Quote:
Originally Posted by dcb
I'm not convinced about the need for 14 volts, if folks here are already making more mpg without the alternator, then isn't that the point? Have any of these folks said it was a problem? Most every electrical component I know has some degree of tolerance, and alternator (and belts) do break.
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Sure, it works. We know that. But is it optimal? Perhaps that 10% fe improvement could really be 15% if the engine was getting the power it needed for a hot spark, properly calibrated injector pulse, etc.
Of course a car should be able to run with a broken alt belt....but for how long? Any engineer working on a new design has the answer....just long enough to get it to a shop and get it fixed. When every device/system that manages, runs, and protects an engine expects to see 14v there is certainly no benefit to 12v, 11v....but there could very likely be a detriment.