Alternator Help Please.

[fjatheart]

Okay, I don't trust myself to by pass the VR to check the ALT. I'm about to lose all my Cruiser Karma Points and order a VR. What is the field wiring??

Where would you guys order a VR from? I've looked online, but MUD guys know best in my opinion.

Thanks for sticking it out and replying to all these post.

 

[bsmith123]

VR

field wiring is from the VR to the F terminal on the alternator

as far as the full field test--Yes I agree you should at least have someone show you first, but since you had the alternator tested that should be good enough

SOR is one place and CDAN at American Toyota ---probably others and prices may vary a bit

that is if you want toyota OEM

I am looking forward to finding out if this fixes it or not

 

[lostmarbles]

...Where would you guys order a VR from? I've looked online, but MUD guys know best in my opinion....

It's a 6-wire external voltage regulator right?

If so, then it is probably the same as mine and solid-state after-market alternatives are:

Transpo IN551 or
OEX RGX2032

 

[fjatheart]

field wiring is from the VR to the F terminal on the alternator

as far as the full field test--Yes I agree you should at least have someone show you first, but since you had the alternator tested that should be good enough

SOR is one place and CDAN at American Toyota ---probably others and prices may vary a bit

that is if you want toyota OEM

I am looking forward to finding out if this fixes it or not

ME TOO!! Thanks for the faithful replies.

It's a 6-wire external voltage regulator right?

If so, then it is probably the same as mine and solid-state after-market alternatives are:

Transpo IN551 or
OEX RGX2032

View attachment 322692

You got it! It's a six wire with the green connector/harness. I'm going to check those solid state ones out before I make a purchase. Thanks!

 

[bsmith123]

solid state

If you look back through the posts you will see mine. I upgraded the amp rating of the altenator and got a internal regulator. All I had to do was hook up the blue white wire and run one spliced wire from the old ignition wire at the reg to give it 12 volts (switched 12vdc). Just put a spade terminal on it and slid it in the old connector

pretty easy hook up really---biggest pain is figuring out the fan belt size


some alternators dont charge well at idle--if you run into this you can get an undersized pulley to spin it faster from Summit for about 8 bucks

 

[fjatheart]

So it's the alternator!!

Okay, finally broke down and took it to an auto electric shop here in Nashville. They tested the alt. twice and it's the alt. that's not putting out. Once I get a new alt. I will then be able to run enough amps to properly test the VR. The local Toyota dealer sells the new atl. for $100. I think I might go with them verses an online store, for fear of having trouble and having to ship things back and forth. I like face to face customer service.

I'll keep you posted on things once the new alt. is in place. Thanks for all the help!

 

[Coolerman]

I went to Advance and had them check the Alt. The results is charge battery and test again, but here are the readings.

Voltage with no load 12.19v
Measured 436 Cold Cranking Amps (rated at 750)
Battery with Lights and heat on 11.89v

Things to check:
-charge system problem
-check belts-duh!
-cables and connections-duh!

Start Test:
-low cranking amps
-volts at 11.62
-amps at 0.3 (Tested 3.28 mins)


Guy at Advance thinks I have too much stuff hooked up to the battery and not a big enough Alt. to keep it charged.

Man I really need to read more carefully... According to the above readings the Advance Auto tech did not catch the fact that the alternator is NOT charging...

Glad you got her running!

 

[fjatheart]

Man I really need to read more carefully... According to the above readings the Advance Auto tech did not catch the fact that the alternator is NOT charging...

Glad you got her running!

Almost running, just charging the battery every night and waiting on my factory replacement alt to come in tomorrow at the local Toyota dealer. $95 sounded great to me!

Thank you guys for all the support in trying to remedy this problem!

 

[fjatheart]

New Alt and VR...

Okay, so I'm back at it again with my Cruiser not charging correctly.

I had the alt taken off and tested, which resulted in a new alt. I then replaced the VR just because.

I'm still only getting 12.3 volts at idle.

What should I look into now?

