Wierd Voltage Drop?
01-26-2012, 03:28 PM
#31
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Year: 1986
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Engine: 2.5L turbo, 4.0L tb swap, ported head ect
Green - to clarify things - you get va squeel when the AC is on.
But you still experience this when the AC is OFF?
"""""The voltage drop problem is the same. I've narrowed down its ways.
Any heater setting, no problem
Defroster no headlights, little drop
Defroster and headlights, big drop
Defroster headlights and off road lights, significant power loss"""""
If the belt slips the alternator CANNOT provide enough to power things properly. It has to supplement it with battery power. That's why the voltage drop.
It loses power because the computer senses something's wrong and goes into "limp in mode.
Get a good tight belt on it - you'll see! If it still has trouble with the AC ON then that's a different issue altogether.
I've heard on other forums the Optima's have problems since they moved to Mexico. The good Die Hard's are the best now - American made!
But you still experience this when the AC is OFF?
"""""The voltage drop problem is the same. I've narrowed down its ways.
Any heater setting, no problem
Defroster no headlights, little drop
Defroster and headlights, big drop
Defroster headlights and off road lights, significant power loss"""""
If the belt slips the alternator CANNOT provide enough to power things properly. It has to supplement it with battery power. That's why the voltage drop.
It loses power because the computer senses something's wrong and goes into "limp in mode.
Get a good tight belt on it - you'll see! If it still has trouble with the AC ON then that's a different issue altogether.
I've heard on other forums the Optima's have problems since they moved to Mexico. The good Die Hard's are the best now - American made!
01-26-2012, 04:38 PM
#32
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Year: 1999
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Engine: 4.0L STRAIGHT six
*******UPDATE*******
I think were getting somewhere. After reading rrich's post i went outside to mess around with the ac vs defrost. I turned my defroster on to make sure the volts dropped. They did, but to my suprise the belt started squealing, revved it a lil and it screamed louder (contantly slipping) so i turned the defroster off and it immediately stopped squealing. I turn the ac on and it did the exact same thing as above ^.
Heres the interesting part (i think).
In doing this i realized something for the first time. The belt ONLY slips when the volts drop. I realized this when i had the ac on and i was giving it a few kick revs. Right in the middle of a pretty loud squeal the volts jumped back up and the belt immediately stopped squealing. So i kept doing what i was doing when it was squealing and sure enough as soon as the volts dropped below like 12 like clockwork the belt started squealing again. I then turned the ac off and the defroster back on and the it did the same thing; the belt only squeals when the volts drop low.
So does this change everything or validate something that has already been said? Personally im wanna think ac related but im definitly not sure.
I truly appreciate the extended helpfulness guys thanx again.
I think were getting somewhere. After reading rrich's post i went outside to mess around with the ac vs defrost. I turned my defroster on to make sure the volts dropped. They did, but to my suprise the belt started squealing, revved it a lil and it screamed louder (contantly slipping) so i turned the defroster off and it immediately stopped squealing. I turn the ac on and it did the exact same thing as above ^.
Heres the interesting part (i think).
In doing this i realized something for the first time. The belt ONLY slips when the volts drop. I realized this when i had the ac on and i was giving it a few kick revs. Right in the middle of a pretty loud squeal the volts jumped back up and the belt immediately stopped squealing. So i kept doing what i was doing when it was squealing and sure enough as soon as the volts dropped below like 12 like clockwork the belt started squealing again. I then turned the ac off and the defroster back on and the it did the same thing; the belt only squeals when the volts drop low.
So does this change everything or validate something that has already been said? Personally im wanna think ac related but im definitly not sure.
I truly appreciate the extended helpfulness guys thanx again.
01-26-2012, 09:35 PM
#34
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Year: 1986
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Engine: 2.5L turbo, 4.0L tb swap, ported head ect
tighten the belt like rich is saying, and if it still does it that means your AC cluch is toast and you need a new one.
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