Alternator Voltage

[TryMeGT]

What is the voltage supposed to be while cruising. I was always under the impression of about 14.5 volts. Mine runs around 13.5 to 13.8, which seems low. Reason I ask is because when I have run at the rack, I have shut it down part way down the track because of popping. At the time, I didn't have my SM, so I did not know if it was audible knock or not. And I wasn't about to find out the hard way. Could it have been low voltage so the coil pack could keep up. I have checked the tower voltage on the pack and it is good. If the low voltage could be the culprit, would a volt booster help. Anyone running one? My hot wired Walbro 340isn't "stealing" the voltage is it? Just polling for information. I only ran once this year so I didn't test and tune much, but want to get it all ready for next year.

[V8KILLR]

Not sure if I recall right, but I think that is where mines sits 13.5-.8 and I have a new coil.

Jason

[Jimn8or]

Your alt output is sufficient. 13.5 - 13.8 is lots, the more the merrier of course. Your popping problem lies somewhere else. Do a search on the subject as there have been many a thread, and many ideas on solving posted on this board...you are not alone in this problem.
Good Luck,
Jim

[slimtastic]

poping as in a cylinder isnt lighting off? if this is what you mean then i would try droping down the gap on the plugs so that youll be assured that each and every cylinder lights off when its supposed to...even under extreme ammounts of pressure.just a thought.

oh and if that doesnt help, then change over to solid core plug wires.

[TryMeGT]

I am not sure what the popping was exactly. At the time I thought possible knock and wasn't about to keep my foot in it. Since then, I have changed the plugs and wires. I gapped them at 032" just for the heck of it. I had Reds wires on the car but they didn't last. They tore apart when I took them off. I put a new set of MSD 8.5mm wires on. As I said. I only got to run at Norwalk in early May this year and that was it. It has been since then that I have changed the Wires and Plugs, so the problem may not exist any more. I was just searchng for options or similar experiences.

[ijames]

Way back when, up through maybe the early '90s, alternator regulators were set to give 13.8 V. Battery chemistry has changed a little since then, and nowadays most alternators are set to give more like 14.2 V. Depending on when and if your alternator has been replaced or rebuilt, you could have either one. And then, depending on where you are checking the voltage, you will have the wiring losses as well. With every thing on the car powered up there will be 0.1-0.3 V drop just across the charging wire that runs from alternator to battery, and then another 0.2-0.5 V getting through the fusebox and out to a high draw accessory such as the radiator fan or headlights.

[slimtastic]

huh...well if your running 8.5's on a .32" gap then your car shouldnt have any problem firing. what boost are you running at the track,if its super high then that could be a potential cause of a cylinder not lighting,but as you may well know every car is different.on mine i was running 19 lbs on a gap of .65 with 8.5 wires and i never had any backfire/misfire problems.keep us informed

[slimtastic]

if you go to te track again and it still does it then i would drop the gap down to .25" just to rule out an ignition problem.. yes a smaller gap will result in slower et's, but if a super small gap stops your problem then that will give you a direction to go in..