TeeJay3800 Posted August 4, 2004 Report Share Posted August 4, 2004 On the way home today, my Charge Warning Light came on and the DIS said my volts dropped to between 11.4 and 11.7. What's going on? Is my alternator shot or could it be another problem? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digitaloutsider Posted August 4, 2004 Report Share Posted August 4, 2004 Alternator go bye-bye. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiscoStudd Posted August 4, 2004 Report Share Posted August 4, 2004 I say don't put the cart before the horse. In your case checking the alternator's the best place to start before tearing into anything else. Take your alternator out and bring it in to your local parts store to have it tested. The CS series alternators are notorious for crapping out after a couple of years... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digitaloutsider Posted August 4, 2004 Report Share Posted August 4, 2004 I say don't put the cart before the horse. In your case checking the alternator's the best place to start before tearing into anything else. Take your alternator out and bring it in to your local parts store to have it tested. The CS series alternators are notorious for crapping out after a couple of years... All W-body alternators are notorious for crapping out after a couple of years.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiscoStudd Posted August 4, 2004 Report Share Posted August 4, 2004 All W-body alternators are notorious for crapping out after a couple of years.. All GM alternators from 87-95 (the "CS-130" type) are notorious for crapping out. The sealed bearing unit on the back side of the case is too small, and the case doesn't have a large enough heat sink to dissapate the heat. The heat is what kills these type of alts 9.9999999 times out of 10. The bearings either seize up or the diodes fail. Check out this link: http://www.alternatorparts.com/iceberg.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digitaloutsider Posted August 4, 2004 Report Share Posted August 4, 2004 For some reason I thought you meant CS as equaling Cutlass Supreme... Though you aren't that stupid, at all.. But yes, that era of alternators can take a good suck on my left ass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiscoStudd Posted August 4, 2004 Report Share Posted August 4, 2004 Amen to that! I should own stock in GM after all the money I've dumped on their crappy alternators over the years. Haven't had any problems with the CS-130D that's in the wife's Lumina yet, so I guess they weren't bullshittin' when they say that's a better design than the old CS-130... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99RegalGS Posted August 4, 2004 Report Share Posted August 4, 2004 I suggest to also check the alt and batt connections and the "Fuseable Link" along with checking the alt. Espically if the alternator is pretty new. The fuseable link is part of the alt wire and it's near the starter on the 3.4 but I'm not sure if it's in the same spot on a 3.1. Anyway if that fuse breaks it will not charge or charge part of the time. To check it grab an ohm meter and put one end on the positive terminal of the batt and the other on the positive lead of the alt. It should be less than 1 ohm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digitaloutsider Posted August 4, 2004 Report Share Posted August 4, 2004 Amen to that! I should own stock in GM after all the money I've dumped on their crappy alternators over the years. Haven't had any problems with the CS-130D that's in the wife's Lumina yet, so I guess they weren't bullshittin' when they say that's a better design than the old CS-130... The Alternator in the Montana is about the only thing good about it.. stupid fucking 4T65e can go to hell, get raped by satan, get castrated, then sent back here to be destroyed by me sort of like in Office Space where they take the printer out to the field.. I swear.. the MIL in the Montana is like the equivalent of "PC LOAD LETTER". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cutlassdude96 Posted August 4, 2004 Report Share Posted August 4, 2004 mine went out last year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeJay3800 Posted August 4, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2004 Thanks for the help! The alternator is old based on it's appearance so I'm sure that is the problem. My question now is, how in the heck do I get the bottom bolt off??? The 2 on top were simple, but the bottom one is going to be a bitch. Do I have to take the doggy bones off and rock the motor? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digitaloutsider Posted August 4, 2004 Report Share Posted August 4, 2004 Just take off the entire bracket. Make your life a little easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeJay3800 Posted August 4, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2004 I have my alternator completely taken off except for the damn battery cable. When I tried to loosen the nut holding the cable on, the entire bolt started spinning inside the alternator. Now, I can't get the cable off because the cable thingy just spins along with the nut/bolt. Any suggestions to get the cable off? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digitaloutsider Posted August 4, 2004 Report Share Posted August 4, 2004 I have my alternator completely taken off except for the damn battery cable. When I tried to loosen the nut holding the cable on, the entire bolt started spinning inside the alternator. Now, I can't get the cable off because the cable thingy just spins along with the nut/bolt. Any suggestions to get the cable off? You need to use a 13/14 mm open end to hold the bottom part so the nut spins and the rest doesn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SigEpCutlass Posted August 5, 2004 Report Share Posted August 5, 2004 Amen to that! I should own stock in GM after all the money I've dumped on their crappy alternators over the years. Haven't had any problems with the CS-130D that's in the wife's Lumina yet, so I guess they weren't bullshittin' when they say that's a better design than the old CS-130... The Alternator in the Montana is about the only thing good about it.. stupid fucking 4T65e can go to hell, get raped by satan, get castrated, then sent back here to be destroyed by me sort of like in Office Space where they take the printer out to the field.. I swear.. the MIL in the Montana is like the equivalent of "PC LOAD LETTER". haha we were just watching the load clip section of that movie online today...hahaha hell i work for the gov't (i don't work in the applications branch) but us desktop/ network support people still love watching that kinda funny shit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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