so I had my a/c fixed today, awesome! well....kinda

So before I get started lemme say that my car is missing the bellypan and I have purchased one from someone on this forum and am waiting to receive it and install it...
That being said. The car is running hotter now, hot enough for concern. I know I need to get that bellypan on but other than that, what kind of cooling system upgrades are good to do? I dont really think a cooler thermostat is gonna fix a problem because it seems the temp isnt maintaining the current thermostat temperature, I think this issue may be above that, but not sure where to start honestly.

Secondly, Im having charging issues. The car is an S4 upgraded to an S5 alternator. I'm gonna go to autozone and have the alternator tested this evening after work, but I've also heard of adding better wiring to the existing wiring...a power directly from the battery to the power post on the alternator and upgrading the battery ground off the battery to the chassis. Anything else I should be aware of? I know there is an FD alternator upgrade but I'm trying to make due with what I have for now. The car will run 13.8volts with no accessories on, but drop to 12.2 with the blower motor on max and the a/c clutch engaged....will go lower with headlights on and on the brakes...eek!

I would appreciate your input on my issues. Thanks in advance.

 

Something strange is up if you're seeing a big electrical draw when using the AC. Find out exactly what was "fixed" by whoever did the work for you. The AC compressor runs off mechanical power, not electrical, so you should see a draw on hp and a increase in water temp only.

How does it run with the AC off? Does your overheating and low voltage issue go away? If not, maybe there's a short that's causing a constant power draw.

 

the a/c compressor is mechanical, yes. But the blower motor is electrical. The blower motor is pulling amperage and causing the draw.

I tried to bolster the charging system yesterday by adding 4ga wire from alternator to the battery and then running a 4ga wire from the battery ground to the chassis. Have seen people mention this before. I didnt notice any immediate differences.

Had Autozone test my alternator and they said it was fine. Buddy of mine thinks that just because the voltage checks fine doesnt mean that the current draw (amperage) is sufficient. Any thoughts?

 

What I'm saying is the blower motor is too small to pull enough amps for you to notice a voltage drop. I've never seen my 12V gauge dip at all when the AC is turned on, and neither should you.

 

Hey, have you removed the airpump? Your belts might be slipping.

 

airpump is removed. Read about a "yoo-hoo" belt mod or something of the like on 1300cc.com. I dont see any belt slippage though. The belts are new, there's no belt dust and the belts dont look shiney which would help diagnose slippage. I dont see any slippage, but I suppose that could be a possibility. I am running a dual belt setup, that helps as opposed to a single belt.

I need to get my undertray in and on the car and hopefully that will help things.

 

added a 4ga power wire from alternator to + post on battery and ran a 4ga wire from battery - to chassis. Didnt seem to make much help.

I'm gonna start sorting through the vehicle grounds and hope can find some stability there. Gonna clean ground contact points and check the wires themselves. Had Autozone test the alternator and they said its charging fine.