peterlbrown

So I'm a roadie. I'm out for a month to 3 or 4 months at a time. My car sits for that time in my garage.
It seems that every time the car sits my alternator or the regulator in my alternator goes bad.
I could in all honesty be getting a run of bad luck with regulators but chances for that are slim.
I am checking the battery voltage- it's a solid 12v dc as it should be but my volt meter in my dash is telling me something different.
The car starts perfectly with a jump- will run solid for a while but after a bit of driving the voltage starts to drop while it's running unless I hold the idle up.
For the life of me I cannot figure out what is going on here and it's becomming a bit of a hassel having to jumpstart my car every morning.
Thanks of any insite or help on this anyone has to offer...

so here is more info per the rules of posting...
car= 82' rx7 gsl
recent repairs- new battery (8months ago)
new alternator (1 year ago, 3 months after that, and 1 week ago)
new plugs and distrobuter cap and wires (4 months ago)
new clutch and master cylinder (1 year ago)

the symptoms- car won't start- all dash lights active but dim, voltage in battery= 12v dc, start making clicking sound more than likely because it's not getting the proper voltage, dash volt meter showing about 9-10v dc and less when I try to start the car
after jump starting- car runs solidly for a while (a while varies- I usually drive about 20 miles after this happenes) volt meter in dash starts showing lower voltage- can only maintain 12v in the dash by keeping car idle high, head lights dimming and showing a drain on the voltage as does the heater or anything on the interior that uses electricity)
I know it's the regulator in the alternator I just for the life of me figure out why this is being a repeated problem.

Thank you for any and all insite into this issue

Peter Brown

bugman1973

throw a second gen alt. on there like a 70 amp one or the 80 but it has to be slightly rewired. its not hard its in the FAQ though

z10

I'm not sure about the alternator but I confident that your battery does not like to sit for 3 months. Go buy a "Battery Minder" off ebay. It will set you back about $40. I would also buy a battery islolater that you mount on the positive battery post. When the car is in storage, turn the **** on the isoloater to remove it from the circuit, then plug you battery minder in and walk off.

I have a 69 Camaro that used to drive me crazy when the battery wouldn't start. I would charge it and it would start fine as long as I drove the car everyday. But put it away for several weeks or months and I had to start this whole process over, and over, and over. I bought the battery minder and the batter isolater and it will start every time I use it.

Give it a try.
Kris

budrud

So whats the voltage, with your meter, when the car is running, should be 13.5 or better? Sounds more like the battery or a dead short to me. Disconnect the negative terminal and check the voltage between the cable and the - post, oh pull the fuse for the clock/ cigarette lighter first, should read zero or nearly. If you show voltage you have a short somewhere. I know your battery is pretty new but these cars need a good battery =read expensive-.

trochoid

iTrader: (6)

If your car is sitting for 3-4 months at a time, disconnect the battery. Your battery should be showing over 12v, get it load tested, then check all your cable connections.

locopr1

The simplest answers are usually the correct ones. Most likely you are experiencing rundowns from the car and battery sitting for long periods. It is too much coincidence that you are gone for weeks at a time AND that your alternator would be going bad. Lead acid batteries suffer from lack of use and need to be reconditioned after sitting. Z10's suggestion sounds like the winner to me.

mikewoodkozar

Call me crazy, but just because the bat is going dead does that mean you should be killing alternators? I dunno, if it were me i would be looking for other issues/problems, but maybe i am wrong, just a thought

peterlbrown

the battery is not dying- thusly my saying the battery is holding it's 12v dc consistantly. I'm an electrician by trade- I have a base knowledge of electrical which is why I know the voltage regulator which is within the alternator is going bad. It's been tested both by me and by an alternator testing machine.
I simply cannot find the source of the voltage regulator going bad.
I've looked over the componants inline of the regulator and there is nothing that can actually damage a regulator especially with dc voltage.

peterlbrown

well as I said- the battery is fine- I am losing the voltage regulator in the alternator