odd (to me) electrical issue....

recently i've noticed an issue with possibly the alternator/battery/charging system on my 92....and it's a little bit odd to me seeing as i've never experienced anything like this before.
(went through several pages of search results with various keywords, didn't find any threads reporting the same symptom)

starting the jeep i noticed that for a short period of time, there seems to be a pretty low voltage....and that basically all accessories seem to be working at half strength....for about 10 seconds or so, and then everything returns to normal....

i also noticed that cold starts seem to take longer crank times than warmish or normal operating temp starts....but that could just be the Canadian winter factor

while this is happening the volt gauge reads on average in the 9 or so volt range....but when everything runs normal again it's right back in the 12-14 range....

just looking for comments or ideas from anyone else who's had this happen before....and to be honest i really am hoping it's just a bad ground or something....

i have a parts jeep, so i have a known good alternator provided it's the same (or better) alt in 94 as it is in the 92, just dont have a spare battery or any real electrical diagnostic experience, so i'm kind of in the scratching my head part of the diagnosis here

Loose belt? Any squeal?

Same problem here, guage cluster had a bad connection internally. I had to repalce the cluster

using volt meter check at the battery, make sure the meter and the gauge show the same thing. have a local parts house load test your battery. voltage drop test on your battery cables, here is how to do it: http://www.rushpowersystems.net/?p=3

Pelican said:

Loose belt? Any squeal?

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funny you should mention that, i've been fighting with a squeal for quite a while now....though i doubt it's a factor, no squeal on start up, usually only squeals once the engine gets warm ish.....i have a new belt that i'll be putting on the thing once it's warm enough for me to last 15 minutes without gloves before my hands fall off from the cold lol (unless i get fed up entirely with the squeal and just warm the engine a bit)

Nealio240z said:

Same problem here, guage cluster had a bad connection internally. I had to repalce the cluster

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it's not just the guages (if that's what you were going for).....the heater, interior lights, headlights all the electronics....seems to be everything accessory related doing this

Rush Power Systems said:

using volt meter check at the battery, make sure the meter and the gauge show the same thing. have a local parts house load test your battery. voltage drop test on your battery cables, here is how to do it: http://www.rushpowersystems.net/?p=3

Click to expand...

i guess i'll be looking around the house for one of the several DMM's my dad's got hidden in various places....although when i say "hidden", i really mean "put somewhere and forgot where"

no start with the belt, a slipping belt will cause your problems as well.

fair enough....though i've got to track down a tension gauge (and the spec) first so i'll update when i find one and let you know

oldcancer said:

funny you should mention that, i've been fighting with a squeal for quite a while now....though i doubt it's a factor, no squeal on start up, usually only squeals once the engine gets warm ish.....i have a new belt that i'll be putting on the thing once it's warm enough for me to last 15 minutes without gloves before my hands fall off from the cold lol (unless i get fed up entirely with the squeal and just warm the engine a bit)

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I just had the same thing happen on an 01. No squeal, 9V on the gauge. Loose belt. I didn't tension it enough after waterpump/tensioner replacement.

oldcancer said:

i also noticed that cold starts seem to take longer crank times than warmish or normal operating temp starts....but that could just be the Canadian winter factor

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Is it slugish cranking or does it crank normal but just for a longer period? If is the later then you could have a leaky fuel anti drain back valve. Try this. Before starting turn the key to the on position, but don't start it. Do this twice and see if it starts sooner.

Talyn said:

Is it slugish cranking or does it crank normal but just for a longer period? If is the later then you could have a leaky fuel anti drain back valve. Try this. Before starting turn the key to the on position, but don't start it. Do this twice and see if it starts sooner.

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After it's been sitting overnight, press in the center of the Schrader valve on the fuel rail, to see if there's any pressure left after it's been sitting. Just a quick squirt, don't push it for long. If there's no pressure, or just a dribble, then go on to the 'Poor Man's Prime', as Talyn has suggested. No pressure, and you've just diagnosed the reluctant start. This means that the check-valve in the fuel system is failing. Not a terminal condition, as my '96 has been surviving rather nicely for a few years with this condition. I just let the pump cycle completely before hitting START, and it fires up just fine.

I agree with a silently slipping belt as the culprit in your other problem. Just do yourself a favor and install a Gates or Goodyear belt. We have four XJs, and have had slipping belts too often to play games with anything other than those two candidates. Starting the engine is the hardest task the battery has to do, and it immediately calls on the alternator to replace the juice that's been used. A generator under load offers much higher resistance to turning, and a slipping belt (even if it's quiet) will let the alternator pulley just sit there, further glazing the belt, making matters worse.

Of course, a twenty-one year old alternator may be a problem...

swapped in the belt today, finally had warm enough weather to not freeze to death in the process....belt squeal is gone (hopefully for good this time)....but i have yet to fire it up while paying attention to the accessories, so i'll get back to you guys on whether or not that dealt with the issue later