Alright guys....You gatta help me find this problem!

**Gen5Roadster** · 09-19-2005, 01:04 AM

Alright this is what i know so far. Latey my celica's (91 gt-s) charging system has been really messed up. There apears to be a draw comming for somwhere that is killing the battery and the altinator. I have had a brand new altinator build for me, its 90 amp up 10 amps for the stock one. And i have a brand new yellow top Optima battery as well. Now when i start the car everything seems to work fine. The volts comming out from my battery at idle is about 12 volts. Whichi is a little low, but as soon as you rev a little it shoots up to around 14, which is perfect right? That means its charging. remember this is only when the altinator is cold. Shortly after you start the car, my altinator begins to get hot. Right away at idle the volts drop down to arouns 11.5, which is very low, and when you rev its only going up to around 12! The longer you drive, the more power you slowly begin to lose. WTF? When the altinator gets hot it seems to be drawing from the battery instead of charging it. Or at leats thats what i think is going on. Now i have taken it to two different people and they bothy cant find anthing wrong with the wiring. Has anyone else had this kind of problem with their celicas? I mean i need a car, so if i cant fix this problem fast, im gunna have to sell my car, i repeat gunna have to sell my car. And I really sdont wanna do that! So any help or comments would be great. IM COUNTING ON YOU GUYS!!!!!! COMMON!!!

im kidding, please help! lol

Nick

**Pineapple** · 09-19-2005, 08:59 AM

I'll say they didn't rebuild the alternator right. You should have 14V at idle. You should never see 12V from a working alternator.

**CiRiS91GT** · 09-19-2005, 04:17 PM

thats what i would have concluded... the only other possibility would be a short or wiring problem but there is no evidence of a wiring problem being it that you arent changing anything as you drive... (ie. lights turning on, radio on/off, high-low beams, A/C... anything that would alter the electrical system as you drive.)

do you have a volt meter to manually check the output of the alternator at idle?

**Gen5Roadster** · 09-20-2005, 12:36 AM

well i havent checked the altinator itself only the battery when the car is on.
I dont really know how to check the altinator, however i do have the right tool to check just dont know where to touch the two thingies two! lol

what do i have to touch on the altinator to get a reading?

**TopSecretFC** · 09-21-2005, 03:10 AM

almost every auto shop will test a battery and alternator for free ...your battery should read 12V with the engine off.

a good way to test the alternator is load test it while having a multimeter hooked up to the battery. *run it with no accessories on, then 1 by 1 turn on the radio, wipers, headlights, heater, a/c, etc. until you have run them all together.

**CiRiS91GT** · 09-21-2005, 08:20 AM

if they wont do it for free... find a new mechanic

**Gen5Roadster** · 09-21-2005, 05:45 PM

ok so I talked to martin and he told me to get my atly and battery tested at canadian tire. I did, and everything works. So I spent all day today testing for draws. Now im new to all this electrical shit os bare with me on this one. When your testing for draws you have to leave your battery connected still right? Cuz if thats the case then this is what i found.

The light lit up for these fuses in the main fuse box next to the battery

40A AM1 15A EFI 30A RTR 15A HAZ-HORN 20A DOME

The light lit up alos for the main HORN fuse in the small fuse box right next to the altinator.

NOW is all this normal, or are these all draws that are probably killing my altinator???

**TopSecretFC** · 09-21-2005, 06:03 PM

What do you mean by lit up? *A fuse checker will light up as long as the fuse is still good. This won't tell you if you have a current draw though.

Yes the battery remains connected, with the engine off. *If you google the topic you will find some how-to's on detecting a draw.

**Gen5Roadster** · 09-21-2005, 06:14 PM

i dont think i was using a fuse checker i was using a thing that looks like a screw driver and it has an aligator clip on it for its ground. I would ground it to metal then take the actual fuse out, and then touch the metal were the fuse would go in. and in some cases the screwdirver thingy would light up.

Is that a draw?

**Gen5Roadster** · 09-21-2005, 06:14 PM

i dont think i was using a fuse checker i was using a thing that looks like a screw driver and it has an aligator clip on it for its ground. I would ground it to metal then take the actual fuse out, and then touch the metal were the fuse would go in. and in some cases the screwdirver thingy would light up.

Is that a draw?

**TopSecretFC** · 09-21-2005, 10:46 PM

I think the fuse needs to be in so that the connection of the wire is complete. That is why if you blow a fuse that accessory wont work. I'm not sure about how that tool works but I usually use a multimeter to test the resistance.

09-19-2005, 01:04 AM	#1 (permalink)
Gen5Roadster Posts: 20 Join Date: Dec 2003 Last On: 12-05-2005 02:28 AM	Alright guys....You gatta help me find this problem! Alright this is what i know so far. Latey my celica's (91 gt-s) charging system has been really messed up. There apears to be a draw comming for somwhere that is killing the battery and the altinator. I have had a brand new altinator build for me, its 90 amp up 10 amps for the stock one. And i have a brand new yellow top Optima battery as well. Now when i start the car everything seems to work fine. The volts comming out from my battery at idle is about 12 volts. Whichi is a little low, but as soon as you rev a little it shoots up to around 14, which is perfect right? That means its charging. remember this is only when the altinator is cold. Shortly after you start the car, my altinator begins to get hot. Right away at idle the volts drop down to arouns 11.5, which is very low, and when you rev its only going up to around 12! The longer you drive, the more power you slowly begin to lose. WTF? When the altinator gets hot it seems to be drawing from the battery instead of charging it. Or at leats thats what i think is going on. Now i have taken it to two different people and they bothy cant find anthing wrong with the wiring. Has anyone else had this kind of problem with their celicas? I mean i need a car, so if i cant fix this problem fast, im gunna have to sell my car, i repeat gunna have to sell my car. And I really sdont wanna do that! So any help or comments would be great. IM COUNTING ON YOU GUYS!!!!!! COMMON!!! im kidding, please help! lol Nick

