Electrical Issue

3000-GTO · 01-21-2007, 11:45 PM

I am having a problem when I first start my car up the volts read usually around 9 sometimes less. So my stereo will start to cut out and if my headlights are on they will start to flicker, but if I rev the car up to about 3500 or so the volts rise to about 14 and it is fine until I turn the car off. I had my alternator and battery both replaced and it still does this. So if anyone knows anything about this problem it would be greatly appreciated if you could help me out on this one. I really don't want to have to take it to Mitsubishi to have them diagnose the problem. Thanks in advance.

Linebckr49 · 01-22-2007, 12:37 AM

when replacing your battery and alternator, did you ever have them tested to see if they were bad? autozone and other local chain auto parts stores do these kinds of tests for free. granted, i'm pretty sure you'll have to remove the parts and take it to them. call first, but i don't think they can do an on-vehicle test.

what year model is ur car? how many miles?

VR43000GT · 01-22-2007, 12:42 AM

Does it do it when it is cold too or is it only when the car warms up?

Igovert500 · 01-22-2007, 01:57 AM

Ground wires would be my next guess.

3000-GTO · 01-22-2007, 02:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Linebckr49

what year model is ur car? how many miles?

92 SL about 160000

Quote:

Originally Posted by SL3000gt

Does it do it when it is cold too or is it only when the car warms up?

It does this anytime weither it is cold or warmed up.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Igovert500

Ground wires would be my next guess.

Do they need to just be cleaned? I don't know why when I rev it up it would act normal though...

3000-GTO · 01-22-2007, 02:28 AM

I also read on 3si a week ago about some other people having this exact same problem but no one knew what was the cause of it.

Linebckr49 · 01-22-2007, 02:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Linebckr49

when replacing your battery and alternator, did you ever have them tested to see if they were bad? autozone and other local chain auto parts stores do these kinds of tests for free.

^ ???

3000-GTO · 01-22-2007, 03:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Linebckr49

^ ???

Well the shop that installed it tested them and said they were fine so I'm assuming they are but I guess you never know. But I really don't think that is it when I am not the only one with this problem unless everyone else happened to also get bad alternators installed and batteries.

Linebckr49 · 01-22-2007, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3000-GTO

Well the shop that installed it tested them and said they were fine so I'm assuming they are but I guess you never know. But I really don't think that is it when I am not the only one with this problem unless everyone else happened to also get bad alternators installed and batteries.

i guess you misunderstood my question. i was talking about your supposedly "bad" alternator and battery. did the shop test these? or did they just start replacing parts, hoping to get luck and solve the problem?

Igovert500 · 01-22-2007, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3000-GTO

Do they need to just be cleaned? I don't know why when I rev it up it would act normal though...

Here is my reasoning behind it. If you look at the stock ground wires, tey are pretty crummy. Add 15 years to the equation and they now could be in all kinds of horrible conditions. Perhaps some have broke, and others are worn. The connections are less than ideal, so the alternator must work harder to produce the same power, when you rev higher, alternator makes more power, whereby apparently solving the problem...but not really.

Check out this thread and also the link I posted in that thread. I'd suggest replacing them, either on by your own design, or the kit mentioned in that thread.

3000-GTO · 01-22-2007, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Linebckr49

i guess you misunderstood my question. i was talking about your supposedly "bad" alternator and battery. did the shop test these? or did they just start replacing parts, hoping to get luck and solve the problem?

Oh yeah sorry they did test my old battery and alternator and they were both bad I was there when they did it too so I know for a fact they were bad.

Linebckr49 · 01-22-2007, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3000-GTO

Oh yeah sorry they did test my old battery and alternator and they were both bad I was there when they did it too so I know for a fact they were bad.

ok. just checking. reason i asked was b/c one of my friend's car was going dead all the time. supposedly the battery was bad. so we replaced it...twice. the 2nd time with a higher quality battery. we had ruled out the alternator b/c his dad had it replaced by a shop with a new one recently. well i was very stumped, so i took it to some electrical systems experts. they discovered that the "new" alternator had bad diodes that were leaking. it wasn't actually a new alternator, but rather an old one painted silver! replaced the diodes and it did the trick. just goes to show you can't be very trusting with shops. that's why most of us on this forum work on our own cars.

3000-GTO · 01-22-2007, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Linebckr49

just goes to show you can't be very trusting with shops. that's why most of us on this forum work on our own cars.

Well lucky for me I know the guy who owns the shop so I can trust them.

I forgot to mention one thing that I believe is related to this problem. When my car is off but I have the stereo on it will work fine, but if I crank up the volume it will start to cut out like there is a lack of power just like when the car is on except I can't "fix" it sense it can't be reved up when it is off. I'm hoping getting those ground wires will help with all of this.

POST REPLY TO THIS THREAD