1988 Chevy Celebrity

GUYWITHBADLUCK

MEMBER
1988 CHEVROLET CELEBRITY
4 CYL
FWD
AUTOMATIC
119,500 MILES

I have a 1988 Chevy Celebrity, all ive done to it is replaced the altenator and battery which was just in the last month. Last week the starter went out, I replaced the starter, since I replaced the starter the voltmeter light (idiot light) on the dashboard stays on. Now I can start the car to let it warm up and it runs great while its warming up, when I get in it and drive it all the lights dim and the car dies. Any ideas?

1 Reply

JDL

MECHANIC
16,098 POSTS

If you have a digital multimeter, place the leads across the battery posts, with everything turned off, take a reading, even if the battery is new. A full charged battery should read about 12.6 volts, a couple of 1/10s one way or the other shouldn't matter.

Take a second reading across the posts with the engine running. The second reading should be higher than the first, if it isn't, the alternator isn't charging for some reason. Make sure the battery cables/wires are all clean and tight on both ends. The charge lamp circuit is usually the excite voltage for the alternator, when the alternator is charging, that lite goes out, equal voltage on both sides of the lamp.

The charging circuit, at least for the 2.8 and I realize you listed 4 cylinder, but, for the 2.8, the 4 cylinder may be the same, not sure, that circuit from the alternator goes to a junction block on the driver side strut tower, there is a cover because of all the fusible links, they are hot.