Understood, but it's not reading the battery. Reading the system and all possible voltage drops along the way, likely most of which are of little consequence to the overall.
I wholeheartedly disagree with that sentiment, you should NEVER be embarrassed about having to work on your home built vehicle. It might be commonplace here on the HAMB but you should be proud to even know how to work on it let alone having built it (sadly this is lost on a lot of people now). Plus you didn't make the parts.....parts will fail, some early on and most at inopportune times. I'm a scrounge and I'll buy used parts to rebuild or just run as is...no shame in it. I would add an regular bulb style test light to the tool kit, you can tell if there's not full voltage by how dim the bulb is plus sometimes you need that little resistance of the bulb. Also I like to run a Ford solenoid for my GM starters, it makes testing easier from under the hood for me. The hot start aid is a bonus.
I'm a little confused by your answers. A standard automotive voltmeter measures the voltage at one point in the system, wherever the user installs it. The closer the sense point is to the alternator output, the higher the voltage will read, as the alternator is the prime mover in the system. I connect my voltmeter to my cigarette lighter wire. It's a direct connection to unswitched power and it's the only thing on the circuit. Wherever it is, a D'Arsonval movement only requires a few milliamps to operate, and small gauge wire is very sufficient to carry this current. If you are checking voltage drops around your system using a hand-held voltmeter, chances are about 99% it's a DVM and only requires a few microamps or less for its operation.
The 14.59 charge voltage has me a bit concerned. You really don't want to push charging much past 14.4. Beyond this risks damaging the battery. Especially AGM types. Even though AGMs tend to have a higher fully charged voltage of ~12.8/9 vs the regular wet cell full charge of 12.6, it doesnt mean it likes high charge voltage. If the Alternator is putting out 14.59 at the Batt terminal, what is the voltage seen at the battery terminals?
One point to be made here is that an alternator is not a regular battery charger. It's merely a power source that runs current into the battery. 14.6v at the alternator isn't going to harm an AGM battery. Here's the Interstate Battery page on AGM batteries: "An AGM-compatible battery charger sends more amps into a lead-acid battery while keeping the voltage less than 14-15 volts. AGM chargers go through the three charging phases (bulk, absorption and float) just like a regular charger. However, a regular charger could exceed 17 volts when charging a battery." Here’s How to Charge an AGM Battery and Why It’s Different | Interstate Batteries
I think the charging article refers to the 'trickle' charger used to maintain an agm battery. I don't use my tiny battery tender on my agm. I have a second charger designed specifically for agm batteries. The alternator in the car is not smart enough to know what battery type it is charging.
I actually have an analog volt gauge in the dash that runs through the wiring harness. I have been hesitant to mention that I have an OT fuel delivery system that has its own digital volt gauge that runs directly from the battery. They both read the same. Of course, the analog gauge doesn't show me the tenths and hundredths of a volt. but they both appear to be reading the same.
@jaw22w Since you changed starter , have you had the issue again ? My self in Last few weeks I was /Had dealing with what your original issue When you started this thread, Mine be came more frequently, I have /had the parts on shelf was putting off doing , I had a cheap switch from Autozone , & I have a 30 year old Tilton starter , I would go to start Click like dead battery , Just enough to energize click Bendix /solenoid, 2 or 3 times on starter button Then starter work like No issue . Again It was just like dead Bat , did not even try to engage bendex to flywheel , No Volts drop , I have 2 gauges also . Dreading to change starter, I was 95 % that the problem was the solenoid contacts, Dreading because I have a Double Kick out oil pan bolt that hold oil pan to block are Internal , Have to remove plugs from bottom of pan to remove pan , & 10qts oil. Plus a Containment pan . Or Remove Headers Exhaust to get starter off . So I took a chance Where I ordered a name brand Race / industrial starter button , for another project . A 20 mint job , Replaced just yesterday , Issue solved , Dealt with issues like this in the past on big trucks equipment and automotive Most time Solenoid issues.
My blown 350 used to suffer with this problem. Turn over quickly when cold but very sluggish when hot. My exhaust was close to the starter after checking all the electrics I made a heat shield for the starter and Bingo no more trouble.
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