ok.....heres my problem, start my car and the volt gauge reads at like 10 volts. rev motor volts go to past 13. put foot on brake shift into drive, volts begin to drop again and get worse with the more stuff you turn on. just installed a 12SI 124 amp alt., checked all fusible links at starter, and just for good measure rewired the battery wire from the alt. to the starter. anyone have any suggestions other than removing one of my t-tops and driving off a cliff and base jumping off my console?????

 

Make sure the ground connections are good, especially the battery ground cable and the alternator housing. You also may want to check that your gauge is good. Chck that the cables are tight at the battery end. If you use a battery with side connctors, make doubly sure. The bolts holding the cables are known to bottom out before the cable is fully tightned, so the bolt is tight but the cable is still loose.

 

If you have a digital volt meter check it at the battery. Like Pete said the gauge might not be working proper. I have seen variences between gauges and digital meters.
And if you do that last thing you said be sure to make a video.

 

mad mike if i do actually base jump off my console i will make sure to video it and post on this web site.
ok, after many hours of messing with car tonite i have
1.Confirmed great connections at battery, alternator, and ground.
2. found that a known good alternator is still causing my no charge discahrge at idle problem.
3 began amp. draw test to find that i have something in the car causing a draw. began pulling fuses and only found one that made the amp draw go slightly less.
has anyone performed an amp draw test before, how was it done, what were your readings and do you pull the use then replace and go to next fuse or remove and reinstall then remve another one.
as far as knowing what fuse caused less draw, havent the foggiest my fuse panel no longer has letters on it.
i do not want to get rid of this car and my 6 year old son would kill me if i did, but having my radio shut off every time i come to a red light is really begining t **** me off.

 

Where are you pulling your amperage figures from? You have to check with the meter in SERIES. I cannot stress that enough. Pull the fuse and use a fusable lead wire that takes auto fuses, put it in the lead, and check from the fuse panel. You'll get a reading with the meter in paralell, but it won't be accurate, as electricity is funny like that, and if you add another path, it changes the total circuit resistance, and will throw off your amperage reading.