Underdrive Pullies + Alternator Problems = questions

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meyers2211

New Member

Sep 4, 2005

38

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Lindenhurst

Oct 30, 2005

#1

• Oct 30, 2005

• #1

Ok since i've got the car the headlights are slightly dim at idle, but when i hit the gas all my instruments/headlights brighten up. Now this problem has been getting worse and now at nite i pull up to a light and the volts drop so bad my stereo turns off. (and no i don't have a system its mainly stock). Is this normal behavior for underdrive pullies? or is the alternator going?

the pullies are blue anodized and idk what brand they are

 

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whitesnake1994

New Member

Jul 11, 2005

70

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Shelby Township, MI

Oct 30, 2005

#2

• Oct 30, 2005

• #2

no thats definetly not normal.. when at idle your headlights will dim but not that bad. i would say your alternator is going. mine did about a month after i got pullies. dont know if that is common or not.

 

mricci

Member

Aug 17, 2003

301

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17

Massachusetts

Oct 30, 2005

#3

• Oct 30, 2005

• #3

When my alternator went it was started at wot, the lights would dim. Then when i was on the highway it they would dim get bright dim get bright. I dont have underdrives though. My alternator on my town car went a few years ago with no notice though.

 

xr8d302

I bought a 27" monitor to compensate for my lack o

Apr 29, 2004

1,113

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36

Medicine Hat, AB

Oct 30, 2005

#4

• Oct 30, 2005

• #4

Hrmm....I have the same issue now, but not to the point that my stereo's shutting down. Is there any way to stop that without going back to stock pulleys?

 

M

meyers2211

New Member

Sep 4, 2005

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Lindenhurst

Oct 30, 2005

#5

• Oct 30, 2005

• #5

so u guys would consider this to be normal behavior for UDP's? with the exception that the volts are really dropping bad now, when i have the moeny a new alternator will be in. I can understand a small drop in volts but not so far my stereo shuts off

If i check the volts coming out the alternator would that tell me anything?

 

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whitesnake1994

New Member

Jul 11, 2005

70

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Shelby Township, MI

Oct 30, 2005

#6

• Oct 30, 2005

• #6

How long has this been happening?? my alternator started to do the same and i figured it was the pullies, but 2 days later my alternator went and i was stuck in the middle of the road. better to get it done now rather than to have to pay a towing bill too. (at least my insurance covered the tow job thank god.) but ya the light dimming is normal, but you should hardly notice it.

 

Kevin R.

New Member

Jun 3, 2004

473

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Ohio

Oct 30, 2005

#7

• Oct 30, 2005

• #7

Yup, this happened to me when I put my UD's on. If you have a decently old battery the UD's will probably kill it.

I had the same thing happen, lights dimmed (still do a little), and in drive-thru's my stereo would shut off due to lack of power.

Pretty soon you'll be getting stranded so you may want to go get a new battery with a decent warranty on it now.

After the new battery you can still see the volts dropped but everything still works properly.

 

Kevin R.

New Member

Jun 3, 2004

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Ohio

Oct 30, 2005

#8

• Oct 30, 2005

• #8

BTW - I don't know if you guys have stereo's or not so this could be why your not having as large a problem with the volts draining as a stereo system takes.

 

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meyers2211

New Member

Sep 4, 2005

38

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0

Lindenhurst

Oct 30, 2005

#9

• Oct 30, 2005

• #9

Kevin R. said:

Yup, this happened to me when I put my UD's on. If you have a decently old battery the UD's will probably kill it.

I had the same thing happen, lights dimmed (still do a little), and in drive-thru's my stereo would shut off due to lack of power.

Pretty soon you'll be getting stranded so you may want to go get a new battery with a decent warranty on it now.

After the new battery you can still see the volts dropped but everything still works properly.

Click to expand...

WEll mine has already gone last month, got a new duralast in there now 65 bux at autozone

 

W

whitesnake1994

New Member

Jul 11, 2005

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Shelby Township, MI

Oct 30, 2005

#10

• Oct 30, 2005

• #10

no i have a full after market system including a 12" inch sub and 250 watt amp. but even at idle for long periods it never shuts off.

 

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FayetteNam87

New Member

Aug 20, 2005

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0

Oct 30, 2005

#11

• Oct 30, 2005

• #11

My car is doing the same thing but i dont have underdrive pulleys but i was about to order some. Mine has stock pulleys but the headlights get real bright when you give it like more than half throttle, and when it does it the battery light flashes.

????

 

WhiteStallionGT

Member

Aug 19, 2004

465

0

17

Northern VA / VT

Oct 30, 2005

#12

• Oct 30, 2005

• #12

Has anyone here had a problem with their wipers ever since they got u/d pulleys. Mine only work when my highbeams are on and my turn signals are on. Sometimes I can leave the highbeams on for a couple minutes, then turn them off and the wipers will work. I'm guessing it's an alternator problem. Any thoughts?

 

urban96

bubb rubb says:"woo woooooo"

Founding Member

Sep 24, 2002

3,464

1

69

Syracuse, NY

Oct 30, 2005

#13

• Oct 30, 2005

• #13

you can get an over drive pully for the alt to help it out a bit

http://www.aspracing.com/frame.htm

 

mo_dingo

20+ Year Stangneter

Aug 26, 2003

3,031

2

58

Tucson, AZ

Oct 30, 2005

#14

• Oct 30, 2005

• #14

If you have a bad ground, it will do this exact same thing. You need to remove, clean & reinstall the battery battery connections, including the 2 that go to the body. Make sure you sand the body frame so those 2 connections are making very good contact.

Also, you need to repeat this procedure at the engine ground, which is hooked up to one of the front oil pan bolts (actually a stud, so you can just remove the nut and off comes the ground wire).

Hopefully this helps.
Scott

 

WhiteDevil

New Member

Feb 4, 2003

2,717

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0

San Diego

Oct 31, 2005

#15

• Oct 31, 2005

• #15

Yeah the dimming thins is normal with the Underdrives. and if you look at the voltage gauge you can see it drop some too. But it should not go down enough to shut off the stereo, i would get the alt tested and the batt tested.

 

Methodical

15 Year Member

Dec 1, 2003

1,192

11

59

Clinton, MD

Oct 31, 2005

#16

• Oct 31, 2005

• #16

whitesnake1994 said:

no thats definetly not normal.. when at idle your headlights will dim but not that bad. i would say your alternator is going. mine did about a month after i got pullies. dont know if that is common or not.

Click to expand...

If you have the money you may want to go with a larger amp alternator to offset the UDs. I went with a 200 amp alternator recently. I have the March Amp UDs which is suppose to be for large stereo systems. Probably has the overdrive alternator pulley. You may be able to get your current alternator rebuilt to a higher amperage. Check around. Peace

 

xr8d302

I bought a 27" monitor to compensate for my lack o

Apr 29, 2004

1,113

0

36

Medicine Hat, AB

Oct 31, 2005

#17

• Oct 31, 2005

• #17

Kevin R. said:

BTW - I don't know if you guys have stereo's or not so this could be why your not having as large a problem with the volts draining as a stereo system takes.

Click to expand...

Plus the full Mach460 set up? Total 10 speakers and 5 amps? :Word:

 

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Blackened302

Active Member

Jul 21, 2005

1,439

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36

South TX

Oct 31, 2005

#18

• Oct 31, 2005

• #18

remove the alternator pully and keep the stocker. i've done that w/ every pully install and not a single problem.