So, I finally completed my plenum repair kit install..... In the process of disassembling the intake, a friend who was "helping" me snapped off a couple ground wire connectors. They both went on the same bolt, below the a/c unit on the front of the engine... When I got it all back together, I used "southern engenuity" and just twisted them together and wrapped them in electrical tape. I had no idea what they went to, and just wanted to be able to drive the car around a little to test for leaks, etc... So, this was just a temporary fix...

The car ran fine. I kept an eye on the temp gauge (which is why i ended up doing the plenum repair) and I also kept an eye on the Voltmeter Gauge.... Everything was fine. Temp was within specs, and voltmeter was at high noon (14 volts)... I drove it around some, here and there that day just to test run it. At one point the voltmeter would drop to around 12, then after a while, climb back to 14... Then I had to take my mother in law somewhere, and when we went to leave, the car would not start. Luckily we were at a mechanic where she had left her car. He grabbed his voltmeter, and jump box. The battery voltage was 8.?? We jumped it, and he checked the voltage on the battery again, and said it was jumping all over the place. The Voltmeter in the car was reading just over 8. He suggested it could be the battery. I was able to get it home. But after I parked it, I tried to turn it on again, and it was dead. I checked the voltage on the battery, and it was around 8.5..... I came back a few hours later, and rechecked the battery voltage and it was up to around 11.5..... Not sure if it's normal for a battery to do that.

The next day, I took the battery and the alternator to Advance Auto Parts to test. The battery tested bad, the Alternator good... So, i took the good battery out of my '70 DeVille Convertible and put it in the Durango. It fired right up, voltmeter at high noon (14) again... Looked good. I drove it around that day a little. It would fluctuate a little between around 12, and 14, like it had before. On my way home from work, the voltmeter started to plummit.... To the point where the radio shut off and everything, but I managed to keep the car running until i got home (only about a half mile)..

So, I knew my alternator was good from my previous test, as well as my battery... So I zeroed in on the cables I had "southern engenuitized". Turns out one was my negative battery cable where it bolts to the engine. So I figured it was a bad connection. I bought a new battery cable and installed it, as well as made a more suitable repair to the other wire, still unsure of what it is. I recharged the battery, and fired it back up. Voltmeter at high noon, sometimes just above... I thought this is great!!!. Problem solved!!! Well, late yesterday, I noticed it back down around 12 again, so I am getting nervous... Am I headed for more problems? Is it normal for the voltmeter to fluctuate like that? This morning, I cranked it up, and it's back up to 14. Am I just paranoid, or do I still have an issue somewhere? And If I do, what could it be if my battery and my alternator are both good?? Check the attachment photo to see where the voltmeter fluctuates to.... Sometimes, maybe just a little lower, but still within the "white"... Except for the one time it plumitted, before I repaired the wires.

 

id say your voltmeter is reading fine, it will fluctuate a little bit as you drive, long as its in the range i wouldnt be worried about it.



this is my standard gauge positions, the battery meter is reading a bit high IMO, but then it was 15*F when this picture was taken (yes the truck was warmed up) so i would expect the battery reading to be anywhere near center you will be fine, unless you are having other electrical problems

 

BikeBuilders,

the voltage in that photo is to low for the 98-00s. You are correct to be concerned.

IndyDurango

 

I would treat anything to the left of dead center to be bad on my D. I would at the very least have the alternator tested again preferably when it is showing low voltage.

 

Agreed. You better be At or very damn close to 14 or not all is well. A tiny over is fine. That much under is not.

IndyD

 

I would change the alternator out regardless of what they said, it sounds like it's getting hot and when it does the brushes are not touching. But when they checked it they didn't pick up on it.

 

I did notice when I took it off to have it tested, it had writing on the bottom of it from a paint pen. So I am assuming it's a junk yard alternator.

 

Yeah, then I'd definitely change it out. There are only a very few things that can cause low voltage like you're seeing, and out of them the alternator is by far the most likely.

It sounds like the problem is intermittent, even when your driving. I would guess that the alt just simply wasn't acting up during the brief time that it was on the tester.

Wouldn't hurt to put in a new battery at the same time. Then you could give your convertible its battery back.