09-19-2005, 08:59 AM	#2 (permalink)
Pineapple Location: Toronto Posts: 4,248 Join Date: Jan 2004 Last On: Today 02:21 AM	I'll say they didn't rebuild the alternator right. You should have 14V at idle. You should never see 12V from a working alternator. __________________ http://photos.yahoo.com/fredericklaw http://members.rankmyride.com/pineapplelaw

09-19-2005, 04:17 PM	#3 (permalink)
CiRiS91GT Location: Toronto, Ontario Posts: 1,758 Join Date: Jul 2005 Last On: 06-28-2008 11:23 AM Vehicle: '91 AllTrac 2nd Vehicle: '91 Celica GT	thats what i would have concluded... the only other possibility would be a short or wiring problem but there is no evidence of a wiring problem being it that you arent changing anything as you drive... (ie. lights turning on, radio on/off, high-low beams, A/C... anything that would alter the electrical system as you drive.) do you have a volt meter to manually check the output of the alternator at idle? __________________ -- 91 Celica GT 89 Suzuki GSX 750

09-21-2005, 03:10 AM	#5 (permalink)
TopSecretFC Posts: 41 Join Date: Sep 2005 Last On: 12-02-2005 07:19 PM	almost every auto shop will test a battery and alternator for free ...your battery should read 12V with the engine off. a good way to test the alternator is load test it while having a multimeter hooked up to the battery. *run it with no accessories on, then 1 by 1 turn on the radio, wipers, headlights, heater, a/c, etc. until you have run them all together. __________________

09-21-2005, 08:20 AM	#6 (permalink)
CiRiS91GT Location: Toronto, Ontario Posts: 1,758 Join Date: Jul 2005 Last On: 06-28-2008 11:23 AM Vehicle: '91 AllTrac 2nd Vehicle: '91 Celica GT	if they wont do it for free... find a new mechanic __________________ -- 91 Celica GT 89 Suzuki GSX 750

09-20-2005, 12:36 AM	#4 (permalink)
Gen5Roadster Posts: 20 Join Date: Dec 2003 Last On: 12-05-2005 02:28 AM	well i havent checked the altinator itself only the battery when the car is on. I dont really know how to check the altinator, however i do have the right tool to check just dont know where to touch the two thingies two! lol what do i have to touch on the altinator to get a reading?

09-21-2005, 05:45 PM	#7 (permalink)
Gen5Roadster Posts: 20 Join Date: Dec 2003 Last On: 12-05-2005 02:28 AM	ok so I talked to martin and he told me to get my atly and battery tested at canadian tire. I did, and everything works. So I spent all day today testing for draws. Now im new to all this electrical shit os bare with me on this one. When your testing for draws you have to leave your battery connected still right? Cuz if thats the case then this is what i found. The light lit up for these fuses in the main fuse box next to the battery 40A AM1 15A EFI 30A RTR 15A HAZ-HORN 20A DOME The light lit up alos for the main HORN fuse in the small fuse box right next to the altinator. NOW is all this normal, or are these all draws that are probably killing my altinator???

09-21-2005, 06:03 PM	#8 (permalink)
TopSecretFC Posts: 41 Join Date: Sep 2005 Last On: 12-02-2005 07:19 PM	What do you mean by lit up? A fuse checker will light up as long as the fuse is still good. This won't tell you if you have a current draw though. Yes the battery remains connected, with the engine off. If you google the topic you will find some how-to's on detecting a draw. __________________

09-21-2005, 06:14 PM	#9 (permalink)
Gen5Roadster Posts: 20 Join Date: Dec 2003 Last On: 12-05-2005 02:28 AM	i dont think i was using a fuse checker i was using a thing that looks like a screw driver and it has an aligator clip on it for its ground. I would ground it to metal then take the actual fuse out, and then touch the metal were the fuse would go in. and in some cases the screwdirver thingy would light up. Is that a draw?

09-21-2005, 06:14 PM	#10 (permalink)
Gen5Roadster Posts: 20 Join Date: Dec 2003 Last On: 12-05-2005 02:28 AM	i dont think i was using a fuse checker i was using a thing that looks like a screw driver and it has an aligator clip on it for its ground. I would ground it to metal then take the actual fuse out, and then touch the metal were the fuse would go in. and in some cases the screwdirver thingy would light up. Is that a draw?

09-21-2005, 10:46 PM	#11 (permalink)
TopSecretFC Posts: 41 Join Date: Sep 2005 Last On: 12-02-2005 07:19 PM	I think the fuse needs to be in so that the connection of the wire is complete. That is why if you blow a fuse that accessory wont work. I'm not sure about how that tool works but I usually use a multimeter to test the resistance. __________________

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