Do you mean amps or volts? A failing alternator once made my volt meter in dash wiggle around.

John

 

 

Look to the alternator. My OEM failed when I was traveling and the repair garage put in a non OEM unit. It works fine expect when it is hot outside with the AC and radiator fans running at a stop light. If you put in park and rev the motor it goes away for a moment. I have lived with this issue for several years and it is just another quirk to the car.

 

No you are right, it is a volts display. I just thought you mentioned amps. Can you get to an autozone and have them check the alternator?

I'm sorry, I don't recognized "tick over", we probably call it something else around here.

John

 

John, that would be 'at idle' - around 650 rpm. Possibly more common this side of the pond?

 

As the voltage regulator mounted on the alternator heats up it could be failing . A Autozone test may not see this at the time of testing . Check for the 2 or 3 wire connector on the existing alternator as it could be corroded or loose . Look for loose terminal connections on both the alternator and the starter that is tapped into as it ties into the rest of the main large battery B + wire run . If you have large B + terminal studs visible they can get loose and lose connection . Take 3 nuts on the terminal stud threads and tighten the outer 2 nuts to each other , this gives you something to hold the terminal stud from spinning so you can tighten the 3rd nut closest to the firewall . This will cinch up the large B + terminal wire eyelet on the blind side of the firewall , it was seen once before .

Questions , Just ask .

 

Who knows what voltage should be from the alternator?
When engine is running I have 14v in lighter dock. At this moment alternator is working,
and for charge the battery he must to give 14.4v in system.
Or 14v?

But usually my battery discharged with in 2-3 monts.
I think what this is from 14v.
Because all modern Ca/Ca batteries must have 16.2v for normal 100% charge.

 

I suspect this is a car designed for normal lead acid.

 

The lead acid battery full charge voltage is 12.75 volts .

The alternator output will be between 13.5 and 14.5 volts .

When the car is sleeping after the shutdown sequence it with read around 30 mA draw so the battery won't maintain a charge forever .

A failed diode in the alternator built in AC to DC rectifier will give you a wiggling voltage meter , But is easier the test the external suppressor which test as a capacitor

A dropping voltage with high electrical load could be the voltage regulator heating up and not keeping up . Or the connection on the started motor solenoid as it ties through there to the rest of the car though the terminal connection could be loose .. .

 

The voltage from my alternator not dropping. But it simply does not rise about 14v.
And short trips not helping with charge my battery. From 1997 year and to present time I have only 52000 miles.
The original battery that came by car from California was the best - it working 12 years - GOD blessed American batteries.

And in my city all new battries at a shops marked as Ca/Ca or AGM and GEL.
From this I bought Ca/Ca and time to time take of it from my trunk and putting for full charge.

 

If it needs a higher charging voltage it is not suitable for the car but you can charge it as you do - just a major pain.