100 series alternator trouble?

[Chaingangster]

Hi,
This morning my wife's daily driver 2000 Land Cruiser wouldn't start after sitting for the weekend. I went out, turned the key and the dash lights dimmed and the starter clicked. I hooked up the jumper cables to my truck, waited a minute, and it started right up. So standard dead battery. But, I replaced the original (I think) OEM Panasonic battery barely over a year ago. It lasted almost 14 years, and now the new Interstate battery barely a year?

She went off to work, so I haven't checked voltage or anything like that yet. It was cool out (maybe 20 degrees F), but I'm still surprised at the trouble. It's possible that the battery is bad/defective, but I'm wondering if maybe the alternator is to blame? I'm not real knowledgeable on this subject so I did some searching here and googling and it seems that alternators can just die and leave you stranded, or they can slowly go bad. Telltale signs are dimming headlights, slow or disabled vehicle electronics, and a dash light.

The cruiser has shown no warning/dash lights while driving, however my wife has been complaining that the headlights seem dim and she can barely tell they're on when she drives home at night, and the power windows have been slower lately (almost snails pace a couple times in the last few weeks when it was extremely cold (in the teens F) out). Do these sound like plausible alternator issues, or maybe I'm just reading what I want to believe into it?

Could the alternator slowly be going bad? Or should I be looking for something else? I don't mind replacing the alternator (I think I can do the job just fine), but I don't want to find out afterwards when we're way out in the mountains that the problem remains unsolved. When she gets home I'll check battery voltage (off, at idle, at 2k rpm I believe). Any other knowledge you guys can drop on me would be greatly appreciated!!

The truck is a 2000 Land Cruiser w/@215,000 miles with what I would consider normal maintenance. Sorry for the long-winded post, but thanks!!

 

[abuck99]

You can test charging with a simple multi meter, and basic test the battery. Or run it over to auto parts store and have them bring out the batt/tester-

 

[Sandroad]

Plausible symptoms for a failing alternator. However, you wouldn't be the first person to have a relatively new battery go bad. How are the battery connections and the ground wire to the alternator? Report back with the voltages and someone on here will chime in with help. As a starting point, the off voltage should be close to 12.7 and the running voltage should be close to 14.1 (with clean, tight battery connections). Welcome and good post, by the way; enough detail and background to get some help going.

 

[PADDO]

Few things to look at here that might help narrow your problem down. And 14 years on the OE Panasonic is pretty good......I chickened out and changed mine at 10, probably could have got another year or two, maybe.

 

[Chaingangster]

Thanks guys, I have a multimeter, but I'll have to wait till tonight to check more. The PDF is a great help as well. Thanks! I'll report back.

 

[OG 91 LC]

You claim the starter "clicked."

Starter contacts need to be replaced or you need a new starter.

Of course I would check out alternator, battery, and such to be certain.

 

[Chaingangster]

I guess it "clicked" , I don't know how to describe it. It was the same sound I've heard before when a battery is dead and the starter attempts to turn over the motor and then can't. If the starter has a problem how does jumpstarting the truck still work? Once I connected jumper cables, the truck started up with no hesitation. If the starters going bad it wouldn't work with a good battery or not, correct?

Hopefully I don't have to go pick her up here in an hour!

 

[2001LC]

Start with basics; were battery post Greased?

I've seen so may batteries installed by shops & DIY's forget this one very important procedure. If not grease, the post will oxidize in 3 to 12 months. They'll look clean, dry but with a gray tint. This will slow charging getting worst over time, until battery dies.

Clean male battery post and female connectors ends until sliver colored and grease, charge over night.

 

[2001LC]

******
Hopefully I don't have to go pick her up here in an hour!

FWIW If she used accessories chances are you'll be going to jump her.

 

[Chaingangster]

Well she made it home just fine, said the cruiser started right up. I pulled out my multimeter, but I'm getting 15-16 volts at the battery while the truck is off, and 17-18 volts when idling. I figure maybe the cruiser's gone crazy. I checked the battery in my truck expecting to see @12.5-13v, but its showing 15-16v as well, so my multimeter must be bad. Or I'm inept.

Frustrated! I was hoping to figure out how to proceed tomorrow, ie buy a battery or an alternator, but I guess I'll go get another multimeter or take the cruiser by an O'Reilly's or Autozone and have them check the charging system. Thanks guys!

