13-14 volts is where it should normally be when the alternator is working properly and the car is runing.
11-12 would be abnormal, and it somewhat sounds like the alternator is failing. Ricky On Wed, 12 Feb 2003, Robert K. Kuhn wrote: > <html> > <body> > On 08:10 AM 02/12/03 -0500, Nick Kosiek said...<br><br> > <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>Yesterday I was driving around and > it smelled as if something was burning,<br> > after turning down the radio I found a terrible whineing coming from > under<br> > the hood(sounds kinda like something rubbing against a belt) > After<br> > inspection under the hood I did notice a smell, but saw nothing > rubbing<br> > against any of the belts. The next thing I noticed was that my volt > guage<br> > is running a lot higher than normal. Normal - 11 to 12 v > Abnormal 13 to<br> > 14 v) Could this problem be my alternator, I came to this > conclusion since<br> > it was the area the sound was coming from and also since my system seems > to<br> > be charging more than normal. Thanks<br><br> > <br><br> > Nick K<br> > Jacksonville, FL</blockquote><br><br> > My alternator made a squealing sound which was from a bad set of internal > bearing(s). It was still charging, however. I loosened the > alternator belt and tried to turn the alternator pulley by hand and I > could feel that it was binding and took some effort to turn by > hand.<br><br> > It could also be your AC compressor (if you have one) such as the > clutch. If you have AC, and you think the alternator is OK, try > pulling the AC belt.<br><br> > Can you tell if the burnt smell is electric or not? Electrical burn > has a distinct smell to it.<br><br> > And last, it could be your water pump or the timing belt tension wheel > (or both). A bad water pump can make a squealing sound but usually > not a burning smell (unless it's an electric water pump). Although > on a previous car where the water pump had it's own belt, the pump had > seized up and so the belt basically burnt up which produced not only a > very loud squeal but a distinct burning smell too. In the case of > the CRX, I don't think it's the belt since it's driven off your timing > belt which is why I thought perhaps it may be the tension wheel - it > could be sticking.<br><br> > <x-sigsep><p></x-sigsep> > Robert K. Kuhn<br> > CRX Owners Group President > (<a href="http://www.crx.org/southcal"; >eudora="autourl">http://www.crx.org/southcal</a>)<br><br> > 1990 Honda CRXsi > (<a href="http://www.hooligan.cc/"; eudora="autourl">http://www.hooligan.cc</a>)<br> > ICQ # 3714283 (nickname: godzilla)<br><br> > <font color="#FF0000"><b>Julian Drive (San Diego County) - February 22, > 2003<br> > </font><font color="#0000FF"><a href="http://www.crx.org/southcal/events.html"; >eudora="autourl">http://www.crx.org/southcal/events.html</a><br> > </font></b></body> > </html> > >
