I'm in the Bay Area, live about 10 miles North of the Golden Gate bridge.
Gen 2.5 - Misreading Voltage Meter
- Thread starter nwoods
- Start date
I'm in the Bay Area, live about 10 miles North of the Golden Gate bridge.
CarlosC
New member
nwoods,
Any luck with the in-dash voltage meter? I am having a similar problem with my 2.5. I recently replaced the alternator after a slow valve cover leak soiled the old one. The alternator is up and running just fine. Only problem is now my battery light, brake light, and A/T light are on all the time. Like you, my in-dash voltage meter has never been above 12 volts (with the old and new alternators), even though the new alternator is reading 14.45. I am thinking I might try and replace both the oil pressure guage as the manual suggests as well as the voltage meter. Have you conducted the resistance tests that are suggested on page 54-25?
Carlos
Any luck with the in-dash voltage meter? I am having a similar problem with my 2.5. I recently replaced the alternator after a slow valve cover leak soiled the old one. The alternator is up and running just fine. Only problem is now my battery light, brake light, and A/T light are on all the time. Like you, my in-dash voltage meter has never been above 12 volts (with the old and new alternators), even though the new alternator is reading 14.45. I am thinking I might try and replace both the oil pressure guage as the manual suggests as well as the voltage meter. Have you conducted the resistance tests that are suggested on page 54-25?
Carlos
off-roader
Expedition Leader
With the alternator that old its unlikely to have died on its own assuming its a rebuilt one but not if it was a new OEM unit, unless you have other issues like an oil leak, leaking oil onto it. That will kill it pretty quickly.
We're kinda distributed around the SF Bay Area. I'm probably the farthest in the Tracy area. Grasscat is in Livermore. Cap510 is in Fremont. There are others as well but they dont frequent the forum.
As far as I know, it was the original alternator.
Thanks for the infor. This morning, it was reading 14 volts( a notch beyond the 12) and it happened to be mid 60's this morning. It does seem like the meter reads (or the alt puts out) according to the ambient temperature.
nwoods
Expedition Leader
Very peculiar but welcome behavior today. I visited local Mitsubishi dealer and got replacement bulbs, and while there I got a spare Ignition key made (only $17 !). Testing the new spare, I was able to start the truck WITHOUT having to push the alarm override! This is the first time my truck started normally since the first full day if ownership when I disconnected the battery to clean the terminals.
Pleased, I started to drive away when I noted my Voltage gauge was reading 14+ volts! Did it heal itself? Are these keys (98 gen 2.5) chipped with an RFID chip that might have cleared the alarm circuit finally?
Pleased, I started to drive away when I noted my Voltage gauge was reading 14+ volts! Did it heal itself? Are these keys (98 gen 2.5) chipped with an RFID chip that might have cleared the alarm circuit finally?
billygoats
n00b
that is some great news! usually gremlins do not work in our favor.
CarlosC
New member
Nathan,
Congrats on the fix. FYI, I was able to correct my low voltage meter readings by removing the multi-meter cluster and disconnecting the harness. After I plugged it back in, the voltage meter began reading above 12v. I don't know if you are still getting consistently accurate readings, but if not, you might want to try this. It was a quick 10 minute fix.
Congrats on the fix. FYI, I was able to correct my low voltage meter readings by removing the multi-meter cluster and disconnecting the harness. After I plugged it back in, the voltage meter began reading above 12v. I don't know if you are still getting consistently accurate readings, but if not, you might want to try this. It was a quick 10 minute fix.
nwoods
Expedition Leader
Long saga of silly light bulbs. I finally got the right bulbs, and, um, replacement sockets for the ones I lost somehow.... and replaced all the burnt out bulbs in the dash. Yeah! Then I turned my attention to the voltmeter. I'm seeing about 12.5v at the battery with everything off, and about 14.2v with the truck running. The gauge is beginning to read more consistently (it has been in the low 90's at my house lately), but its consistently showing about 11v. I'm just going to disregard it in the future. If it shows zero, and the car won't start, I'll start to trust it 
Now after unplugging, cleaning, and reconnecting the gauge pack harness, the digital compass doesn't work. I've manually reset it several times today, and it just perpetually wonders where South is. It used to work, now it doesn't. Fortunately, I have an excellent sense of direction and a pretty good memory for trails. I was amazed at how stout and overbuilt that gauge pack assembly was. I've seen flimsier winch trays (yeah, Smittybuilt, I'm talking about you).
Still waiting for a business deal to go through to fund my lift, tires, and maintainence overhaul. My neighbor saw me working on the truck today and came over to chat. Turns out he was a service manager for Southcoast Mitsubishi for a few years. Loves the truck and has nothing but praise for them. BUT, he strongly advised doing the timing belt and Replacing the main crank bolt along with the water pump and idler...something (gears?). Says he saw a number of Montero's flatbedded into his shop with all the belts hanging out the bottom of the car after a 3rd party timing belt job. I guess the crank bolt doesn't like being retorqued? Anyway, I thought I'd pass it on as it was news to me.
Now after unplugging, cleaning, and reconnecting the gauge pack harness, the digital compass doesn't work. I've manually reset it several times today, and it just perpetually wonders where South is. It used to work, now it doesn't. Fortunately, I have an excellent sense of direction and a pretty good memory for trails. I was amazed at how stout and overbuilt that gauge pack assembly was. I've seen flimsier winch trays (yeah, Smittybuilt, I'm talking about you).
Still waiting for a business deal to go through to fund my lift, tires, and maintainence overhaul. My neighbor saw me working on the truck today and came over to chat. Turns out he was a service manager for Southcoast Mitsubishi for a few years. Loves the truck and has nothing but praise for them. BUT, he strongly advised doing the timing belt and Replacing the main crank bolt along with the water pump and idler...something (gears?). Says he saw a number of Montero's flatbedded into his shop with all the belts hanging out the bottom of the car after a 3rd party timing belt job. I guess the crank bolt doesn't like being retorqued? Anyway, I thought I'd pass it on as it was news to me.
off-roader
Expedition Leader
yup, timing belt, crank bolt water pump, tensioner, and idler pulleys should be hanged although in my experience, the idlers don't need to be changed every timing belt change, but they're cheap parts so you may as well.
nwoods
Expedition Leader
ah see that's my problem. I never drive in circles
Thanks for the heads up. I do have the service manuals, but didn't think to look there for this specific bit of info yet.
Evo666
Observer
Update. I somehow fixed the misreading gauge with fresh new battery and alternator. It was reading well under 12v. Possible dead cell in the battery caused this.