This all started one night when the antilock accessory light came on, about a mile later the airbag light came on, a minute later the volts light came on and then the car died. The alternater and battery where replaced and now four months later it is happened again. Because they are under warrenty we have replaced the battery and alternator. A check of the cables showed that the + and - battery cables needed to be replaced. The + cable had been burned through the insulation and the conductor was severally corroded. A resistance test of the positve conductor from the battery to the alternator had a reading of 0.03 ohms. The voltage readings for the battery were 11.99V before it was connected, after it was connected and the engine started it dropped to 11.59V and the same reading was seen at the positve terminal on the alternator. Over the next five minutes the battery reading kept falling til it reached 11.54V, this value was also seen at the alternater. Shut the engine down and the reading was 11.54V at the battery so it seems that their was no voltage from the alternater. This alternater was bench tested before we put it in. The wiring diagram has a positve lead going to the PCM for generator control, could the PCM be bad?
Ok, i understand that you have replaced the alternator, but there seems to be a non charge state in this case. i recommend checking the charging system. use the procedure below to isolate this issue.
Wear protective eye wear and clothing and remove all jewelry when checking your battery and charging system. Jewelry is a good conductor of electricity and is not recommended. Most batteries wear out every 3 to 5 years and need to be replaced. Always replace your battery with an equal replacement battery to assure proper operation. Automotive batteries have a +positive terminal (red), - negative terminal (black). The battery in this illustration has a protective cover over the positive terminal to prevent short circuit in case of an accident. Electricity is stored in the battery and then supplied to the vehicle when the engine is not running. While the engine is running the vehicles alternator charges the battery for future use. (Note: never disconnect the battery while the engine is running. If the battery cable is disconnected from the battery a spark can be generated which can cause the battery to explode or a major electrical malfunction to occur.)
To check a battery surface voltage, remove the positive terminal protective cover. Connect the +positive side meter lead (red) to the positive side battery terminal. Connect the - negative (black) side meter lead to the negative battery terminal. With the vehicle not running and the car sitting over night the battery voltage should be between 12.5 and 12.8 volts.(You will need to use a voltmeter for this testing procedure)
The alternator is rotated by a drive belt driven by the vehicles engine while it is running. Electrical voltage and amperage are generated to recharge the battery and supply voltage to the electrical system of the car. The alternator is held in place with mounting bolts. There is a main electrical wire on the rear of the alternator that supplies voltage to a main voltage junction box. If your alternator is not charging properly, your battery will slowly drain down from operating all the electrical systems in your car and stop the car from running.(most non charge states will be the cause of a loose belt or a low tension rate, due to a mis-adjusted alternator. make sure you have enough tension in the belt for full rotation of the alt pulley)
Next, you will need to check the alternators output with the Amp meter.
Testing the amperage output of the alternator is good for measuring the amount (not the level) of voltage the alternator can produce. This test can be tricky because if the alternator is weak it can still show it as producing amperage. Which is good, but if the voltage is low, it will still allow the battery to go dead. To check the amperage output of an alternator an amp meter is needed. Once the meter is connected start the engine. Next turn on all electrical accessories and raise the engine idle to about 1200 RPM. The alternator should output the max amperage it was designed to produce. Example: a 90 amp alternator should output about 88 amps. Note: An alternator cannot sustain maximum output for long periods of time. If the alternator is forced to operate at maximum output it will overheat and fail. An alternator is designed to operate at max amperage output only for a reasonable amount of time.
((Connect the voltage meter lead the same way you would in a battery static voltage check, Start engine (do not drive) at engine idle the voltage should be between 13.6 to 14.3 volts. If not the alternator may need replacing.)))
738 views
Usually answered in minutes!
×