what voltage should i be running at idle?
 

i havfe an autometer voltmeter, and it says that i have aroun 10 or 1q1q volts when the lkey is in the on posi tion, but then when i get i;t stzarted and the motor idles, it goes to about 13 or 142. is this acceptable?

Re: what voltage should i be running at idle?
 

Which one is it 13 or 142? Lol, well 13 or 14 is good while running. Thats what I see on my turbo timer while the car is running.

yeah, 142 would a lil much i guess. lol what do you get when you put the key in the ignition and turn to the on position?

Ok I went and checked for you(aren't I nice lol) and I get 12.4 with the key to the on position. Turned the headlights on with the car off and it dropped to 12.1. I do have a brand new battery though. All that shows you is that my battery is stronger than yours. How old is yours anyways?

A brand new battery with no draw should be resting at 12.6 volts.

The car running to charge that battery you would need 13.2 volts minumum, preferably 13.6 volts +.

A new or rebuilt alt should have the voltage at 14.4 to 14.6 volts.

Anything under 12.6 volts while running and you're draining the battery.

above 15 volts is bad!

You should have at least 12V with the ignition on, and then ~14V with the engine running. Much less and I'd get your alternator check out.

But only the alternator if you see less than 14 while running. Has to be the battery or a short causing you to see only 10v with the key to on .

well, i just got a new battery, it is one of the optime gel packs. it was donated to me. so you are saying that i may have a ground problem or an alternator problem? easiest way to test alternator? any usual ground problem culprits?

I always get 13-14 when idle, 12 when startup. But that is reading w/ a stock gauge....

i am not reading with a stock gauge. and also, i have 3 autometer gauges and the electric fan pulling power as soon as i turn the ley to the on position. coild that be part of the problem?

If you don't have an alt tester, then you will need to remove it and take it to the local autoparts store. Most can check it for you.

I would be checking the alt before anything else.

Optimally, it should be around 13.9-14.2 with the car running and no load on the electrical system. Anything under 13 and you need to look at the alternator circuit. The ECU is designed to run within a certain voltage, not enough and shes not happy.

The gauges draw nothing, and your fan is wired wrong.

the gauges have lights and they are electricla gauges, so are they not pulling power? and as for the fan, i am going to rememdy that problem as soon as possible

SFA :D

ok, i will tell everyone once again....i don;t know the abbrevaitions for msot for most of the shit on my car. so waht the hell is SFA? :)

Sweet F**k All!