 

[bsmith123]

voltage drop checks

Some key points to remember are:

• 
  [*]"Any added resistance to the Charging circuit can result in decreased alternator performance. For example, with a system charging 100 amps, when we add 0.01ohms resistance to the B+ or ground circuit, we will reduce the voltage in the system by 1 volt. This will lower overall system performance
  and reduce the life of the battery and charging system.
  [*]When performing voltage drops always have your positive lead of the multimeter on the connection closest to the alternator.
  [*]When performing voltage drop tests current must be flowing in the circuit. This means we must have the vehicle running, alternator charging and accessories turned on."
• excerpt from the link on Voltage drop checks--I think you are to the point that it is worth doing this---go back and read the link

Also it would not take much to rig up some wires with spade terms to take the place of the existing wires and change them out between the VR and the alt one at a time

Double check the resistance throughout

I dont think it is likely but you could try adjusting the new VR---but I am really past the VR now

Replace the ammeter and see if there is any effect when you turn everything on---does voltage drop or remain steady? Does the ammeter show a drain or steady or charge?


Go back over the simple stuff again---ground cable from the battery, frame connection, clean terminals


If you turn everything on and keep running it will the lights go dim and the battery eventually go dead?

Do you have another battery to try from another vehicle?

I know you must be frustrated, best of luck

but you got Karma for not throwing in the towel!

 

[fjatheart]

When the original fusible linked burned out, could I have replaced it with the wrong type of fusible link? Could I try a test and remove the fusible link?

Once I have a min. tomorrow, I'm gonna run back thru everything you (Bsmith) listed above.

Thanks!

 

[bsmith123]

voltage drop check

back a posts I posted a link to doing voltage drop checks on the system including the fusible link with pics and all --have a read through and see what you think

Good Luck

 

[joeyg1973]

I read the first 2 or three posts and it really isn't worth me reading the rest. Go to your local parts store, not pep boys or any of the chains. Tell them you want a CS144 alternator but you don't have a trade in. Most places will just give you one for a hundred bucks and will keep the box as they will supply the trade in. It's 150 amps, it takes very little modification of the existing wiring and the bracket and is a 1 bananna job out of 4. Problem solved forever.

 

[fjatheart]

I read the first 2 or three posts and it really isn't worth me reading the rest. Go to your local parts store, not pep boys or any of the chains. Tell them you want a CS144 alternator but you don't have a trade in. Most places will just give you one for a hundred bucks and will keep the box as they will supply the trade in. It's 150 amps, it takes very little modification of the existing wiring and the bracket and is a 1 bananna job out of 4. Problem solved forever.

Thanks Jersey.

 

[bsmith123]

another alt

No offense to the previous post --it may work , but I am not sure another new alternator is the answer--if the wiring is the prob that is not going to help.

On the other hand even if you do want to do that you can probably clean every connection, inspect all the wiring , and do the voltage drop checks in an hour---for free. So why not?

I would look at replacing that Ammeter too I have a funny feeling it could come into play--because it is failed I bet the resistance through it is off maybe open and even though it is shunted in parallel---it still plays a role in the overall circuit resistance

2 resistances in parallel lower the overall resistance of a circuit

also a short could occur in the ammeter

the question is to what degree would it affect the circuit? You can find that out with the voltage drop checks and or ohm readings and normal sys specs.
I think I have read about people bypassing them but I think that may have been the series ammeters--maybe someone could post up that has discod theirs and found that it ran all right?

Not saying that's it is the cause because that is just guesswork until it is checked out but I think you always better off testing and eliminating as much as possible of the entire system--including the wiring

 

[fjatheart]

Finally fixed!!!

Hey Bsmith,

So, I went back and started tracing the wires inbetween the Alt and VR. I noticed a white, black, and red wire coming off the back of the Alt which were hooked up to E, F and N. These wires were then spliced onto the factory wires. Once I realized that I traced all three terminals (E,F,N) back to the VR. Turns out that all three wires were not hooked to the proper terminal. Turns out E and F were switched!!

Thanks for all your patience and help in running this problem down.

I wonder if the wires being switched are what caused my old Alt to go bad?

Thanks again.

 

[bsmith123]

fixed

that is great news

 

[joeyg1973]

Thanks Jersey.

You're welcome hillbilly.