It's not consistent. After shutting it down for 5 minutes. The alternator seemed to be charging at the 13.2 level at startup.

As for how I'm monitoring, I have a plug in to the cigerette light that reads volts. I've been monitoring it for a month and it ranges from 13.2 to 13.8. This is the first time I've seen the light dim (interior and headlights) and the reading to go into the 10's. It's occassionaly dipped into 12.8 range, but never this low.

My theory is that the alternator has had a bad spot in it. What I've read about them in the past is that they actual have three phases that they charge in (I'm probably screwing up the specifics on this but hopefully someone can explain better). Something like two positive and one negative. Together, they provide the DC of 13+V. If you loose one of these phases, then it still charges, but capacity is severely diminished (to all the EE's out there, go easy on me - I was a mathematics major). If on startup I didn't received the correct current, the capacitor on the instrumentation panel would not get the proper current and would not turn the warning lights off.

Now, the only way to truly know for sure is to replace the alternator (I doubt a bad relay would cause this condition of 10.8V charging.

As always, I'm open to suggestions.



Michael

Bad voltage to the cigarette lighter does mean bad voltage anyplace else, unless you carefully go through and make the cigarette lighter circuit "perfect" clean all the connections etc. related to it all the way to the battery connection. Otherwise any of the connections between it and the battery that is weak or dirty will give you voltage fluctuations on all the points farther from the battery than the weak connection.

If your cigarette lighter connection is great, then those $5 testers are very handy. I used to keep one in each of our cars and it never failed to catch a problem battery or alternator.

Agreed. However, with the interior lights dimming, the headlights dimming, and the voltage meter on the dash showing low power, I'm guessing something is going wrong beyond a bad connection.

By all means test the voltage elsewhere - but it sounds like you have a problem - the problem sounds like an intermittent alternator regulator. If you ever really get less than 12v the alternator is not generating anything and you are running purely on the battery.

If your charging light come on in the bulb test mode - that is not the problem (and its just a bulb/resistor no capacitor - a very basic circuit).

There is no "bad spot" on the alternator - it always rotating when the car runs. The three phases are always connected together via diodes to drive the output and all three are always operational - a failed phase can result in a lower average output but it will not vary like this without some other intermittent effect (it will however be better at higher rpms than at idle).

If these voltage reading are correct take it out and have it tested at a good alternator shop - it still may only be the regulator the cheapest solution. The phase diodes can also be changed out...

Have your battery tested at the same time - perhaps something (battery?) is killing the regulators?

Do you have the shroud on and the airflow tube installed - if not fix that - the regulators do not like to overheat...

Alan

I think the newer "in car" testers that hook up to the battery, or my guess our boost post, look at the waveform or ripple in the power and can detect bad diodes etc.

If you get yourself one of those cigarette lighter adapter with a long cable and battery clips you could use the tester you have now.
Adapter - Cigarette Lighter - Female To Battery Clips
ToolSource#: 50963
Manufacturer#: B9017LA $2.96
http://www.toolsource.com/adapter-cigarette-lighter-female-battery-clips-p-50963.html

So, my alternator was going bad. It's now been fixed and it charges fine.

Next step is clean the grounds on the pod. I'm told that is something I can do without having to pull the pod. I'm actually helping a guy this weekend pull his pod (lighting upgrade) so I can learn how to do it.

Once I get the pod off, what should I be looking for?

It seems that my problem with the lights only occur
A) when the car is warmed up and the abient temperature is above 55 degrees
B) when I turn the ignition to the position before start, all lights are on with the exception of the top right light (brake fluid I think).

When I have those conditions present, I can pretty much guarantee that all the lights will stay on after starting.

And, why does the warning light sometimes flash, while other times it just stay on without flashing? It's truly a weird occurence.

Michael

Alan,

isn't there something about ALL the pod warning lights needing to work properly to get the general warning off? Could the problem be related to the fact the the top-right light (whichever it turns out to be) is no longer functional?

Would replacing the light and cleaning the electrical connections not be the first stop?

Michael, this might be overkill, but: http://members.rennlist.com/sharkskin/Pages_SA_R22-PodElectricalRefurb.htm

OK. So, I performed my first pod removal procedure today. Not real interested in doing it ever again. Not horrible, just not easy to get it all back together.

I purchased, from our host, a new ignition switch before I removed the pod. Figured I might as well replace while I was in there.

Cleaned all the bulb contacts per every ones directions. They didn't look bad but I definitely got some junk on the eraser so I'm sure that helped. I also cleaned the resister / capacitor that is connected on the panel (I believe it has something to do with charging).

Found that the heater pipe that runs to the door was off. Put that back where it was suppose to attach.

Upon replacement of the electronic ignition switch, found that there was some type of oil in the ingition switch mechanism. I cleaned out the oil and wiped it down. Then sprayed some electrical cleaner in there and rewiped. Not sure where the oil came from but wonder if that could have caused a problem if the oil in there was creating some type of contact that wasn't suppose to exist. Hard to say.

Long story short, not sure if I fixed it or not. Will have to wait and see if the warning lights fail to go off again. If fixed, then one of the things, or all of the things, I performed worked.

Nothing else, my confidence grows on working on the car. The 911 is still much easier to work on, however the 928 is now manageable.

Michael

Not all the pod lights are warning sources - so no. Certain ones are - varies by year - the owners manual will clue you to which ones.

Not all the warning/indicators are tested by the bulb test - only the ones you can't easily activate manually (so usually not marker only, high beam, turn signals, trans etc) if these burn out nothing happens. These are usually green/blue status indicators.

The amber or red illuminated warnings are usually associated with the central warning system so for these yes in that a real failure may exist that causes the the central warning to be active and you don't ssee the indicator. However the indicator bulb being burned out is not a cause for a central warning.

Alan

Update. Didn't fix it.

So, I'm guessing computer problem. Now I just need to find a warning bulb computer I can borrow to check if that fixes it. It's a strange beast.

Michael

Resolution:

It was the computer (warning bulb computer)? The one that sits under the dead pedal. I got a new / used one from Roger at 928Rus and no more problems with dash lights acting up.

Of course, now I had a tensioner light coming on. I started a new thread on that one. Seems the connection is broken.

Anyway, if you get some strange warning lights coming on, it just might be the computer. Plus, it's the easiest thing to check by trying a known good one. I'll open the one I have up when I get a chance and report back if I see anything unusual.

Thank you everyone for all of your ideas. It's the collective experience of the board that makes it valuable.

Michael