Guest Posted August 31, 2002 Share Posted August 31, 2002 Hey all, I need expert info here. Today I drove my Monte 50 miles on the interstate with my voltage guage reading under 10 volts which is as low as it goes and every once in awhile it would spike up to 12 and then back down....I shut the car off for 4 hours then took off back home another 50 miles. All ran fine!!!! but the voltage guage still read under 10 volts and every once in awhile it would spike up to 12 and back down again...Since i've been home this evening I have started it up 4 times and tested my headlights etc and they are running strong! I took off the alternator and the regulater and took them to AutoZone to have them test. They are fine!!!! I've checked all my connections to the alternator, regulator and battery and all is fine. The connections to my Voltage guage seems to be fine too..... What else can I try? There is a show that's 40 miles away from my home tomorrow and I plan to go. Any last minute things to try????? Thanks. Lon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Boczar Posted August 31, 2002 Share Posted August 31, 2002 When you turn on the lights does the gauge drop at all? Could it be the tension on the fan belt? Also, check the positive junction block on the radiator support where the small wire from the positive battery cable goes to.HTH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 1, 2002 Share Posted September 1, 2002 Nope. When I turn on my lights the guage does not go any lower. I am running an HEI distributor if that matters regarding anything. I just want to knwo my car is going to STAY running so long as I don't shut it off. I can handle getting a jump start but I just don't want EVERYTHING to go dead while I'm driving it and the motor stop running.... Lon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PDQ 70 Posted September 1, 2002 Share Posted September 1, 2002 Hey Lon, I'm glad to hear that you made it home ok. I hope the links that I e-mailed help you kill the problem. Good luck! ------------------ Frank Z. 1970 Monte Carlo Project 1970 El Camino SS 396 project http://www.geocities.com/my1970ss/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wallaby Posted September 1, 2002 Share Posted September 1, 2002 My first guess is a battery problem. You could have an internal short in that battery, and the problem could be intermittent. A low water level in the battery could also do that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KLASSIK1 Posted September 1, 2002 Share Posted September 1, 2002 Put a new alternator on they will sometimes test fine and still operate in this manner just had the exact same problem , took the alt back for a second test that time it failed Leo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superstk Posted September 1, 2002 Share Posted September 1, 2002 Start the car and use a voltage tester across the battery terminals. If the voltage reads 12.5V- 14V your alternater is fine. Means your charging. Is this your factory voltage meter? If so, it could be a loose wire at the meter or other end. It may also be a cracked wire which with normal road and engine vibration is intermittently opening and closing the circuit. If you can, run 2 wires to battery with a voltage meter. Install a temporary switch on positive wire to turn on/off voltage meter. Watch the new voltage meter, if it reads continous voltage above 12.5Volts then it is your other voltage meter or wires to it or possibly the voltage regulator. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 5, 2002 Share Posted September 5, 2002 Thanks for the info, guys. I ended up buying a voltage meter and first tested the battery both with the car not running and running. All was around 12-13 volts. Then moved to the alternator with the car running and it tested 14 volts or so. Then moved to the actual voltage meter on my triple guage set that is readin (10) volts and hooked the new voltage reader up to it. She runs about 12.5 volts!! So, It looks like I have a bad ground on my triple guage voltage meter OR my guage it bad. Again, thanks. Lon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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