last night when i went to a car show,on my way home i noticed that my amp meter was reading 16 volts.i thought that it should be putting out only about 14 amps.i turned the dash lights down to almost off and it still read 16.when i stopped at a light it went down to 12 ,then right back up to 16.why ? the truck had not been running for about 10 days,it started right up.

 

After sitting 10 days your battery may have been discharged somewhat. My car puts out about 14 Volts if I drive it regularly but if I let it sit for a week or two it will sometimes push 15-16 Volts until the battery is fully charged. Did the voltage drop back after driving awhile? Mine usually does. If it remains 16V constantly, you might have a problem with the alternator. You could try putting the battery on an overnight charge and then see what it pushes. Fully charged it should only push about 13-14 Volts.

 

could be your voltage regulator is toast, also check your wiring for loose or dirty connections and don't overlook your grounds connections too.

 

Is this on a stock original engine, or a modern one with alternator? Do you have a voltmeter or ammeter, or both? You're talking both volts and amps.

 

I think you are confusing amps and volts. You must be reading a voltmeter. Your voltage regulator should limit you to 16 volts on a 12 volt system, however the amperage output is limited by the capacity of the alternator/generator. The voltage regulator does not limit amperage. It sounds to me like you have some bad connections or a bad battery. No doubt a stock ammeter would be pegged at 16 volts output.

 

Current is never PUSHED, it is always DRAWN. Your high meter reading is an indication of a draw on the power generation system...as suggested, this could be from a low battery or one with a dead/weak cell. Power regulation circuitry could also be at fault. A bad diode in your voltage regulator could cause the high output reading and it could also draw down your battery when engine is off.

 

i put the battery on the charger,i will start it up tomorrow and check it.ross,sorry that i screwed up it is a volt meter.the engine is a 327.