Totally Confused!! Alternator at it again??

[Afubar]

I started a post yesterday about changing my alternator, got great advice, hope you guru's can do it again.

 

Put trickle charger on battery last night so battery would have a good charge, drove car to Shucks Auto Parts, car was charging at about 12, they put a tester on it, it showed 12.26 on the low end, so I bought an alternator with a lifetime warrenty, started home, stopped for gas, restarted car, car is now charging at 14. Drove on toward home, charge didn't change, turned around, took it to my mechanic (the one whose done most of the work, and known to be honest). Told him what was going on, he tested it, couldn't find anything wrong anywhere, put the car under load, nothing changed, turned on all equiptment (ie. radio, air, lights on high). Can not find one thing wrong.

 

The only thing that was done a Shucks was a tester put on the battery and I moved a few wires on the passenger side near the front and near the fusebox out of the way so I could see the alternator better. Alternator is not making any noise, no squeaking, no nothing.

 

Any Ideas other than I've lost my mind? Thanks

 

Welp, it is now a month or more since the last time the voltage dropped on this car, I had bought a new alternator, but after a week of no problems, I returned it. This past Saturday, I got in the car, started it, and noticed the voltmeter at about 12.5 and the check engine light was on, I continued to drive about 3 miles and suddenly, the car starts charging again 14 or better. Sunday was fine, Monday, I went to take granddaughter to school and the voltmeter is at about 12.5 and the check engine light was on, I continued to drive about 6 miles, went over a railroad track, voltage went up to 14, stopped car to let kid out, when I took off, car was back down, took it to guy who put the last alternator in (around 18 months ago) and he tested it (same guy who had tested it before and couldn't find anything wrong) and said it wasn't charging and needed to be changed. Told him I would call later and make an appointment to do that. As I was leaving his place, car started charging back at 14. This morning, car started off good, about a mile away from gas station Check engine light came on (car was very low on fuel) and I noticed voltage was back down past 13. Stopped car, put in fuel, started car and voltage is back up to 14 and held steady for the 11 mile drive to work.

 

Any ideas? The only thing that is the same as the last time the car did this is the fact that the feul tank was very low. In fact, it started working the last time after I had put gas in the car (daughter had run it really low that time) and this is the lowest I've allowed the tank to get since then. I know one thing couldn't possible have anything to do with the other, but if an alternator is going bad, would it act like this, or does this sound like a wire loose somewhere?

 

HELP

[gp90se]

make sure the wires arent corroted (sp), grounds wires, battery terminials, etc etc. I ran a wire from the alternator to the battery (bypassing the starter) and got a little more juice outta the alternator. good luck!

[Afubar]

Thanks GP90, As of this writing, the alternator is still charging at 14. I'm gonna keep the new alternator until Friday, if nothing changes, then back it goes.

 

I did go ahead and replace the antenna mast this week end. I'd bought a replacement off ebay a couple of months ago, hadn't gotten around to changing it. Fortunately, when the old one went (coated with ice last winter) it did so in the up position. Had to dismantle the motor, but is was easy, had the little plastic rivets, poped them out, took out the old plastic junk from the old antenna, popped it back together, a couple of zip ties and electrical tape to hold it together, and the new antenna mast works like a dream, better reception than the old chrome looking mast that was in it. (the new one is all black)

[Afubar]

Welp, it is now a month or more since the last time the voltage dropped on this car, I had bought a new alternator, but after a week of no problems, I returned it. This past Saturday, I got in the car, started it, and noticed the voltmeter at about 12.5 and the check engine light was on, I continued to drive about 3 miles and suddenly, the car starts charging again 14 or better. Sunday was fine, Monday, I went to take granddaughter to school and the voltmeter is at about 12.5 and the check engine light was on, I continued to drive about 6 miles, went over a railroad track, voltage went up to 14, stopped car to let kid out, when I took off, car was back down, took it to guy who put the last alternator in (around 18 months ago) and he tested it (same guy who had tested it before and couldn't find anything wrong) and said it wasn't charging and needed to be changed. Told him I would call later and make an appointment to do that. As I was leaving his place, car started charging back at 14. This morning, car started off good, about a mile away from gas station Check engine light came on (car was very low on fuel) and I noticed voltage was back down past 13. Stopped car, put in fuel, started car and voltage is back up to 14 and held steady for the 11 mile drive to work.

 

Any ideas? The only thing that is the same as the last time the car did this is the fact that the feul tank was very low. In fact, it started working the last time after I had put gas in the car (daughter had run it really low that time) and this is the lowest I've allowed the tank to get since then. I know one thing couldn't possible have anything to do with the other, but if an alternator is going bad, would it act like this, or does this sound like a wire loose somewhere?

 

HELP

[Afubar]

Hey guys, this isn't a joke. I'm truely serious. I know it reads like a post that someone made up, but it truely isn't. I really need advice.

[slick]

Sounds like the alt. that you bought is bad. Either bad brushes or bad bearings. Mine does that as well.

 

BTW, do you have your cooling duct on?

[Afubar]

Cooling Duct? I'm not sure what that is? Please clarify.

 

And Thanks

[slick]

Which engine do you have?

[Afubar]

Good Morning,

 

Unfortunately I have the 3.4 engine. The battery is new. My daughter replaced it last month while I was on leave and it first started this. she thought it was the battery, so she replaced it with another, that one was fried, so she bought another one, voltage meter still read 12.5. Course as children will, she also let the fuel tank get way lower than I normally do, as in, check gages low. I got home, had the charging system tested, showed up charging at 12.48. I bought a new atlernator with full intentions of changing it using the great instructions on this site, on the way home, I put gas in the car, normal levels for this car, and the old alternator has been charging at 14 or better. This past week, I allowed the car's fuel tank to get lower than normal, and that's when I noticed the voltage meter dropping down past 13. Yesterday morning I added fuel to it's normal (never below half) and for the past 48 miles the voltage has stayed at 14 to 14.5, even with headlights and heater going.

 

Any Ideas??

[slick]

OK, thats what I was assuming when asking if you had a cooling duct. When you pulled your alternator out, on the back of it, there should have been this black plastic piece that curves down to the bottom of the engine. This kinda sends cooler air into the alternator.

[Afubar]

Hey Slick94, I didn't change the alternator the last time (about 18 months ago) a mechanic did it and I got hit with a 500 dollar bill to boot. Is there anyway to see (without taking it out) if this item is on there?

 

Thanks for your response.

[slick]

Hmm... it's gonna be tough to see if its on there or not just by jacking the car up. You might be able to tell, and it's worth a shot. Basically it's a black plastic piece that would connect to the alt. on the connection side and runs down.

[Afubar]

I haven't had a chance to check and see if that piece is on there yet, it's pretty dard by the time I get home, will check this weekend.

 

As an update, the fuel tank is still above a half a tank and the voltage has been and is still holding at 14 or better, that's with headlights and heater running in the morning. I drive approximatley 25 miles one way each day. So far so good.