News: Putting FUN and FRIENDLINESS, FIRST into owning and learning about AMC small bodied cars, primarily Eagles, Spirits and Concords as well as vehicles built in AMC's Mexican subsidiary, VAM.

The AMC Eaglepedia can now be accessed using the buttons found below  This is a comprehensive ever growing archive of information, tips, diagrams, manuals, etc. for the AMC Eagle and other small bodied AMC cars. 

Also a button is now available for our Face Book Group page.


Welcome to the AMC Eagles Nest.  A new site under "old" management -- so welcome to your new home for everything related to AMC Eagles, Spirits and Concords along with opportunities to interact with other AMC'ers.  This site will soon be evolving to look different than it has and we will be incorporating new features we hope you will find useful, entertaining and expand your AMC horizons.

You can now promote your topics at your favorite social media site by clicking on the appropriate icon (top upper right of the page) while viewing the topic you wish to promote.


  • March 28, 2024, 12:23:06 PM

Login with username, password and session length

Author Topic: 81 SX4 Can Transmission Cause a Drain on Alternator  (Read 10211 times)

0 Members and 2 Guests are viewing this topic.

Arctic_Eagle

  • Guest
81 SX4 Can Transmission Cause a Drain on Alternator
« on: February 20, 2011, 02:47:26 PM »
Have an 81 Sx4 automatic transmission. When in park and neutral the engine idles fine and all lights and electrical work fine too. When put into gear idle slows and headlights dim. Battery is 100%, replaced the alternator from a 40 amp to 63 amp and it is working correctly. When the car is in neutral the alternator is pushing about 14 volts, in gear and not moving it only pushes about 12. Sometimes the car stalls when I come to a stop other times not.

Can the transmission cause a drain on the alternator? I checked the fluid yesterday and its about 1/2 quart over full. Not ready to take the pan off to drain some out as it is about zero degrees here and I have no garage to work in. Any other Ideas what may be causing the drain?


Offline mudkicker715

  • Administrator
  • AMC Eagles Den Addicted
  • ******
  • Posts: 3002
  • Thumbs Up 167
Re: 81 SX4 Can Transmission Cause a Drain on Alternator
« Reply #1 on: February 20, 2011, 03:05:33 PM »
No to the tranny. Yes to an idle drop when in gear,which slows the rpm and thus slows the alt whichis your voltage drop. If every component is fine than your good.



Manitowoc WI

Arctic_Eagle

  • Guest
Re: 81 SX4 Can Transmission Cause a Drain on Alternator
« Reply #2 on: February 20, 2011, 03:13:01 PM »
Any ideas on the cause for the idle drop?

Offline thereverendbill

  • AMC Eagles Den Addicted
  • ********
  • Posts: 2334
  • Thumbs Up 85
  • as seen on the internet
Re: 81 SX4 Can Transmission Cause a Drain on Alternator
« Reply #3 on: February 20, 2011, 06:02:58 PM »
Any ideas on the cause for the idle drop?
too much fluid in the trans like MK said
1980 Eagle 2 door sedan (future solid axle swap)
1981 Eagle Kammback (restoration in progress)
1983 SX/4 SOLD
1983 Eagle Limited wagon  *For Sale* SOLD
1988 Jeep Comanche Pioneer (daily driver)
Click for YOUR TOWN, STATE Forecast" border="0" height="100" width="150

another amc forum
www.amcevolution.com

Arctic_Eagle

  • Guest
Re: 81 SX4 Can Transmission Cause a Drain on Alternator
« Reply #4 on: February 20, 2011, 06:32:15 PM »
Sorry about that.  Miss read what he wrote. I'll drop the transmission pan tomorrow and drain some of the fluid off. Thanks.

Offline IowaEagle

  • AMC Eagle Archivist
  • Administrator
  • AMC Eagles Den Addicted
  • ******
  • Posts: 31968
  • Thumbs Up 476
Re: 81 SX4 Can Transmission Cause a Drain on Alternator
« Reply #5 on: February 20, 2011, 07:19:06 PM »
You may have to bump up your idle a bit.  Is the sole-vac working?
Click for Toledo, IA Forecast" border="0" height="100" width="150   


Not a Jeep.  Not a Car.  Its an AMC Eagle!

