connections!
 
T

terccraz05

Member +
dac69er said:
being grounded through the dimmer switch is more than likely your problem. i would use a seperate ground mate. link all the grounds for the gauges together and then attach them to some metal that is attached to the body.

most electrical problems are caused by bad grounding points/connections!
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Thank you for that. The gauge works fine now. I still have low voltage readings with everything on. Any idea's?
 
smythy75

smythy75

Member +
Idle control valve....does it want to stay at 500rpm when everything is on, if it does your idle control valve isn't doing it's job correct and not liftin the revs up to accomadate the load!
 
T

terccraz05

Member +
smythy75 said:
Idle control valve....does it want to stay at 500rpm when everything is on, if it does your idle control valve isn't doing it's job correct and not liftin the revs up to accomadate the load!
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So is it something that can be cleaned or replaced in-order to work properly?
 
thefalls

thefalls

Member +
sure you can clean it.Its on the inlet manifold, left when standing in front of the engine bay.Simply unplug,take off from manifold and pry out the metal clips and carefully clean it with some WD40 or similar stuff.I soaked it in WD40 for a few mins.
 
T

terccraz05

Member +
thefalls said:
sure you can clean it.Its on the inlet manifold, left when standing in front of the engine bay.Simply unplug,take off from manifold and pry out the metal clips and carefully clean it with some WD40 or similar stuff.I soaked it in WD40 for a few mins.
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I got it pulled apart and noticed that the copper washer/metal piece was actually broke in one section. Guess it'a time for a new one. What else might cause these low voltage issues though besides that?
 
T

terccraz05

Member +
BlackRocket said:
How old is your battery?

It could be that its just a naff battery which can't sustain load very well!

Steve
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Battery is only a couple months old now. I am also running a 70 amp alternator. I think it may be a grounding issue or something. I bought a grounding kit but still no luck.
 
T

terccraz05

Member +
I started the car this morning 16degree temp outside. I turned the heater to high and the rear window def on. Go inside get ready for work. I come out 15 min later and the car is idling so low it sounds like it wants to die. That would be the Idle control valve (ICV) causing that?
 
SupaStu

SupaStu

Member +
Kind of sounds like it, once the cold start idle has finished mine would go down to about 500 rpm or lower then, occasionally drop so low it would stall. New ICV fitted and it was fixed (£100 from Toyota).
 
T

terccraz05

Member +
SupaStu said:
Kind of sounds like it, once the cold start idle has finished mine would go down to about 500 rpm or lower then, occasionally drop so low it would stall. New ICV fitted and it was fixed (£100 from Toyota).
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Thanks for the help. I ordered a new valve and what do you know it idles better. I also had to adjust the lag time on the EMU and that help settle the idle down.

I still believe I have an electrical issue though. I have 2 aftermarket gauges that light up when I turn the lights on. Sometimes when I turn the light on 1 of the gauges wont turn on but the other one will. Then I turn might lights off and turn them back on and both gauges will light up correctly, but one of the gauges gets dim and then gets bright. It's really weird. The gauges are getting there juice from 12v ignition and are grounding to the body.

Also I still only put out 12.7-12.8 volts with everything on in the car at night heater on high, rear window def, etc...
 
T

terccraz05

Member +
I measured it at 14.2 volts with nothing on and it's measured at 900 rpm. When I up it to 1500 rpm it stays 14.2-14.3 with everything on. As soon as I add more load to the motor it drops to 12.8 but as soon as I drive off it stays at 14.2

When I come to a stop the idle drops again to 900 rpm and 12.8 volts.
 
weeJohn

weeJohn

Lifer
terccraz05 said:
bump need this problem fixed!
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I dont think you really have a problem. If your gauges are not lighting up sometimes with over 12 volts to them, there is either a wiring connection bad in the gauge itself or the wiring connection. They should light with about 10 volts, slightly dimmer but should light.

With all that load on, lights, heater and demister and a few extras, the altenator is going to be getting a hard time at idle, it needs revs to make up for that load. You could fit a bigger altenator, but then that will put an extra load on the engine and cause another idle problem.

I know its winter and we need lights and heaters on, but unless you spend a lot of time at idle during your travels, it seems pretty normal to me.
 
Texx

Texx

Super Moderator
As John has said, it doesn't sound like you have a problem. When checking the voltage output from the alternator you should have the engine running at approximately 2000rpm and expect 13.5-15.1v. I would say the charging system is working pretty well to maintain 12.8v when under heavy load and the engine at idle.
 
T

terccraz05

Member +
weeJohn said:
I dont think you really have a problem. If your gauges are not lighting up sometimes with over 12 volts to them, there is either a wiring connection bad in the gauge itself or the wiring connection. They should light with about 10 volts, slightly dimmer but should light.

With all that load on, lights, heater and demister and a few extras, the altenator is going to be getting a hard time at idle, it needs revs to make up for that load. You could fit a bigger altenator, but then that will put an extra load on the engine and cause another idle problem.

I know its winter and we need lights and heaters on, but unless you spend a lot of time at idle during your travels, it seems pretty normal to me.
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Thank you guys for your responses, I was under the impression that even with load on the motor the alternator should still be putting out 13.5-14.2v

The gauges are weird with one getting bright and then dim again. However this happened to me awhile ago.

I did a 2nd-4th gear pull WOT. All the sudden the car shuts off. We pull over notice there's no spark. We pull the fuse panel kick panel and notice that the gauge fuse popped out. We pushed it back in car started fine. Now would that be from over charging?
 
weeJohn

weeJohn

Lifer
terccraz05 said:
I did a 2nd-4th gear pull WOT. All the sudden the car shuts off. We pull over notice there's no spark. We pull the fuse panel kick panel and notice that the gauge fuse popped out. We pushed it back in car started fine. Now would that be from over charging?
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No mate, thats from vibration, your charging appears to be working fine.
 
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