celbii

iTrader: (2)

Edit: S4 vert
So when I was coming home from my Gf's house last night all was well, I got off the highway, and about 30 seconds later when i started braking i noticed my radio turned off. Very weird I thought, it came back on after a few seconds and I stepped on my brakes again and it turned off again. Then I noticed when I stepped on my brakes it drained my volts crazy fast. Luckily i was pretty close to home. So I made it home mostly down shifting and ebraking.

So When i got home i kept looking at it a bit, when i pushed on my brakes again it would drain the voltage and when i let go it would go right back up. I started playing with my headlights, and when i would turn them off and back on the voltage would just drop almost to the bottom gauge. I ended up turning them off and stepping on the brakes to see if that would do anything and then the car just died.

After a few minutes i started it back up and when I stepped on the brakes it wouldnt drain the voltage that much anymore but it still cut off the radio for a few seconds. However when i turned on the headlights the voltage would still drop almost to the bottom almost killing the car. Well i went inside to go to sleep since it was too dark to do anything anyways.

Now this morning I had to go to school so I started up the car and everything fine and the brakes were still cutting of the radio for a few seconds if i pushed the pedal(Note if i held it down the radio would still come back on in a few seconds with the pedal down) and the headlights would instantly drop the voltage. So i drove the 15 miles to my tech school and right before i got there i thought i would test the headlights again and i turned them on and it killed the car. Luckily i was able to get it started again while it was still rolling, however i noticed that when i stepped on the brakes now it Did NOT cut off the radio anymore it was kinda normal again. The headlights still are just dropping the voltage.

Does anyone have any idea what is causing this? Heres a list of things i did the night before last. I would really appreciate it if someone has any insight because im completely lost!

new NGK spark plugs and wires
new koyo radiator
New OEM thermostat (cap leaks a little bit ordering new one today)
new intake
tightened alternator belt since it was a little lose
tightened airpump belt since it was a little lose

celbii

iTrader: (2)

I cant edit now, But i forget to add when the car died earlier when i turned the headlights on when i was near my school,I noticed after i turned it back on It also reset the clock as if one were to un hook the battery. Just thought i would toss that information in there.

Elbi

iTrader: (1)

One of your battery cables is extremely loose and wanting to unhook. Your lucky it still started..or are you?

Spock

iTrader: (2)

agreed check the battery cables.

celbii

iTrader: (2)

Well Visually the cables looked perfectly fine, regardless after school i decided to take them off and take of the ground the the battery cables to the body on the left shock tower, sanded it down a bit bolted it back up and put the cables back on and it seems back to normal now. At least i hope...

Icemark

bad or disconnected alt.

You have classic voltage issues. If it was a battery cable (as several have suggested) you wouldn't be able to drive at all when the alt failed.

You can confirm this by checking the voltage (after all the 88 vert has a volt meter right on the dash). With the engine running the voltmeter should be showing at least 13.5 volts and preferably 14.4 volts... if it is 12 volts or less, then the car is running on the battery not on the alternator.

And BTW: if you overtightened the alt belt, you will waste the bearing inside which will kill the alt pretty quick.

celbii

iTrader: (2)

The belt was pretty lose before, I don't think its too tight now. And just at idle with nothing running i get at least 13.5. When i start turning everything on the volts drop. For whatever reason after i played with the battery cables and that ground it is okay now. I'll see if the problem comes back tommmrow though.