1982 Eagle SX/4 Sport;
1980 Concord DL;
1970 Ambassador 2 Dr HT, SST
2002 Hyundai Santa Fe;
2008 Jeep Patriot Sport - Freedom Drive II

Offline Eagleearl

  • Eagle Sport
  • ****
  • Posts: 379
  • Thumbs Up 20
Re: 81 SX4 Can Transmission Cause a Drain on Alternator
« Reply #6 on: February 20, 2011, 09:27:17 PM »
It would be a lot easier to remove some oil from the transmission thru the oil dipstick tube with a cheap pump.
I pump mine out before dropping the oil pan to save on the mess.
May need to raise the idle speed in extreme cold.

Arctic_Eagle

  • Guest
Re: 81 SX4 Can Transmission Cause a Drain on Alternator
« Reply #7 on: February 21, 2011, 11:04:54 AM »
Tried syphoning out the fluid and it was cold enough that the plastic tubing froze stiff.  Not sure why I didnt come up with increasing the idle...it's - 17 here today w/o windchill guess that qualifys as cold enough to bump the idle up. I'm sure the transmission fluid being over didn't help either though.

Car still started strong with no hesitation, so thats a good sign.

Offline mudkicker715

  • Administrator
  • AMC Eagles Den Addicted
  • ******
  • Posts: 3002
  • Thumbs Up 167
Re: 81 SX4 Can Transmission Cause a Drain on Alternator
« Reply #8 on: February 21, 2011, 12:40:34 PM »
Any ideas on the cause for the idle drop?
too much fluid in the trans like MK said

Never said that. I wouldn't worry about a little overfill either. I still believe you have no issue unless you sit idiling in gear for to long



Manitowoc WI

Arctic_Eagle

  • Guest
Re: 81 SX4 Can Transmission Cause a Drain on Alternator
« Reply #9 on: February 21, 2011, 08:24:31 PM »
You may have to bump up your idle a bit.  Is the sole-vac working?

Sole-Vac? Not sure how I can tell if its working. Still an amateur when it comes to this stuff. 

Arctic_Eagle

  • Guest
Re: 81 SX4 Can Transmission Cause a Drain on Alternator
« Reply #10 on: February 21, 2011, 08:54:52 PM »
Agree with MK. I don't think that there is anything that I need to worry about in the immediate, but everything I'm reading about the sol-vac is making me think that I may need to adjust or at least test it. If anything this problem is just annoying.

Working on a little more diagnosis to provide you all:

Car idles fine when the choke is engaged but after the engine is warm the idle drops pretty low and the car stalls. When I initially tested the alternator I didnt think to let the engine warm and see how it was functioning in and out of gear. Was busy most of the weekend and didnt drive it too much. Now I know that when the engine is warm (and the choke is off) it idles low whether in or out of gear causing the draw on the alternator and  stalling when stopped. Sometimes though it will run fine and I have no problems. Can usually start it up after it stalls so its not a huge problem....Not a lot of traffic to worry about in ND. Need to get a tach so I can get the RPM readings. Is there another way to know if the sol-vac is working?

Thanks for your help so far

Offline ammachine390

  • Eagle Limited
  • *****
  • Posts: 722
  • Thumbs Up 42
Re: 81 SX4 Can Transmission Cause a Drain on Alternator
« Reply #11 on: February 21, 2011, 10:59:06 PM »
Sounds like you just need to adjust all of the idle speeds.

Is there another way to know if the sol-vac is working?
Turning on the rear defroster or the A/C should bump up the idle.  Also, the Air temp switch in the air cleaner will bump up the idle if the pins are jumped together. And if you turn the steering wheel all the way to one side, it should bump up idle. It is possible the sol-vac is stuck, mine was. I got it freed up with some WD-40 and now it works again.
Dan
1981 AMC Concord DL 258 Auto

Click for Villa_Park, IL Forecast" border="0" height="100" width="150

Arctic_Eagle

  • Guest
Re: 81 SX4 Can Transmission Cause a Drain on Alternator
« Reply #12 on: February 22, 2011, 01:42:04 PM »
Thanks, I will work the sol-vac since since WD40 is fast (and easy). Still pretty cold here and I dont have a tach so I might take it in to have the idle adjusted.  Car ran alright this morning idle slowed a little bit but not like it had been.

Could the timing be off as well?

Offline allend

  • Eagle DL
  • ***
  • Posts: 192
  • Thumbs Up 9
Re: 81 SX4 Can Transmission Cause a Drain on Alternator
« Reply #13 on: April 17, 2011, 06:04:50 AM »
usually if it starts good it's not the timing, probliy just a low idle  adjust it and test the sol-vac (which mine don't have) and everything should be fine.

 

SMF spam blocked by CleanTalk