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Feels like autumn.


DatMo

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All lights, then could be ignition switch or connection off fuse box.

 

Only wsy to tell is to break out a meter when it's not working and trace out the circuit.

Will do!
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Also, this never seemed like a big deal to me.

But I think it is now. My car runs at 14v. But after I turn on headlights I drop to 12.5. That being said, is my alternator bad? Is it really that bad because I think it's fine and I know the charge is working because my battery still starts up just fine after a week or so?

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Yes that is terrible. When your lights are on you aren't really charging the battery much if at all. If the demand from the car is higher than what the alternator is producing, you will be discharging your battery at times. Car batterys don't do well under that kind of use and it shortens the life drastically.

 

Your alternator should always be above 13.5V if it's running correctly.but no higher than 14.8V or so.

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I wired my lights through a relay so I really assumed that they would have minimal drawing paper.

I'll have to get my alternator checked soon and go from there I suppose. Thanks.

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I wired my lights through a relay so I really assumed that they would have minimal drawing paper.

I'll have to get my alternator checked soon and go from there I suppose. Thanks.

A relay is only a switch, it will not help with the amount of current the headlights use..

But it is good to use if you have a larger current draw then the factory switch intended. Then you don't burn up the switch or blow fuses....

 

How many amps is your alternator?

Is it an upgrade?

I am pretty sure my stock 521 alternator only produces 30amps...

So if you have upgraded lights, a stereo or a combination of anything else you may need a higher amp output alternator to take care of the current drop....

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A relay is only a switch, it will not help with the amount of current the headlights use..

But it is good to use if you have a larger current draw then the factory switch intended. Then you don't burn up the switch or blow fuses....

 

How many amps is your alternator?

Is it an upgrade?

I am pretty sure my stock 521 alternator only produces 30amps...

So if you have upgraded lights, a stereo or a combination of anything else you may need a higher amp output alternator to take care of the current drop....

I believe it's the 60 amp off the 280zx that's internally regulated. I do have upgraded lights and I also have a few switches and I would have all my gauges.

 

That being said, I am using a super small battery off of a Harley to get the car going but then I figured that wouldn't matter much because it's only to start the car?

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Not sure how much, if at all, the size of the battery effects your problem, I think like you said it's really only to start the car..

Maybe try a bigger battery to rule it out but I'm not convinced that's your problem.

 

I still think you drawing to much with the lights....

 

Switches and gauges are a minimal draw....

How much are the lights suppose to use?

 

I compare this to my daily drive (chevy)...

It had a 100amp altenator... I have a pretty loud stereo system in it.... 75% volume I could watch my voltage drop with the bass...

When it finally died they offered me one for a truck with a plow package which was 140 amps....

Now I can turn my stereo up to 100% without a flicker of the gauge....

 

So either you alternator is not putting out 100% anymore or those lights require a lot more power....

Check the directions it should list it's power needs...

Then probably have the alternator tested?

Also have you configured the lights different from what they intended, like being able to have high and low on at the same time....?

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Not sure how much, if at all, the size of the battery effects your problem, I think like you said it's really only to start the car..

Maybe try a bigger battery to rule it out but I'm not convinced that's your problem.

 

I still think you drawing to much with the lights....

 

Switches and gauges are a minimal draw....

How much are the lights suppose to use?

 

I compare this to my daily drive (chevy)...

It had a 100amp altenator... I have a pretty loud stereo system in it.... 75% volume I could watch my voltage drop with the bass...

When it finally died they offered me one for a truck with a plow package which was 140 amps....

Now I can turn my stereo up to 100% without a flicker of the gauge....

 

So either you alternator is not putting out 100% anymore or those lights require a lot more power....

Check the directions it should list it's power needs...

Then probably have the alternator tested?

Also have you configured the lights different from what they intended, like being able to have high and low on at the same time....?

These are some great points. The car is set to have high and low at the same time HOWEVER I've only been running the low beams and completely unplugged the highs. This continues to happen. I'll look into upgrading to a gm regulator or get mine tested. I'd rather get the car driving correctly first, then upgrade alternators but this could very well be the answer. Thank you so much.

 

Now as far as the car driving, you guys said it could be "too much carb for the car" meaning that I'm running too rich? Should I try to lower the mixture screw and raise the idle screw to compensate? I don't know how to tune carbs too well but I do have a uni-syn tool that i use to help me get the numbers right. My synchrometer works much better. For some reason, my uni-syn's ball that's supposed to float doesn't even move.

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If your not sure about tuning maybe get a baseline reading at a dyno shop. That will give you good info about your air/fuel, and which way you need to go with rejetting or tuning

Or if you like spending money invest in a wideband o2 kit.....

For me I went with the o2 kit because no one around me can tune a weber..

Ideally you can find a dyno shop that has jets for your carb ( sorry no idea what carb you have) and help tune while your there....

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I got a Flickr. Here's updates. Just recently dyed and got the black e30 seats in. Gotta install my aos and a few more things. That wire hanging is for a hazard switch that I'll do soon. I wanna get this car to run better. Anyway to make e30 seats sit lower?

 

 

Not sure how to post in img format

 

https://flic.kr/p/Ykup7L

https://flic.kr/p/YADw6k

https://flic.kr/p/YkuqqN

https://flic.kr/p/XjJXW1

https://flic.kr/p/XZuya3

https://flic.kr/p/Yo59Xc

https://flic.kr/p/YiW12w

https://flic.kr/p/XZuxe5

https://flic.kr/p/XZux3o

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