Loss Of Power

[talon]

I'm starting to think I have two seperate issues. I think I'll tackle the battery light first. I believe I am going to order nenw coil packs, leads, plugs and an alternator. They have not been changed since I got the car and none of the PO's documentation shows them being changed. At 23000 miles they are just about due anyway. Then I'll investigate the cats. Both tailpipes seem to be flowing evenly and it revved OK last night, although I didn't try it under load. Like I said earlier, I did get a little blue smoke from them on initial startup, but it was the first time I'd turned the car over in a couple weeks.

How big a job is the alternator?

[Simon350S]

Hi Russ

Stick a miltimeter on your battery and read the voltage....

Engine off it should read just over 12v DC

With the engine running it sould read 14.4v DC approx....

If your failing to achieve the 14.4v then your alternator is kaput.....

Simon

[talon]

Duh... Why didn't I think of that. I'll run out to the car in a second and try it. Will report back shortly.

[talon]

It's the alternator. The battery is reading 10 volts at rest and 10 volts with the engine running. I put it on the charger to come back up to strength, but I am now positive that at least part of my problem is the alternator. Well, I'm off to see if there is a cross reference part # for it.

[matk]

IIRC previous advice is not to drive with broken cats as it's possible for fragments of destroyed cat to travel backwards into the turbo. Be careful, you don't want to compound any probs.........

[Pred247]

It's the alternator. The battery is reading 10 volts at rest and 10 volts with the engine running. I put it on the charger to come back up to strength, but I am now positive that at least part of my problem is the alternator. Well, I'm off to see if there is a cross reference part # for it.

Sorry to hear that matey. I just tested mine and all seems fine.

Although, the new battery was a waste of money lol.

I hope it's not too costly. Maybe a recon would be a good idea.

John

[talon]

Can anyone confirm for me that the alternator is in fact from a Cadillac Catera Part # 0 123 510 064

IIRC previous advice is not to drive with broken cats as it's possible for fragments of destroyed cat to travel backwards into the turbo. Be careful, you don't want to compound any probs.........

Good advice. I've not driven the car since starting to have problems.

[Simon350S]

It's the alternator. The battery is reading 10 volts at rest and 10 volts with the engine running. I put it on the charger to come back up to strength, but I am now positive that at least part of my problem is the alternator. Well, I'm off to see if there is a cross reference part # for it.

Glad I could be of service

Love it when a plan comes togeather.....

Simon