i think my alternator went

[john keskes]

Thank God just around the block from the house.. Light accel from a stop, it hesitated , didn't want to accel. then misfired, ready to stall out but it didn't. I looked at the Scanmaster and saw the Retard go to 12.2 then saw Bat at 8.5 ..made it home, left it running, pulled out voltmeter. was 8.7 V at the Battery. then went to check alt. one test lead at the alt wire . one at a ground and it showed 0.00 .
I pulled the alt out and will get it checked at an auto parts store tomorrow. This is my first experience with this problem.. I have no idea this was going to happen.. i had checked the scanmaster and it showed 14.2 V like 10 minutes before while i was driving! This just seems really weird. should i not see some voltage out of the alt it does spin freely, no noise.. I will find out tomorrow

 

[salvageV6]

Sometimes the positive wire from the battery down to the starter area gets burned up on the exhaust and shorts out.

Easy enough to trace out and check if the alternator is good.

 

[GNRick]

When you re install the altenator make sure you don't over tighten it or you could break the ear off the belt tensioner. At least that is the scuttlebut.

 

[mgmshar]

Take a good look at the battery cables. I had some weirdness in my car because the paint shop left the negative cable slightly loose at the battery. Just follow both of the cables for their entire length and look for tight connections or evidence of rubbing.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Turbo Buick

 

[whitehot1]

If you turn the key to the on position does the volt light come on? if the light doesn't come on the battery will not charge even if the alternator is good.

 

[john keskes]

If you turn the key to the on position does the volt light come on? if the light doesn't come on the battery will not charge even if the alternator is good.

So if the light does not come on, i've got a short or a Bad ground? I hope that it's just an Alt that's gone bad and nothing else! I will know tomorrow when i get it tested

 

[john keskes]

When you re install the altenator make sure you don't over tighten it or you could break the ear off the belt tensioner. At least that is the scuttlebut.

Not sure what you mean. The alt goes into place, you move the tensioner to make enough slack to get the belt over the pulley then tighten the alt bolts.

 

[L8TRH8R]

If when, even if not, do a big three upgrade and feel a lot safer.

 

[john keskes]

If when, even if not, do a big three upgrade and feel a lot safer.

let me guess, 1. alt , 2. hotwire the FP , 3. High Perf FP .... I have it all waiting for a nice weekend including TT

 

[whitehot1]

So if the light does not come on, i've got a short or a Bad ground? I hope that it's just an Alt that's gone bad and nothing else! I will know tomorrow when i get it tested

Hopefully it's just a blown bulb.

 

[GNRick]

Not sure what you mean. The alt goes into place, you move the tensioner to make enough slack to get the belt over the pulley then tighten the alt bolts.

That long bolt is going through the belt tensioner. The tensioners are not available anymore. Take a look and you will see what I'm talking about.

 

[john keskes]

That long bolt is going through the belt tensioner. The tensioners are not available anymore. Take a look and you will see what I'm talking about.

ahhhh OK i gotcha. thanks for the heads up!

 

[L8TRH8R]

Big three is updating your charging leads to a larger gauge wire. (I went with 0 gauge) I've got a lot of car audio going so I've got a 280 amp alternator as well. Car starts faster and is overall a lot happier just with the wire upgrade.

 

[john keskes]

The Alt checked out "good" at Advance Auto Parts... i wanted to see #'s but that's not what their little test stand PC does. So i do have other issues going on. guess i'll be busy over the weekend checking Batt cables & grounds. Thanks for all the comments & suggestions!

 

[whitehot1]

The Alt checked out "good" at Advance Auto Parts... i wanted to see #'s but that's not what their little test stand PC does. So i do have other issues going on. guess i'll be busy over the weekend checking Batt cables & grounds. Thanks for all the comments & suggestions!

I've had them tested before at Advance auto and Autozone and the test equipment did show volt output. I would get a second opinion from another auto parts store before putting it back on.

 

[john keskes]

thanks wh1.. those were my thoughts walking out of the store.. gonna stop at 2 more places on way home today

 

[lolo86GN]

Did you check that your volt light in the cluster turns on as suggested above? The circuit for charging runs through that light and if it burned out then your charging system wont work. Make sure it lights when you turn the key to the on position.

 

[john keskes]

Can I check this before i re-install the Alt? reconnect my Battery, & put the ignition key to "on" position?

 

[lolo86GN]

Can I check this before i re-install the Alt? reconnect my Battery, & put the ignition key to "on" position?

Yea. It should be on the left hand side of the cluster. When I first got my car the previous owner told me the alternator was bad but it turned out to be that circuit.

 

[john keskes]

Very cool i will check that first before i start tearing into the wiring! Thanks again!