Voltage Problems...

[DTMAce]

Actually (according to the gauge) the center mark is 13V. Basically add 5 to 8, or subtract 5 from 18.... Anyway.

Most of the time our cars that I have seen hover above the half peg at around 14v (supposedly). Without using a volt meter and actually measuring, who knows. Even the gauge can be off. Now, my 94 will actually run below the half peg, even at highway speeds if its hot out. The 95 won't hardly ever flicker or go below the half peg, even at idle, in gear and braked.

So that tells me, there probably is a bad or weak connection someplace in the system on my 94, and probably on yours as well. But yes this is a typical condition of many of this era of GM vehicles. And of Beretta's that I hear about in the forums and elsewhere.

[Lockerz]

@jskiguy Alright I will check that.

[Money pit Beretta]

I was just checking on the RPM's because there can be other problems that would make the idle go too low. The computer would then kick up the idle and that would make the gauge(voltage) jump. Just trying to find out as much as I can. Sure sounds like your ok on those.

[Lockerz]

Okay, so I think I might know what the problem is but i'm not entirely certain...

The voltage problem has been happening only on the driving I do to and from work, the store, etc. all "in city" driving. Also, the voltage doesn't start doing the strange drop unless i've been driving about 15 minutes when the engine starts to get hot. The other day when she stalled at the store I had been driving for about 20-25 min., I parked in a really sunny hotspot not thinking much of it and when I tried to start that's when she stalled. I was able to start her back up again and for a few minutes while I was driving slow to get out of the parking lot she kept wanting to stall again but when I got going at about 30-40 mph down the road the voltage drop was not nearly as drastic as it had been.

I realized this correlation on Saturday when I had taken the car out on and after about 45 min. of "in city" driving the temperature gauge went up about a quarter after the halfway mark (So I guess you could say 3/4 of the way to the top) which made me kind of nervous because it never gets that high when I drive to work and back. It would go down to about the halfway point (normal) when I was driving and at stoplights it started to crawl back up. Though it never went above the 3/4 mark.
Well as it was, I was about to go on the freeway when I noticed this problem. However, on the the freeway at about 65mph for roughly 45 min. the temperature stayed at the halfway point and the voltage stayed up and she ran perfectly.
When I got off the freeway and started driving around "in city" again the same problems that happened earlier started again and I went home.

So now i'm starting to think that it might be my electric fan causing these problems and I didn't notice because I don't usually drive very far so I never noticed the correlation between the temperature and the stalling.

So what's the best method for testing the fan?

[berettaboi]

idle relearn for sure... your car is likely trying to idle too low... when you do the idle relearn you need to wait for the car to get to operating temp, an the rad fan to kick in. the fan does draw a lot of current from the battery/alternator system.

there is likely no problem with your charging system, it's just in direct co-relation with your idle being a bit low.

[spacecadetz26]

Pull the fan out see if its hard to spin or feels like its dragging. or hook 12v to it directly and make sure its spinning fast enough. it may be drawing too many amps if its dragging your voltage down. then its causing you to overheat because its not drawing enough air.

[Lockerz]

Okay, it's definitely the fan. My engine was going up really high in temperature so before it got to the "the point of no return" I took a look at the electric fan and it was not moving. Guess I will have to check if it's the motor or a bad wire later when it's cooled down.

[3X00-Modified]

There is a fan relay to check as well, May be a much easier fix than wiring.

[Lockerz]

Okay, so I finally gave in and took it to the garage and it turns out my head gaskets are corroded. It will be $1500 for them to fix it, which for that price I might as well get a new engine since something else will probably go on it and cost me another small fortune.

I really do not want to junk my car so, i'm open to ideas.

[berettaboi]

keep driving it... why did the mechanic say that? (what did he point out?) gunk in the rad fluid? it happens overtime, should be flushed every 50k or so. if you have oil mixing with your coolant (either brown milkshake like on your oil dipstick and oil cap, or oil floating on top of the coolant in your rad/reservoir), or burning coolant then yes, you have head gasket issues... you may still have a few km left on the engine, but dont push it very hard.

start looking into the 3400 swap (search), it's fairly simple swap and should cost you about the same installed for a used unit with a few fresh gaskets.

[Lockerz]

@berettaboi The receipt from the garage says "Found a lot of brown chunks in coolant & after car warms up coolant gets foamy & we are getting 30-50 hydrocarbons out of coolant recommended New Head Gaskets"

For the 3400 Engine Swap...I searched on google and i'm still lost. I've never done anything like this before so i'm going to need a lot of direction. I'm going to see if I can find anyone to help me here so I don't screw anything up as well.

Thank you so much. :B

[berettaboi]

oh no, just search on this website. it will lead you to other related websites as well.

if the coolant does indeed get foamy, and there is a lot of brown chunks, you'll have to keep your eye on you fluid levels very closely if you are to keep driving it.

when was the last coolant flush? the coolant gets crumby over time itself.

[scd88ga]

So you took it too the shop with voltage problems and they told you your head gaskets were worn! LMFAO! I really have nothing else to say...

[berettaboi]

lol, well if it's a serious problem with the head gaskets, i wouldn't worry about spending the money on a small fluctuating charging issue... (i say small because he's still able to re-start after it stalls... that's another issue... likely hasn't had a tuneup... original wires and such i bet... lol)

if the coolant a really old and grungy, you cant expect it to flow and do it's job very well. i think the fan in most cars doesn't come on until just over half. i've never seen 3/4 on my gauge, but just slightly over half when sitting idling in hot weather.

[spacecadetz26]

if your overheating the car would stall, then restart.