As per the usual arrangement, of course I can't have any peace during christmas. Coming back 2 nights ago from christmas shopping with the family, front A/C on, rear A/C on, high beams on, horn working, and then suddenly the car starts the dreaded "low voltage" beeping, center console TV starts flickering on and off, A/C starts pulling power, horn pitch goes down and basically isn't working anymore, generally everything electric stops working properly and it looks like the car is haunted (oddly enough the high beams never dim even a bit). This happened (although with differing symptoms) a few months ago and cleaning battery terminals and negative terminal ground cleared it up immediately but I don't think that will cut it this time.
I'm speculating it's the alternator: usually the voltage is sitting at 14v on the dash but this time (when all the electrical madness was taking place) the voltage dropped down to 9v and would fluctuate up to 14v as you build up engine power (i.e. as RPMs increased). My dad said this could happen when the accessory belt is slack and I don't know when or how that could have happened basically during the same trip. We were out and about for a good half of the day with the A/C on full blast the whole time and there was never an issue. And then just as we are nearing home, all this madness occurs as we are sitting in traffic.
Also worth noting that sometimes (this has only happened 3 times) when I step on the gas all the way down and the engine fires up to the max, it's worth noting that a grinding sound occurs, not grinding per se, but like gnashing? Each time it happened I immediately let off and the noise would follow suit and stop. It's hard to describe but it sounds like it could be a belt or pulley that's out of whack and vibrating in a way it shouldn't be. There's a big question mark there for me.
I tried separating everything into paragraphs to organize my thoughts. What could be causing the electrical haunting? How is my theory on the alternator angle of this looking? Should I take off the accessory belt and inspect it along with all the pulleys? As usual I'm more or less completely noob at this so hand-holding will be much appreciated.
P.S. It's time to change the timing belt. If anyone has done this before, do you think it's a fairly easy DIY job? Timing is something you have to be super careful about, and if you know the horrors I've endured in the past due to lack of care, you will know that I do NOT want anyone else doing this job but at the same time I don't want to spend 3 days doing it only to rush on the last step and **** up.
I'm speculating it's the alternator: usually the voltage is sitting at 14v on the dash but this time (when all the electrical madness was taking place) the voltage dropped down to 9v and would fluctuate up to 14v as you build up engine power (i.e. as RPMs increased). My dad said this could happen when the accessory belt is slack and I don't know when or how that could have happened basically during the same trip. We were out and about for a good half of the day with the A/C on full blast the whole time and there was never an issue. And then just as we are nearing home, all this madness occurs as we are sitting in traffic.
Also worth noting that sometimes (this has only happened 3 times) when I step on the gas all the way down and the engine fires up to the max, it's worth noting that a grinding sound occurs, not grinding per se, but like gnashing? Each time it happened I immediately let off and the noise would follow suit and stop. It's hard to describe but it sounds like it could be a belt or pulley that's out of whack and vibrating in a way it shouldn't be. There's a big question mark there for me.
I tried separating everything into paragraphs to organize my thoughts. What could be causing the electrical haunting? How is my theory on the alternator angle of this looking? Should I take off the accessory belt and inspect it along with all the pulleys? As usual I'm more or less completely noob at this so hand-holding will be much appreciated.
P.S. It's time to change the timing belt. If anyone has done this before, do you think it's a fairly easy DIY job? Timing is something you have to be super careful about, and if you know the horrors I've endured in the past due to lack of care, you will know that I do NOT want anyone else doing this job but at the same time I don't want to spend 3 days doing it only to rush on the last step and **** up.
