Check list...Now what

[SpinsB]

So I had been having problems with my battery gauge falling down around 10-8 volts when i came to a stop or when the car would hit idle. So I pulled the battery had it checked it came back fine, next pulled the alternator and it also was fine. So now what?? other notes when i turn the key to accesories the gauge reads around 10 volts car starts fine and runs fine other than the volts fall from 13 to 10-8 range once at idle and when it does that the cars runs like a dog. sluggish mods listed in sig

[cammed goat]

Your car is tuned, I hope.

[SpinsB]

yea... why u ask. I seem to be having problems all of a sudden with it sticking throttle(Still looking into) and this voltage thing

[cammed goat]

When I bought my car, the guy who tuned mine lowered the temp required to activate the fans. When my fans click on, my lights flicker at idle, which is normal. Do you run your AC? When the AC cycles the lights will flicker and your gauge will drop. Also normal.

[SpinsB]

i have ran the ac but most of the time no. what my car is doing isnt normal, just dont get what could be wrong or what is wrong

[cammed goat]

Hmmm...have you checked your grounding points? Get yourself a wiring schematic for your car and check the grounding points and see if there is a bad/missing ground somewhere. The only time, in my years of owning cars, when my volt gauges went bad was when the alternator shat itself.

[SpinsB]

That was my hope but took it to autostore and they tested it and it passed.

[cammed goat]

Now...is your alt original or replacement?

[pajeff02]

Have you verified the voltage drop with a handheld volt meter? Could just be your gauge acting up.

[SpinsB]

alt is original, and it cant b just the gauge. the car runs totally diff when the volts drop. almost as if its not running its that bad

[cammed goat]

Have you checked your pulleys? Could be seizing up. Check the tensioners as well.

[SpinsB]

all pullys are good tensioner is good not much play to it but good. Im really at a loss here.

[Redphoenix1998]

K I had experience with this one cause it happened to me a couple times and there are a couple of solutions. First off, where did you get your alternator checked? The reason why I ask is most places that check the alternator will no check the voltage regulator as well. The Reg is in the alternator and can't really be tested on the machine. I know this because I had a bad reg, took it to autozone, and they said it was good. Reinstalled, same issue. Returned it for my money back and got a new alternator. Installed it and problem went away and hasn't been back. The other issue was a bad ground on the alternator itself. There is a ground strap on the back of the alternator mount that goes to the frame. Clean out the single wire connector as well to make sure you have a good connection.

[SpinsB]

alt was checked at orielys and it was not on the car. Going to replace excitor wire and get a new alt. where is a good place to get a cs130d 140amp alt. alternatorparts I cant get ahold of there number isnt working where else can I go

[SpinsB]

Had battery checked was only 43% charged so i charged it over night. Had alt tested off the car and on the car passed both. when car is idling holds 13.8 volts. So I take it out for a drive after testing all and charging battery. Car runs good and volts hold at 13-14ish while driving, once I come to a stop they only differ when the car is running funny looking for an idle(grrrr) but once at idle all is good. The car was tuned last summer and seems to be having a hard time catching its idle, seems to search for it then finds it. if that makes sense in the tune?? or would the iac or tps have todo with that? (sorry guys just relized i have the same post in two different threads)

[JaycenK]

When they test Alts off the car they spin them at more than idle speed. had a new alt with low voltage problems and went round and round with the store and ended up bying a voltage regulator and fixed it my self. they thought it was the key. most times when alts go bad it is just the regulator.