low voltage

[350calais]

Hey everyone I have 84 cutlass calais with a 350 sbo and my voltage stays at about 12-11 volts and then it drops when I turn on the radio or headlights or anything electrical and I don't know what's the problem I have a new battery and alternator can someone plz help

 

[johnson350]

I used to have a similar problem.

My old alternator started going bad last year, so I bought one at advance auto. My car ate it within a week, then replaced it with ANOTHER one, then a few days later the Volts light comes on dimly, and replaced that one, and so far this one is a good one. Seems to be an issue with them, IDK if you bought remanned or what but it seems like some remanned ones are bad from the getgo.

 

[pontiacgp]

sounds like the alternator may not have been excited and isn't charging

 

[350calais]

Yea it was a remanned, only reason I bought it was because the old one was done for and I had to get one because my car was on the other side of town for a week and they gave me a shity 60 amp and it was from advance auto

 

[350calais]

Just gave me another reason to buy another, was looking to upgrade anyway, can't run four 12s with a 60 amp

 

[BPTTONE420012]

keep in mind, your alternator only puts out about a third of its power at idle... wont put out its max amps till about 3k rpm... but, if i was you, i would upgrage, especially running all those subs...