Alternator Help Please

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S

Shanert

Joined
Mar 11, 2016
Threads
3
Messages
8
Location
Huntsville, Al
200 LX470, 204K miles. So I completed the timing belt and water pump replacement this weekend. upon reassembly, there was a small leak coming from the interface between the thermostat housing and the water pump. the coolant was running down the drive belt and dripping on the power steering pump and the alternator. I found and fixed the leak and refilled the coolant. everything seems to be sealed now, but the battery light just came on. I checked the voltage at the battery with engine running and got ~12.2 volts. I suspect that the leak on the alternator caused it to go tits up. Is there an easy way to confirm the alternator is bad without removing it? i think it is original so its probably due anyway.

Thanks.
 
Running volts should be 13-14 after a few minutes of engine running. Otherwise its pretty easy to tell if an alternator is not functioning properly, and it sounds like yours might not be. Another method that could put the nail in the coffin for you is to remove it and go have it bench tested. IMO removing the alternator is a :banana: job, 2 bolts, a belt, and a plug on the back and its off.
 
Use the old fashioned trick. Start the truck & while it's running disconnect the negative battery terminal. If the truck instantly shuts off, alternator is shot.
 
Yep, tried what silverbullitt said and it instantly shut off. Thanks for hkeller for the offer but time is a factor and I need to get this fixed today. Will be starting this as soon as I get the kids off to school. Will post the results. Wish me luck, and thanks for the help.
 
When you said you were leaking coolant and it got on the alternator you probably fried the voltage regulator. The regulator Is what keeps the battery charge & transfer the AC volts from the alternator to DC volts.
 
silverbullitt said:
Use the old fashioned trick. Start the truck & while it's running disconnect the negative battery terminal. If the truck instantly shuts off, alternator is shot.
Click to expand...
Just FYI, this old fashioned trick is not usually advisable on any modern vehicle with sensitive electronics. The battery acts as a buffer and suppresses those voltage spikes. Suggest using a voltmeter, if testing it yourself. Just follow directions through step 1.

http://i.imgur.com/WMDprhm.jpg
 
I am running Torque Pro ($5) on an old and otherwise useless Android phone. And voltage is one of the few things I watch on all of my vehicles. When it gradually starts sliding down towards 12V on an otherwise fresh and charged battery (while running and moving), it's time to be pro-active in this department. Right now my original alternator steadily delivers 13.2 to 13.8 Volts. Torque has rather limited capability on the 100, but the voltage, coolant and transmission temps are helpful indicators and good to know. The app is much more useful and gives more fine-grained diagnostics on my panthers, it's the best five bucks I spent on my autos.
My cars are always plugged into a CTEK chargers when in garage, helps tremendously to keep the battery and alternator combo in shape for far longer than average. Aviation approach. Especially good for folks who leave their vehicles sitting for weeks and more. Vacations kill your electrical among many other things.
 
Always remember, DC current flows from negative to positive. So if you have any electronic devices that are not working properly in your vehicle always check the ground.
 
One step closer but not there yet. I was able to remove the old alternator with out too much trouble. It was the original and lasted 16 years and 204000 miles. The bad news is that the voltage regulator connector felt like it was welded on. In the process of trying to remove, it cracked and began to crumble. so out came the channel locks and the total destruction of this connector. I ahd to order the part from the stealership for ~$25, couldv'e got it online including pigtail for ~$15, but time is a factor. So, while waiting on it, I decided to add about 6 inches to the lead wires so next time I need to remove the alternator, I'll be able to pull it out a little further and maneuver it to have better access to that connector. I also went ahead and lubed the propellar shaft and spider joints since it was already up on the ramps. Also checked to see if I had a short in the wiring by testing voltage between + cable that connects to alternator, and - battery terminal, nominal. Hopefully I can wrap this one up tomorrow. Thanks for the tips and advice.
 
Finally done. Getting the new alternator on seemed a little easier than getting the old one off. Removing the fender liner provided another place to put my hand which helped get the cable nut on. I would recommend getting a new plastic connector to have on hand just in case yours crumbles like mine did. Part# 90980-11349. You may also need a new lead wire, or worst case 3. The connector is $6.50, and the wires are ~$5.50 each. Get online, the dealership charges $25 for connector and $10 for each wire. Adding the extra length to the wire helped installation tremendously. I didn't try, but it seems like removing the fan to get the alternator out may have been easier than trying to fish it out through all the coolant lines. So glad it's fixed.
 
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