Another alternator issue- not too bad found via other peoples issues

[80bbyAus]

This is a discussion and question in one
I have looked through others threads and through Facebook group but I am still buggered.
For the past 4 or so months I've had constant Christmas lights on my dash.

I replaced my battery as the old one was nearly dead, I took it too the local battery shop and they told me I'd 'most likely be looking at needing a new alternator soon'
Me being pig headed thought no it's not my alternator. I had my alternator die in my skyline and this is not alternator dying behaviour.

They stopped for a while
Hooray!
Then it came back..
I replaced my terminals, as I've got aftermarket headlight wiring, fusible link etc going onto the battery so got a multi terminal on the positive to even the wiring up a bit.
New fusible link, cleaned the alternator connections and dried them out. Put them back in. The lights stopped for about a fortnight
Came back on tonight on a gravel road.
My air filter warning light, another one I can't think of at this time and my battery V light drops slightly they flicker it goes up to normal V reading they go off so forth..
Making me think it's a short somewhere.

Yes- I have a auto eleccy to check this out but he's on a big job ATM and I can't deal with flashing lights every day I drive this car
last test I did with multimeter I got;
12.8 v (battery) car off
14.5v car running
14.5v with headlights, headunit and heater going

if anyone can help at all, id be so grateful.

 

[Gerry McGerry]

Welcome!

What year, model & motor?

I have looked through others threads and through Facebook group but I am still buggered.
For the past 4 or so months I've had constant Christmas lights on my dash.

How old is the alternator?

You probably have already, but double check the belts are tight, can also check if the bearings in the alt. are still good.

Do the lights flash intermittently when they come on or do they stay on for more than a second?

My air filter warning light, another one I can't think of at this time and my battery V light drops slightly they flicker it goes up to normal V reading they go off so forth..
Making me think it's a short somewhere.

Any chance it was the timing belt light, fuel filter light and BRAKE light?

New fusible link, cleaned the alternator connections and dried them out. Put them back in. The lights stopped for about a fortnight

This seems to be where the problem is most likely hiding. I had to replace the plug & pins on my old 1HZ harness. Easy job, cheap part, worth it whether it fixes the issue or not.


If you know anyone with a good known working alternator you can borrow for a day it really helps narrow down if it is the alt. or not. We've been chasing down a similar issue on a mates 1HD-FT 80 for a while now, but it seems to go away for weeks at a time as well. His seems to flash more often when you put your foot down, is yours similar?

 

[80bbyAus]

Welcome!

What year, model & motor?


How old is the alternator?

You probably have already, but double check the belts are tight, can also check if the bearings in the alt. are still good.

Do the lights flash intermittently when they come on or do they stay on for more than a second?


Any chance it was the timing belt light, fuel filter light and BRAKE light?


This seems to be where the problem is most likely hiding. I had to replace the plug & pins on my old 1HZ harness. Easy job, cheap part, worth it whether it fixes the issue or not.


If you know anyone with a good known working alternator you can borrow for a day it really helps narrow down if it is the alt. or not. We've been chasing down a similar issue on a mates 1HD-FT 80 for a while now, but it seems to go away for weeks at a time as well. His seems to flash more often when you put your foot down, is yours similar?

Hey
It's a 1995 1fzfe 80

I don't know about age I know it's a Toyota Alternator but can't find any replacement stamps in the service book.
I myself haven't replaced it yet, I will get around it it obviously if it needs it or in the near future but if it is something else than obviously I'd rather fix that first.

They come on, stay on for a while. Then they flicker on off, then stay on. If I go turn it on in the morning they'll most likely be off I'll drive down the road and they'll come back on. I can confirm in morning which lights, I know for sure it's the air filter and the Voltage gauge plays up as obviously it's something shorting or maybe my alternator has an issue somewhere.
I will look at the bearings etc see if I can find any issues.
Today it did start off when I floored it on the highway, they flicked on and off quickly then on the gravel driveway they flickered on and off then just stayed in

 

[Gerry McGerry]

I replaced my battery as the old one was nearly dead, I took it too the local battery shop and they told me I'd 'most likely be looking at needing a new alternator soon'
Me being pig headed thought no it's not my alternator. I had my alternator die in my skyline and this is not alternator dying behaviour.

Hate to say it, sounds like the alt may be on it's way out. If it's the original it's done pretty well.

Search on youtube for 'alternator diode check multimeter', do the test on your alt.

Start it in the morning and have someone else wiggle the wiring pigtail at the plug in the back of the alternator, if the wiggling corresponds with the lights flashing, replace plug and check the wires are all good underneath the wire sheathing.

Seeing as you're in Aus where 80 parts are everywhere, don't waste your money on any new alternator under $250 online, the savings aren't worth the pain. Some of them come with a new plug because they're a different style connector, another pain in the hole. Buy once, cry once.

 

[Fj80oregon]

Why not just rebuild the alternator it’s cheep and usually the only failing part is the brushes.

 

[vipergrhd]

It's the Flux capacitor Marty!

 

[80bbyAus]

Why not just rebuild the alternator it’s cheep and usually the only failing part is the brushes.

Yeah as I said I'm happy to rebuild or replace but if there's anything else that may be contributing then I want to get to the bottom of that issue.. I've had many times something to wrong with a car and I've started at the main problem which is usually the most expensive and it happened to be something so simple. But may have to rebuild and if it's not that go from there. Thanks

 

[80bbyAus]

This is a discussion and question in one
I have looked through others threads and through Facebook group but I am still buggered.
For the past 4 or so months I've had constant Christmas lights on my dash.

I replaced my battery as the old one was nearly dead, I took it too the local battery shop and they told me I'd 'most likely be looking at needing a new alternator soon'
Me being pig headed thought no it's not my alternator. I had my alternator die in my skyline and this is not alternator dying behaviour.

They stopped for a while
Hooray!
Then it came back..
I replaced my terminals, as I've got aftermarket headlight wiring, fusible link etc going onto the battery so got a multi terminal on the positive to even the wiring up a bit.
New fusible link, cleaned the alternator connections and dried them out. Put them back in. The lights stopped for about a fortnight
Came back on tonight on a gravel road.
My air filter warning light, another one I can't think of at this time and my battery V light drops slightly they flicker it goes up to normal V reading they go off so forth..
Making me think it's a short somewhere.

Yes- I have a auto eleccy to check this out but he's on a big job ATM and I can't deal with flashing lights every day I drive this car
last test I did with multimeter I got;
12.8 v (battery) car off
14.5v car running
14.5v with headlights, headunit and heater going

if anyone can help at all, id be so grateful.

Update
It discharged my battery today
Getting a new alternator put in as we speak
Will keep the old one to learn how to rebuild it and keep a spare thanks for the assistance everyone