Haven't popped any fuses, or blown anything... but the gauge is reading 16 all the time. With or without the headlights on or off/interior lights on or off/radio on or off, etc.
Ideas would be great... thanks.
Yours,
Prettier-than-thou-M1k3
The first thing to do is check the voltage at the battery with a volt meter. If the voltage across the battery, (with engine running) is about 13.5 volts, then you are OK and can assume the in dash meter is shot. If voltage across the battery reads 16V, then stop driving it immediately and replace the voltage regulator at the alternator.
[quote name='Greimann' date='Mar 24 2005, 12:31 PM']The first thing to do is check the voltage at the battery with a volt meter. If the voltage across the battery, (with engine running) is about 13.5 volts, then you are OK and can assume the in dash meter is shot. If voltage across the battery reads 16V, then stop driving it immediately and replace the voltage regulator at the alternator.
[right][post="2304"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post][/right][/quote]
Sadly, this is my daily driver, and it's all I have, so I'm gonna' have to drive it.
How much are voltage meter?
What can the reprocussions be of driving the car while reading 16v?
I only ask because Greenslip did a pre-purchase inspection on the car, and said that some of the electrical reading were LOW... not HIGH. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/unsure.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />
if it truly is outputting 16v, you can fry everything and boil out your battery - this is very bad - you may have already popped your factory guage
STOP!!! measure the voltage with a real meter now! - do it with the car off, and running - you should see a little under 13 while off and 13.5 or so while running - if you see more than that, get a regulator immediately - if you see less, then you have more problems
[quote name='flash' date='Mar 24 2005, 12:42 PM']if it truly is outputting 16v, you can fry everything and boil out your battery - this is very bad - you may have already popped your factory guage
STOP!!! measure the voltage with a real meter now! - do it with the car off, and running - you should see a little under 13 while off and 13.5 or so while running - if you see more than that, get a regulator immediately - if you see less, then you have more problems
[right][post="2307"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post][/right][/quote]
Thanks for the reply Flash.
I'll be headed straight to Pepboys or Kragen's after work to pick up a voltage meter. And I'll test it right then and there in the parking lot. Hopefully it's just a sheisty gauge, but if the reading is high, then I'll replace the voltage regulator ASAP.
If by chance the battery is fine (reading 13v when off, and 13.5 when running), then it's probably just the gauge, right? And if it shows up a reading of lower than 13v when off, then it has a different set of problems, correct?
How hard are the voltage regulators to replace?
You shouldn't need to go much of a distance to get a VOM (meter). Your hardware store will have one.
A high or low voltage reading should first be addressed by replacing the voltage regulator.
They are not difficult to replace if you have nimble fingers. There should be instructions somewhere in this forum or on .NET.
Okay... gonna' go pick up a voltage meter tonight.
Hopefully that will bring back some good results.
If by chance it doens't, I priced the part from Porsche. It's gonna' be $106.79.
Ugh.
But I found them online for as low as like $13 or $20. And even the Bosch ones are only $42.
Double-yoo tee eff at Porsche... them bastid' 7337s...
[quote name='Prettym1k3' date='Mar 24 2005, 05:00 PM']Okay... gonna' go pick up a voltage meter tonight.
Hopefully that will bring back some good results.
If by chance it doens't, I priced the part from Porsche. It's gonna' be $106.79.
Ugh.
But I found them online for as low as like $13 or $20. And even the Bosch ones are only $42.
Double-yoo tee eff at Porsche... them bastid' 7337s...
[right][post="2316"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post][/right][/quote]
Just talked to a Porsche Tech... he said it's rarely the voltage regulator... it's typically the alternator. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/ohmy.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />
Any ideas?
haven't found a dead alternator yet - all regulators - both silver blt and midblu had the same problem - both were corrected by a regulator replacement - both still have dead guages though - sounds like tech wants to sell you an alternator job
paragon has both regulators - aftermarket at 15 or so and bosch at 40 plus - either one works fine
feel free to drop me a note - i'd be happy to walk you through this offline
Just some tidbits of info I have:
* When installing VR, go very slow -- the magnets on those things are extremely fragile. I broke them off installing them once, and that was with the alternator out of the car already! (Yes, I'm clumsy....)
* If you decide to swap out the whole alternator with a remanufactured one, I found this to be a good cheap source:
http://autoexpress.safeshopper.com/. It was $130-ish.
* Rather than going Bosch, you also have the option of using an adjustable VR. This is what comes with the Iceshark kit in the 944 world. For the Bosch AL-170X alternator, you can use Transpo IB373a:
http://195.125.241.148/cgi-win/product.exe?IB373a. This is probably harder to find than the Bosch unit, but cheaper ($30-ish). Last year, I sourced it from a Volvo guy:
http://personal.linkline.com/dbarton/Adj...ltage.html
Where are you located? Anywhere near by? I know I have an extra VR in the closet someplace -- though unfortunately, I might be leaving town again tonight for the weekend (I know... I know... I was meant to stick around this weekend, and I just got back in town just two nights ago....)
[quote name='Prettym1k3' date='Mar 24 2005, 04:51 PM']Just talked to a Porsche Tech... he said it's rarely the voltage regulator... it's typically the alternator. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/ohmy.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />
Any ideas?
[right][post="2320"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post][/right][/quote]
Considering that the voltage regulator IS PART of the alternator, he is not necessarily wrong, but replacing the alternator to get a new voltage regulator is hardly cost effective. These regulators are different from other auto makes in that the brushes, elements that physically wear out, are part of the regulator. In other types of alternators, the regulator is strictly a solid state device the doesn't physically wear out, like on the 968.
HEY HEY!
Good news everyone... I picked up a voltage meter, and tested it.
13v is average when off, and 13.5 when running, right?
Well, my car threw back numbers like 12.66 when off, and 13.63 when running, so looks like I'm okay.
The gauge still reads 16v all the time, so I'll obviously have to get that checked out, but at least I don't need to be "under the car" for an hour this weekend, nor do I need to be sold an alternator job by some douche-bag mechanic.
That pisses me off... I was referred to this Porsche only shop by a few different people, and the first time I call them, they try to rip me off. Granted, they didn't exactly see the car in person, but based off of what I told them, and what I told you, I'm far happier with sticking to the forums here.
Thanks so much Flash and Greimann, Josephsc and Etnier... I <33 you all so mush. I'll give you hugs when we meet.
Buahahahaha...
W00t w00t to all of your kindness.
looks like your'e now in the same boat as silverblt and midblu - everything works fine, but the guage is wacky
happy to have helped - as soon as one of us figures out the fix for the bad guage, we'll post it and then everyone else can follow - probably something dumb like a popped resistor on the back of the panel
Good deal ...... Hugs for everyone? Are you really that pretty?? <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/wub.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />
If you want to supplement your voltage gauge, that is toast, look into a cigar lighter volt meter like this one:
Volt Meter
[quote name='Greimann' date='Mar 24 2005, 08:35 PM']Good deal ...... Hugs for everyone? Are you really that pretty?? <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/wub.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />[/quote]
Moderator, this is not the dating service forum. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/tongue.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />
On each of the gauges in the cluster, there is a resister. I had a similar problem. I replaced the gauge with one of the coil driven gauge from a 951 and all was well. So in my case, it was the resistor. Something to look into.
Thanks for the link to the volt-gauge...
Eventually I'd like to get a triple gauge pod for the console... EGT, Volt, Air/Fuel-ratio, and a boost gauge (to monitor vacuum)... we'll see how that goes.
Thank you so much you douche-holes.
And yes... you bet your ass I'm pretty. ROFLMAO. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/laugh.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />