CHARGE SYSTEM FAULT - Page 2

**Rich Z** · 04-23-2006, 06:18 PM

Well, yesterday I pulled the plug off of the alternator and sprayed both the male and female ends with some electronic contact spray cleaner I had around here. Then plugged and unplugged it a couple of times to see if that would clean off any oxidation that might be causing that intermittent problem I have been having. I saw that there is a plug on the starter in this circuit, but I couldn't see it from topside of the engine, and I don't really have any way to get underneath the vehicle to do that.

Today the wife and I took a drive down to Alligator Point, which was a nice 2 hour round trip. Didn't see a hint of a problem monitoring the battery voltage. Tended to stay right around 13.5 volts but did drop down as much as 13.2 and up to 13.7 while driving. When I pulled under the carport when we got home, it was setting at 13.0, but I think that is just the way it is. Although I am wise to the ways of Murphy's Law, I am hoping that maybe the problem is fixed. It just FELT like an intermittent contact to me upon thinking about it and reading up on how the circuitry works a bit in the maintenance manuals.

Anyway, we'll see, I guess. Just got my fingers crossed.

SteveGel · 04-24-2006, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by exile

Mine never goes below the high 13...., whatever. I'd keep my eye on it. The electrical system on these cars are finicky...........Tom

agree! Mind doesn't go down below 13's with all the stero stuff. I bought a red top and all is well. put a volt meter and look at it yourself. How old is your battery?

**Rich Z** · 04-24-2006, 06:46 PM

Well I just bought the Z back at the end of September and this is the battery that was in it. So I have NO idea how old it is.

I've been looking at the Optima batteries, but honestly I thought the yellow top would be the best bet for a car driven at least once every several days. I thought the red top was for when people wanted to store their car for a month or three. But seems just about everyone I see is using the red top.

What am I missing?

In any event, I am pretty certain that the loose ground cable caused the SYSTEM FAULT message and quite likely the error code that got tripped. I am fully prepared to believe that this just might be a malicious coincidence and perhaps that plug just needed to be reseated. In the meantime I will keep my eyes peeled for a good price on a new alternator and maybe even a battery. Just in case.

exile · 04-24-2006, 07:01 PM

Yep, battery is pretty cheap insurance. I bought my 02 Z 3 years old but only 4500 miles. Looked like a garage queen. I put a new redtop in it within a week of buying. I feel so much better knowing it's a new redtop

...........Tom

SteveGel · 04-24-2006, 07:06 PM

here some info on the red and yellow battery.
http://www.optimabatteries.com/publi...utomotive.html

gsjack · 04-24-2006, 07:35 PM

Rich

Yellow Top Optimas are more for heavy drain situations, running stereo systems while car is not running etc.
Red Top would be your first choice IMO, a little lighter also then the Yellow Top.
Just remember on the stock battery, they give no warning before dying.

Jack

**Rich Z** · 04-24-2006, 08:14 PM

Yeah, I hear you. We used to get our batteries from Sears for all of are other vehicles, but I learned the hard way why that call them "Die Hards"

I've also read here and there about the OEM batteries leaking occasionally, so yeah, maybe I should look into one of those Optima red tops. Heck, it would match my engine anyway. Can't have the colors clashing under the hood, now can I?

**Rich Z** · 05-04-2006, 02:34 AM

Well, I had my battery replaced yesterday. After doing some digging around for info, I decided to go with the Exide Orbital battery (http://www.exide.com/products/automo..._orbital.html).

I haven't driven it enough to make any proclamations about the product, but it does seem that my battery voltage reading was very stable for the drive home. Pretty much stayed pegged at 13.7 volts the entire time.

I don't know, maybe the old battery was just getting ready to give up the ghost and was kind enough to give me some warnings. I had a couple of sluggish starts the last week or so, and today when I started it up to run out to have the battery replaced, it was only registering 11.2 volts on the readout.

Well, we will see, I guess. At the very least, I don't have to worry too much about battery acid leakage with this guy.

**Rich Z** · 05-13-2006, 04:05 PM

I think this problem STILL is not licked! Yesterday the wife and I drove over to Cape San Blas, about a 5 hour trip all today. I wanted to give that tune from the Predator a fair test at regular driving speeds. Anyway, I kept my eye on the battery voltage the entire time, and it hardly wavered at all from 13.5 volts. There was a period of time when it went up to about 14.5 volts however.

Anyway, I decided to run to the post office today, and I did decide to goose it a bit to see how the tune was working out. Didn't really do anything EXCESSIVE, but just rev'd the first couple of gears out to around 5K rpm. Anyway, when I resumed normal driving, I noticed that the voltage had dropped down to 11.8 volts. It fluctuated by a tenth of a volt for a while, then seemed to gradually creep lower. All total I drove about an hour to hour and a half just to the post office and back, and by the time I got back home, the voltage was reading 11.2 volts.

I dunno, but that just doesn't sound right to me. I'm guessing that the alternator is not charging up the battery, or just barely so. What do you guys think? And is there anything tough about replacing the alternator? It looks like just two bolts and a plug on the harness to me. But I'm not exactly sure how to loosen up that serpentine belt.......

Damn, always something........

MADN3SS · 05-13-2006, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich Z

I dunno, but that just doesn't sound right to me. I'm guessing that the alternator is not charging up the battery, or just barely so. What do you guys think? And is there anything tough about replacing the alternator? It looks like just two bolts and a plug on the harness to me. But I'm not exactly sure how to loosen up that serpentine belt.......

Damn, always something........

Rich, as far as the serpentine belt goes, just follow the belt from the alternator around and you'll see a tension pulley? For lack of a better term. Just slap a wrench on that and it'll move to take the belt off or put on. Ivo and I replaced mine yesterday when we were doing the header install. If I have time tomorrow, I'll post a thread with pics and everything including the mod party. Right now, I have to get some sleep before work tonight!

Enjoy!