help electrical problem

[camaro1991]

this is chris...thanks for advise on the 3.1 perf....now this is serious....i have went thro 4 altanators.....the wires look ok....i don't see any abnormal in how it's hooked up...can there be a fuse blown or something i'm over looking....i had to take the gauges out to clean them and get the speedo to work..please help asap

[Andromeda451]

Alternator problem

Let the car sit overnight, then use a DVM set to read volts DC and check battery voltage. Battery should read at least 12.4 VDC. If it reads 10V or less there is a shorted cell and that will shorten alternator life. Next check the grounds from block to alternator body and block to battery negative. To do this set the DVM to read ohms. The reading when you probe from the block to battery should be less than 0.02 ohms. Any higher and you've got a bad connection that needs repair. Last, make sure you get a quality rebuild, some el'cheapo rebuilds aren't worth the box they come in. keep us posted and good luck

Andromeda451

[camaro1991]

ok....who is better autozone or o'rallys????
i live in ardmore oklahoma so..we have 50% for autozone and 50% for o'rallys...

[camaro1991]

well..this is weird.....u know them gauges that come in a pac of 3???well i used to volt 1 and hooked it up...well now it chargin at 20 volts...and then when i turn off the car it still runs..

[Andromeda451]

Gauges?

You've tapped the voltage point at an "always on" tap point, the gauge should get it's sense voltage from a key on voltage source. When the key is off the gauge should also be off, leaving it energized will add a drain load to the battery. Use a DVM to check voltage accurately, as a dash gauge is not accurate enough for any test efforts. 20VDC is VERY high, like system damaging levels. Anything over 15VDC can fry components quickly. I use NAPA as my experience with Autozone hasn't been a good one on their allegedly rebuilt starters and alternators. I hate replacing a unit a few times to get a good one, I'd rather spend the $$$$ and do it once.

[Juglenaut]

Checking a grounds between commonality with resistance usually is not standard practice since we would be dealing with voltages, use voltage drop between two points of common either power or ground to determine a dirty path or ground loops, also power loops, and feedback loops can happen as well.