Voltage gauge moving often
10

Asked by GuruBG37K Feb 02, 2019 at 02:56 PM about the 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 4WD

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

Had a dead jeep.  Charged battery overnigt with
trickle charger, checked the battery with
multimeter in am, indicated battery was crap
(12.22volts before starting and 11.93 after- when it
should be higher like 13 when running).  Took to
Canadian tire where they used their handheld
machine and the  load tested it   it was right on
cusp but parts lady said it was good.   

Came home and started jeep and tested alt by
pulling of battery terminals.  Couldnt remember if u
take off ground or positive so did both.  Jeep died
both times. So changed out alternator.  Now I have
squealing even tho belt its fine for wear and its
tight (but it is -20right now), along with voltage
gauge going from 13 to 15.  What could this be?  

I took vehicle to part source and they did running
diagnostics.  It said my battery was crap.  We
unhooked and put it on full machine (not hand
tested) and it said it was needing replacement with
395/695 for juice (but day before parts lady load
tested and said it was good despite my multimeter
reading otherwise-ugg). So can a crapped battery
cause this up and down on volt gauge on dash? Or
is it something else? If so, what could it be?  How
do I test for serpetine belt slipping....its in the
grooves and appears on properly and its tight, so
dunno.  It is cold but it was cold before and not
squealing.

Thanks in advance

2 Answers
44,020

Hornet_2497 answered 5 years ago

The squealing belt might be a seized pulley, most likely the idler pulley. Check the routing of the serpentine belt...there's a diagram under the hood. The amp load test of 395/695 doesn't sound too bad for a battery declared dead. Best not to pull power leads off the battery to test alternator. We did that in the old days of no computers or electronics, but not now. Check for a rise in voltage while the engine revs....the increased volts is the alternator working. Make sure your coolant isn't frozen at the water pump....does it turn?

2 people found this helpful.
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10

GuruBG37K answered 5 years ago

Thx hornet 2497 for the reply. Serpetine was routed properly. No seized pulley. :) Squealing was just too much play in belt - perhaps the minus 30 temps contracted the metal enough. Tightened it up and no more squeal, voltage shifts. Have to still check with voltmeter to make sure battery is ok and charged after 30min hiway drive- the looser belt was likely causing lack of battery recharge and also causing the alt pulley to not turn as much in the city hence the voltage drop. I appreciate the reply.

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