Hi

I have a 1994 Mazda Protege dx, when I start my car the charge light comes on, but then I give her a little gas and it goes away. I did the same thing but with a multi meter hooked up to the battery. I started the car, charge light is on and the battery read around 12 volts, rev the engine and it jumps to 14volts. Since this started I have also observed that I am getting about 50 to 100 kilometers less per tank of gas. I'm guessing my alternator is about to go? any ideas or thoughts on this and what I should do if anything?

 

I am thinking maybe is time to replace your spark plug cables. They might not be conducting enough current to spark plug for starting the combustion in your engine therefore you have to press on the gas throttle to let in extra air to start the engine combustion. If it is alternator about to die, your battery would of been completely dead and long gone b4 you even finish a full tank of gas. But this is just my wild guess, I can be 100% wrong...don't know.

 

Thanks for the Insight Petroxg, but I doubt it's the spark plug cables, they look fairly new. Plus it's not that the engine doesn't start or struggles to start, it starts but the alternator doesn't kick in until I rev the engine a bit and that's when the charge light goes away.

 

It's almost certainly your alternator. I read that if the light gets dimmer or goes out when you rev the engine, it's the alternator. Conversely, if the light comes on or gets brighter when you rev the engine, it indicates a weak battery. When the engine is off and all the loads (lights, radio etc.) are off, the voltage at the battery should be at least 12.6 volts. Once the car is started and idling, it should be about 14 volts. Do not delay or you risk damaging your battery.
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sounds to me like the voltage regulator is going out, which is, unfortunately, inside of the alternator. new alternator should fix it up.