CITRUSHARK Posted July 23, 2005 Share Posted July 23, 2005 I posted a thread about my new subaru's AC not working. This is the second problem I am posting about(Voltage Gauge). I am thrilled that I was able to get the AC working, and I am lovin this car. But now I am experienceing a few problems. I have changed the vacuum advance module for the tranny, and that made the tranny problem go away. But it didn't help with the idle or the stalling at lights. But I will save that for another post. I thought I should inlude those problems for this post just incase they are related. Anyway, I just noticed this morning(maybe it was the first time[i'm not sure], that the indash voltage gauge is going whacko. It is bouncing from 10 volts to 16+ volts(and back) real fast . It went away after a few minutes, but now it's back, and then went away after a while again. I imagine it will come back again, possibly blow somethin, or ... I don't know Any Ideas as to what could be causing this? Thanks for your help, Citrushark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted July 23, 2005 Share Posted July 23, 2005 a bad alternator typically causes this. you will start to burn fusible links, maybe fuses and maybe computers if you drive it like this. autozone or advanced auto parts (and other parts stores) will test alternators for free (though it may not show it's ugly problems when you're there). make sure the connections at the alternator and battery are good as well. there's a plastic plug on the alternator, check it's condition and that it's not shorting out in some way. my guess is the alternator though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted July 23, 2005 Share Posted July 23, 2005 I agree, I would check the alternator. It sounds like the internal regulator is having trouble. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CITRUSHARK Posted July 25, 2005 Author Share Posted July 25, 2005 Thank you for your input. That was my thought also. However it has a brand new alternator, but that doesn't mean that it cannot be the altenator. I have alot of experience with american cars. But I don't have that much experience with foreign cars. So I wanted check with some of you here to see if there is some other components like a seperate voltage regulator, etc. or if the distributor could be causing this. So I wanted to get some input about any other things that could be causing this. And how to check them. I will be returning the altenator to have it checkednd/or exchanged. But if there are any other components that I can check, please let me know.. thank you for all your help, Citrushark I agree, I would check the alternator. It sounds like the internal regulator is having trouble. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted July 25, 2005 Share Posted July 25, 2005 Your welcome for the help. The alternator voltage should never go past 15 volts. A replacement unit should fix this up. All cars are basically the same though they can do some things a little different from another to perform the same thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWX Posted July 25, 2005 Share Posted July 25, 2005 what car is this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CITRUSHARK Posted August 4, 2005 Author Share Posted August 4, 2005 what car is this? I have A 1987 GL HATCHBACK 2WD, TBI, EA82. 1.8L I just can't believe the bad luck I have been having with this car. Since my last inquiry about the voltage gauge going whacko, the car decided to refuse to start while I was at the market. It was running fine, but when I tried to start it, it started for a second and then stalled. I tried it again and it did the same thing. So I popped the hood to check if there was anything obvious that could have came loose etc.(nothing). So I waited about 5 mins. and it started and ran for about 10 secs. and stalled again. So I tried to start it again, and it ran for a second and then stalled. It did that a couple more times, then wouldn't start at all. So I thought that maybe the something with the fuel delivery had failed like the pump or the filter. So I replaced the filter. But that didn't help. So I waited for about 20 mins. to see if it was a vapor lock. but it still wouldn't start. desperate to try anything, I unplugged the wire going to the air control module on the throttle body. And it started. So I drove it home and when I got it home, I plugged the air control module back in and it ran fine. But to play it safe, I took it off and cleaned the air control module and put it back and plugged it in. I really don't think the air control module had anything to do with it because my research tells me that if the air control is bad, it will still start and run, but it will run rough. So it's been about 4 days and everything was running great. The voltage meter had not been acting up, but yesterday, it started to act up again. And now today, I went out to start the car and it started acting like it did at the market, except it did not stall completly, it acted the same way, but I kept revving the engine and it would just about die, then it would rev back up, then just about die, and revv back up again. It would have died if I didn't revv the engine. So it did that for about 10 mins and then majically went away, and is running fine, except for the voltage gauge still fluxuating. (the voltage does not go over 14,15 volts, so it's not like it's going up to 18 volts or anything, but still, thats messed up! So Anyway, here is a fairly complete item list that has been replaced on this car just in the last few months. New alternator new battery, new starter, new injector new air flow body and meter, new vacuum advance for the tranny new plugs new wires new fuel filter well I just found out that the reset wires for the codes(the white wires by the green wires) have been connected. I have unplugged them and am going to wait to see if any engine lights etc. come on. However, any suggestions as to what I can check to fix these problems would be greatly appreciated, and I will report back in a few days, or as soon as a code comes up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted August 4, 2005 Share Posted August 4, 2005 You may need to replace the fuel pump. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CITRUSHARK Posted July 6, 2006 Author Share Posted July 6, 2006 Just thought I should finish this thread for helping others in the future. I replaced the Altenator and the problem was fixed. Thanks for all of your help:) CITRUSHARK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweet82 Posted July 6, 2006 Share Posted July 6, 2006 Mad Max's old alternator did the same wild swings as your "new" one did. I replaced the alternator and everything was happy again too. Good Luck, Glenn 82 SubaruHummer 84 GL Mad Max 01 Forester Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom63050 Posted July 7, 2006 Share Posted July 7, 2006 Just thought I should finish this thread for helping others in the future. I replaced the Altenator and the problem was fixed. Thanks for all of your help:) CITRUSHARK When my voltage regulator started going, it was reading about 18 volts at the dash gauge. Luckily I noticed it right away. I turned on the lights and heater fan, which drained off some of the juice and got it down to an acceptable level, around 14 I think. Replaced the alternator, problem solved--bad internal VR. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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