Ok, I have been battling this issue since I completed the fiero rebuild. I have 14.5v at idle, the alternator was tested at advance auto and passed. Then tested on car and had a peak of... 198??? I think the guy did not know what was going on when he tested it, but I do know the alternator is ok. If I put the blower on, it really puts a strain on the electrical system, brings idle way down, then everything slowly recoops and will stay running. But the whole time, system voltage with a volt meter is 14.2v the whole time! The battery is way oversized, from a Lexus and tests good. 10.2v on a batery load test.
Next problem----
I can drive around for a while, shut off, and the restart is like a dead battery. The car barely turns over, will not start. Let it sit 5 minutes, will spin fast enough to start. Open circuit voltage before the start i always around 13v (due to it just being shut off) and the battery goes to 11V or so when starting. So battery system is ok, charging is ok, all wires for the system are new and so are the big cables. No drops over .1v on the cables.
I figure that the starter is just bad. It has been through alot in the last few months, plenty or cranking where the old battery dipped below 9v while cranking.
I think the starter is bad (cheap part anyways) but I don't know about how bigger electrical load are almost killing the car but the charging system tests good?
Also, I just added two 4 ga. cables, on from intake bolt to right side strut mount, then another to the battery negative. I did that since I didn't like the one from the tranny to the body and never installed it.
IP: Logged
11:05 PM
Feb 2nd, 2009
hklvette Member
Posts: 1439 From: Roanoke, VA Registered: Nov 2007
Keep in mind that the duke is not a very powerful engine, so things you might not ordinarily notice on other cars will drag the duke down. For example, when i turn the headlights on, i spin it up to 1500rpm to supply enough power. Also, could be dirty hot-side connections. I believe there is a thread on how to clean up many of the connections in the engine bay.
IP: Logged
08:21 AM
Pyrthian Member
Posts: 29569 From: Detroit, MI Registered: Jul 2002
one or more of the following: 1> bad starter 2> bad cables/cable connections - tight does not mean good connection 3> bad battery
batteries & starters can be tested for free, and the cables - the ground cable is infiinetly important. and, the stock ground location is dang near impossible to clean.
the heat soak condition - where it is hard to start when hot - is a symptom of all of the above. could be a little of each. but - my bet would be the starter itself & the ground connection.