Time for a beer.

 

[parnoren]

Bad multimeter for sure if you get those readings one two different cars. I am currently going through the same with a new battery but system is draining battery. I checked Voltage with a multimeter and got around 12.6v when off and 13.9v with no load at 2000rpm so I thought I was ok. But under load (turning on lights, seat heaters, heater, high beams, etc.,) then the voltage across the terminals dropped to below 12v which probably means bad alternator. To make sure, I took the car to the dealer and asked them to put their tester on and verify that the alternator was indeed dead before I ordered one.
Truck has 190k on it.

 

[badlander]

You did good getting 190K out of the alternator. Mine went at about 165K. One brush burned out. Bearings, diodes, and regulator were fine.

 

[cruiserjunktion]

The alternator in my 2000 died suddenly at 218k. Apparently a small leak at the power steering pump caused its demise. I replaced it with a new oem Toyota piece and all is good again.

 

[ponytl]

This has been addressed many times ... it seems anyone with one of these has to face it... BUT in my case (lx470 with the video screens and games ie large electrical load) everything kept checking out.... finally went to a local rebuilder (he rebuilds starters and alt. for just about every brand I saw the boxes in his factory) he informed me that alternators are basically 3 phase and it's very easy for 1 phase to be bad and under normal day time, no light driving to never have a problem with it if you have a good battery.... anyway I had a choice take one off the shelf or he'd rebuild mine in 24hrs... no difference he said... but i chose for him to rebuild mine... $100.00 think this was 6 years ago and i might have been the first to post the procedure to replace it without pulling the radiator (working from above and through the fender well)

long story short.... you can replace yours now or later but @ over 200k you have gotten most of the good out of it...
merry Christmas
p

 

[ScubaJon]

I had a similar problem and it turned out to be the starter relay. When you turned the key all lights would go out and you could hear the relay clicking.

I whacked it a couple of times with the plastic part of a screwdriver and solved the problem. I have a new one in the mail 70Ish bucks for a relay. I hope that is all it was I really dont want to pull the starter lol.

 

[2001LC]

****anyway I had a choice take one off the shelf or he'd rebuild mine in 24hrs... no difference he said... but i chose for him to rebuild mine... $100.00 ***
merry Christmas
p

I like the idea of rebuilding ones own. I've gotten some real raunchy re manufactured junk before. The parts stores used to carry rebuilt kits. Anyone know where to get kits?

 

[ponytl]

I believe you can get the kits off ebay... I know you can for common delco units.... most areas still have shops that do this...

 

[Robert s]

I am having intermittent flickering battery light, It started a few months back and its unpredictable. brought in to mechanic twice to replace alternator and they said with certainty that the alternator was good. they replaced the belt and tensioner and still the problem persists. could it be a failing alternator? Failing voltage regulator. I have cleaned battery terminals and checked ground connections, they appear to be in good condition and snug. Any advice would be appreciated. Where is the Voltage regulator located?

 

[dogdaysindurham]

The voltage regulator is built into the alternator and is where the harness plugs into. Pre 03 have this more oval shaped connector.

Post 03 100 series have a more square shaped plug in the voltage regulator.

It could be one of your diode packs have failed in the alternator and while it can still produce a charging current, it is greatly diminished. I think the 100 series denso alternator is 3 phases and the vehicle will still operate even if 1 of the phases fails. They look like this and are inside the alternator.

I would also pull, check, and clean the contacts on these 2 fuses in the engine fuse box: 10 amp FR-IG fuse and 7.5 amp ALT-S fuse. Make sure to disconnect your battery before doing this though.

Also I would go to an alternator rebuild shop and have them test the alternator. They likely can rebuild your alternator or you could do with the re-manufactured Denso. New OEM alternators are not available from Toyota.

Here is the FSM page on how to test the alternator. FAQLoad - Landcruiser 100 series FTE engine alternator problem diagnosis

What kind of stinks is replacement parts besides the brush kit and bearings can't be source for the post 03 100 series (at least from what I could find). I tried for a while a few years ago to source the OEM / japanese made diode page and voltage regulator to no avail.

 

[Robert s]

Ok thanks for this info. I have replaced the alt with remanufactuted denso and still the problem persists. All ground connections look good. Anything else that might throw the light?