tgp218 Posted April 6, 2011 Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 I have a 1989 tgp. It is going through alternators like crazy the last one I put in lasted 10 minutes while the vehicle was running any ideas any help would be greatly appreciated? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94 olds vert Posted April 6, 2011 Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 I thought this thread was going to be about boats... What kind of alternator have you been buying? Like a rebuilt one or new? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tgp218 Posted April 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 I have went right to carquest parts and bought a brand new one with lifetime replacement but changing this thing is getting old could probably do it at this point with me eyes closed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urbex Posted April 6, 2011 Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 They won't like you much longer at Carquest! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertISaar Posted April 6, 2011 Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 a CS130 should last a little longer than 10 minutes.... clearly, something is making the regulator work at excessively high duty cycles, which is making it heat up beyond it's intended operating range, do you have any kind of large electrical draws that weren't there from the factory? and what kind of voltage are you seeing at idle? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Fury Posted April 6, 2011 Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 Hooking it up correctly? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertISaar Posted April 6, 2011 Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 you can hook it up wrong? there's one plug that can't be inserted any way other than correctly, and the charge wire.... how about the connections the alt case makes to the alt bracket, and the alt bracket to engine? those are the ground portion of how the alt creates power. then the ground strap connecting the engine to the battery negative? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhildebrand Posted April 6, 2011 Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 I have a buddy that went threw the exact same problem on a 96 ford contour. first replacement lasted 6 months, next lasted 4 days, (that one had a bad regulator that allowed the alt to burn te insulation off the charge wire and melt the plug and wires up a foot from the alt), and the next one has lasted about a year now with no problems. The alternators were re-maned coming from O'Reillys. Atleast we dont have to pull the passenger tire/spring/axle out when the alt goes out like on that contour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Psych0matt Posted April 7, 2011 Report Share Posted April 7, 2011 if its a reman, I'd see if they;ll give you whatever amount you paid toward a better one, and do that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garrett Powered Posted April 7, 2011 Report Share Posted April 7, 2011 you can hook it up wrong? there's one plug that can't be inserted any way other than correctly, and the charge wire.... how about the connections the alt case makes to the alt bracket, and the alt bracket to engine? those are the ground portion of how the alt creates power. then the ground strap connecting the engine to the battery negative? in case you forgot to question the condition of the most important one in my opinion may be the ground from the transmission bolt to the body where it is a strap of steel-to-frame by the battery tray. this is the shortest ground wire-to- body and shorter fatter wires get the biggest hit and are what I call the "Key" wire. For the alt, it uses this route for grounds powering all the accessories a TGP uses as it runs- and that cable you are talking about only gets used by the starter and I agree it is true that if you use the stock charge wire it uses that ground that connects to the starter when it charges the battery. but on to my whole point of typing anything at all... now if you used an upgraded charge cable from the alt-to-aux post, then you would most likely benefit the most from a block-to-body upgrade as well. just keep that cable 12" to 18" in length. shorter you can get away with, the better. I also agree that it can easily be hooked up wrong as I have done this many times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertISaar Posted April 7, 2011 Report Share Posted April 7, 2011 ^ i thought i might have been missing one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schurkey Posted April 7, 2011 Report Share Posted April 7, 2011 There's a bunch of things that can cause alternator failure. I have NOT seen that you've had the starting/charging power team tested. Unless you verify that the battery, starter, alternator, and wiring harness connecting all those components is in good condition, you could easily have an issue where a failure in one component leads to a failure in another. Battery needs open circuit voltage tested, parasitic drain tests, and a load test. Starter current draw test. Alternator output test, and regulated voltage test voltage drop tests between alternator + and - to battery; and starter + and - to battery. MOST folks are not equipped to do this at home because it takes expensive equipment (large-capacity ammeter and a carbon pile or electronic tester) to properly test the battery, starter, and alternator. Probably worth an hour's labor at a shop. Voltage drop testing is done with a plain old voltmeter, fair game for a Do It Yourselfer--and--it's the most time-consuming, so you can knock time off the shop fees if you have already verified that the harness is good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garrett Powered Posted April 7, 2011 Report Share Posted April 7, 2011 with a TGP there is little to no testing required unless you really want to spend time and money at a battery shop. you can safely assume that all starter, battery, charge wires have been rotted out. best way to tell is walk up with some pliers and cut some wires off the battery or block and look at the core of the wire. when you see green powder sprinkle down out of the core of the wire you will know they are toast. you will be replacing ALL the wires systematically I guarantee it. :lol: its a TGP so they are at least 21 years old and garbage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.