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16V Charging question and lifter noise after sitting....

486 Views 2 Replies 2 Participants Last post by  BVAMotorsports, 
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My car has been sitting for the last couple of months getting paint, interior, etc., and everything has been fine until last night. I started the car to bring it home and heard one or two lifters that are clicking slightly. Not real loud, but they definately are clicking. Also, my battery light stayed on last night for about a minute as I pulled it off of the trailer and into the garage, then it went out.
My volt gauge has been reading less than 10 volts while the car is running with no accessories on, then it will just snap up to 13.5 to 14 volts out of the blue (after a minute or two of running).
I am hoping that all of this is due to the fact that I have only had it running for all of 2 minutes at any given time for the last 3 months. It hasn't ever really even warmed up since I first got the car in October.
The engine is a 92 2.0L and has 60K miles on it, so I'm pretty sure that it isn't anything serious mechanically, but I just wanted to ask some of you guys that have more experience with these engines.
Thanks in advance,
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Elwood
Re: 16V Charging question and lifter noise after sitting.... (beetlevdubn)

The lifter noise should go away if you start driving the car. Your charging problem sounds like a bad regulator on the back of the alternator (unless the belt is just loose) or maybe a bad ground. Check the battery terminals first.
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Re: 16V Charging question and lifter noise after sitting.... (VWhombre)

I know that the belt is a bit loose, but I've been told that running them tight leads to early failure of the 16V alternator. It wasn't loose enough to squeal though. I do have some grounds to check, etc. so I'll look over everything.
Any other symptoms that the regulator will give if it is in fact starting to go belly-up?
Thanks,
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