stupid charging system :@

[MUDKICKR]

My alternator has a lifetime warranty , so to replace it won't cost me anything.. and so did my buddy's.... all failed rather quickly.......so... no... I'm not just throwing parts at it.




hmm, trying to explain to you that throwing parts at it isnt always best, and for that matter its always best to find the problem, repeat the problem, replace the problem, so the problem is repaired correctly, the first time. If you ever make a living on flat-rate you would understand what i mean.



and by the way, dont think i was trying to be an ass by the way i stated what i said, but honestly, if you replace the alt without knowing its bad, then thats the definition of "throwing parts at it"

 

[Dave 001]

Hence the lifetime warranty. =)

I'll take a first rate rebuild with a 1 year warranty over a lifetime warranty piece of junk anyday. You'll have to replace the first rate rebuild in 10 years and the lifetime rebuild 10x's a year.

The lifetime warranty doesn't mean squat when it leaves you stranded 300 miles from home but to each their own.

Merry Christmas.

 

[turbo elk]

Well I wasn't trying to be a cranky butt about it, but all the alternators above mentioned proved bad on the machine at the parts store....some rebuilt a few were new.....kinda weird like bad parts from china or sumthin.

 

[franklin2]

How about doing a little troubleshooting? Do you have a meter? Check the battery voltage with the truck off.
Then get the truck running, measure the voltage at the batteries. If the batteries have been charged already, you will have around 13.5v. Somewhat less if the batteries are pretty low, but the voltage should be a little bit higher than when the truck wasn't running. This is just to verify it's not charging at all.

If it's not charging, turn the truck back off, take your meter and test the large "bat" terminal lug on the back of the alternator. With the truck off, you should have battery voltage there. If you don't, then the fusible link in the alternator output wire is burnt out. This is usually caused by changing the alternator and forgetting to take the battery cables off first. One little brush with something metal will take the fusible link out.

If that all checks ok, go out and sit in the truck and watch the dash lights. Turn the key to run but don't start it. You should have a charge indicator light lit somewhere on the dash. If you don't, leave the key in run and go out and take your meter, and on the small plug on the alternator, measure the red/green wire. You should have 12v on this wire. If not, and the light is not burning in the cluster, then that's a problem. If you find this is the problem and want to verify it will charge, get the truck running, and run a piece of wire from the battery + to the red/green wire and touch it to the red/green. It should start charging. If it's too cold or you don't have time to troubleshoot the cluster, you can run it this way for now, just make sure you take the jumper wire from the battery off when you stop the engine, or it will run down the battery.

 

[turbo elk]

Will try that tomorrow. Thanks