alternator going out????

[reptilla]

so the other day i go to my truck after not driving it for a few days and go to start it and it wouldnt start so i got a new battery and wammo it started right up. now when i start it it the morning the in dash volt meter goes to 14v but after a bit it goes to about 12.5 to 13 but yesterday at night with head lights on it made it down to 10v this is the first time its done that and it was after the new battery which is an optima yellow top. so does the fluctuating volt meter point to a bad alternator???

 

[98nightmare]

Go to a parts store that offers free testing, they can pin point the problem with your charging circuit in about a minute. Will save you allot of time and possibly money instead of trien different things. An old trick also with an alt, is remove the positive battery terminal while its running.. if it shuts off or dies down a little the alt is bad or weak. But id still just go get it tested for free

**EDIT** you just pop the hood and they hook the box to your batt. simple and fast

 

[Fobroader]

x2 What nightmare said. Get it checked at a parts store.

 

[reptilla]

but is that kind of fluctuation in the volt meter normal????

 

[Fobroader]

Nope, my flickers with the turn signals, but around 14Volts +/- .5volts, 10 volts is a huge drop

 

[silverado13]

sounds like alternator taking a ****, my alternator and battery both went out within 5 miles of each other,

 

[97sierra]

yea i just went through that same problem the volt meter was all over the place and when it was cold, like -35C, it would give off this terrible whine. since i changed it it hardly ever moves off 14

 

[reptilla]

ok so new battery and alternator and the volt meter is still all over the place...it starts at 14v then down to about 13v then to about 11v for a bit then back to 14v for a while.....wtf??? im at a loss, i have no idea whats happening. someone please help

 

[NAST96]

Just out of curiosity did you clean your leads really good? Check your wires and connections and make sure they are legit. Someone on here will know some other things to try.

 

[silverado13]

might be an open or short curcuit somewhere