Well im pretty sure my alternator is crappin out on me..it went from making 14.8 volt to now only puttin out 14.1 volts...should i go ahead and replace it and all before i go on a trip or should it be ok for abit? phil

I doubt there's anything wrong.

Unless you see a consistent drop in output over a period of weeks, you probably have nothing to worry about.

You're still over 14 volts, which is fine. Age and condition of battery can impact output.

Start to get concerned when you see less than 12, or you see substantial and consistent drops in output.

If you're really concerned, most parts stores will test for free.

If you're more concerned, buy a "spare" and keep it in the trunk.





-Ferrite

If your electronics aren't acting wonky, I doubt it's your alternator. For a definition of wonky, read the first post in this thread.

Rob





Sold 2/2/05

Did you test your altenator under the same load both times. anything from a door being open or the radio on will cause a slight voltage drop. But as Ferrite said it anything over 12 is still doing its job.