When under 3k the voltage drops to 12.2-12.6. The idle becomes really rough and there is hesitation getting to 3000 RMP. After 3k the voltage jumps up to 14.5 and the car seems to run fine with no hesitation. Occasionally the voltage will be ok at idle and the car runs well without hesitation.
My question is does this sound like the alternator....is there an easy way to check?
Has anyone had the same issues?

 

you can bring your altenator into most autoparts stores and they'll check it for free

 

So I need to actually take it out to get it checked out?

 

No I had mine tested on Monday.. They just check your battery then attach a line and rev the car up to 1-2K RPM's and see how many amps the alternator is producing. I was worried I'd have to take it out and take it up there. But it was cool. Change the belts while you are at it. Its only 2 bolts. Mine were leaned out, changed it out, and now the alt is producing around 78 amps which is good.

 

Belts are good...changed not to far back. Got the alternator tested about an hour ago and it tests ok.
I have nothing in the car that would draw the voltage, and if it were a short it would ocur on a random basis, not under 3k on a regular basis.
Anyone have any other suggestions?

 

grounds? or battery terminals?. i had this problem like a week ago and then it just went away.

 

sounds like a battery problem.
at idle the alternator can't produce enough power to run the car so it relies on the battery, higher rpm's it produces enough to keep up.

 

Hey i have the same problem with bad idle and im thinking its the same with the voltage, problem began way back when i got my system installed. I have since removed the system but i have left all the wires connected for the amp. The fuse is removed for the amp power wire but could this still be effecting my voltage since i still have wires connected to my head unit and battery?

 

thats not true, why can you start a car with a dead battery then let it idle. The battery is there for backup, and startup. As far as what the problem is, I would have said alternator, thats strange.

 

Cleaned the IAVC and it corrected the idle....The voltage still drps....but doesn't mess with the idle, so I am ok with the low voltage. Back to just the normal lights diming which is common on the civic.

 

Truth is, it could a number of problems. I had a similar problem with my Del Sol. It was the rotor in the distributor. I ended up just replacing the whole distributor just because. I would test all electrical components. After all your car runs as good as the time you spend on it.

 

Sorry, meant to say it could be a number of problems..

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Del Sizzle &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">It was the rotor in the distributor. I ended up just replacing the whole distributor just because.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I had the same problem a while back...and to be honest, I didn't know a bad dizzy messed with idle/volts/hesitation. It is kind of common sense...I know better now .

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by dogfood &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">thats not true, why can you start a car with a dead battery then let it idle. The battery is there for backup, and startup. As far as what the problem is, I would have said alternator, thats strange.</TD></TR></TABLE>

sorry you are right, I meant to say that with lots of things loading down the system the car will pull from the battery like that. headlights, wipers, heater fan etc. I was thinking maybe some sort of power drain.

 

IAVC, how do you clean this said part, and which one is it. pics would help alot.

 

anyone have the idle surging up and down? i cant figure out how to fix mine? IACV needs to be replaced/cleaned? heard theres a way to bypass it, anyone done it/know how too? pics anyone.....need help, tired of the up and down

 

i could see how the iacv would affect volts/idle.

idles low, alternator spins slower, volts drop, car "turns alt on" and loads the engine more, causes it to run like bum.

makes sense.