[john87]

I have a 96 eldorado Im in the process of replacing all charging system related wires and battery post .

My voltage starts of around 14.2 when I turn lights on ,ac,press brakes ,and turn signal all at the same time it drops to 12.5 volts.

I went thru all this trouble taking things apart to get to starter to replace that wire .The last thing I want to do is put it back togheather and months later the starter goes out . The wire is corroded replacing it now

The car has 99,500 miles on it

 

[Submariner409]

Back to Square One: What is the engine rpm when "the voltage drops to 12.5 volts " ??? The alternator does not put out anywhere near as much voltage/amperage at idle as it does at even 1200 engine rpm. It's using a 2.5" pulley, so it normally spins at quite a bit higher rpm than the engine - normal for ANY alternator. 12.5 volts DC is a full charge level for a wet cell car battery, so even if the idling DIC readout is 12.5 you're not 'discharging" the battery. Does it return to 14.0 + upon acceleration ? Normal. Voltage checks are better done with a good digital VOM than the DIC readout.

The starter - If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

 

[john87]

I didn't check the rpm. When everything is on the voltage drops to 13.3 when the car is parked .when at a stop sign with everything on it drops to 12.5.

While driving it goes to 13.2-13.6

 

[Submariner409]

I would like to see 14+ when driving. Voltage below 13.8 or so is either a poor connection or the voltage regulator is going bad.

 

[Ranger]

What problems or symptoms are you having that are causing you to change all the charging system wiring?

 

[98cadillac]

I have a 96 eldorado Im in the process of replacing all charging system related wires and battery post .

My voltage starts of around 14.2 when I turn lights on ,ac,press brakes ,and turn signal all at the same time it drops to 12.5 volts.

I went thru all this trouble taking things apart to get to starter to replace that wire .The last thing I want to do is put it back togheather and months later the starter goes out . The wire is corroded replacing it now

The car has 99,500 miles on it

Did you mean the alternator? The starter doesn't have anything to do with the voltage after you start the car.

 

[N*Caddy]

The OP was talking about replacing the starter as just in case, not in an attempt to fix the voltage issue.
The starters in these cars are dead nuts reliable. I mean I probably read about 3 starters being truly bad in years and years on this forum. Is not a necessary repair, and as you saw is not that difficult to replace to begin with.

 

[john87]

Ok I replace the wiring .Here are the results

The car is idling around 750 rpm this time the dash was reading 12.3 with everything on but when I check the voltage at the battery it was 13.8(I used two different multi meters )is there something wrong with the computer .Why such a big drop in voltage readings between the dash and the battery?

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I had a parasitic drain caused by tracking device that kept draining the battery .I removed it fix the problem I was watching the voltage on the dash and IT didn't seem right.So I start checking the wiring some was corroded the starter wire was hard stiff as a stick that's why I changed it. The car drives just fine. (engine and transmission)I plan on moving this summer .I want to drive it so Im trying to get it ready for a long trip.

There aren't many eldorado's for sale in some places, normally I wouldn't bother with it ,but I might not be able to buy another one with out driving a long ways.

I just sent a 94 concours to the junkyard don't want to send this one