3 Alternators 3 Batteries SAME PROBLEM HELP

[2sho4me]

O.k. this is getting really old fast, in the last 4,000 miles I have went through 3 NEW Alternators and 3 NEW interstate Batteries.

I took it to the shop as the car Battery light is on and the first thing they do is check the Battery and Alternator.

Then they tell me the Alternator is no good so I go and buy a new one after I just replaced it last fall before I put it up for the winter and they put it in.

The car is doing the same thing when you sit with the air on with out driving the idol will start to slow down and the light comes on within 2-5 mins

I take it back to the shop and they tell me the alternator wire was lose and it should be good. Guess what same thing happens 2-5 mins and light comes on and ac shuts off as the power of the battery is to low.

I then take it back and they put it on and test it and tell me it said change battery terminal so they change that and again same thing happens.

Go back and the alternator is shot and I take it back and get a new one for them to put on. Guess what...... Same thing happens the car losses power with the air on within 5 mins.

I take it back AGAIN and they have no clue. They say the wires are good and the alternator is new and the battery is good so the only thing they can think of is that it has the performance pulley that they keep putting on all of the new alternators so they tell me the stock pulley is smaller and will spin FASTER and that should fix it. So they change the pulley and put a smaller belt on and GUESS WHAT????

The car does the same F***** thing.

$600 later and STILL THE SAME PROBLEM

I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR ANY IDEAS FROM YOU GUYS!!!!!!!!!

Could it be the air doing this??????? It kicks on and off fine and is ice cold could it be the clutches on the A/C?????

 

[Storm-Chaser]

$600 ?

You should not be paying for anything after the intial repair. Definitely not for replacement parts OR labor, since the shop you're going though has failed to correct the problem. The only valid charges are for parts that were not replaced in the initial repair (ie. an item not previously replaced).

Have they done the basics, of checking voltage/amperage output at the alternator and the battery? This should be done before the car is started, after the repair to ensure the repair corrected the problem - and given your SHO's recurring problem, for a period of time while the car is running.

What year SHO?

ATX or MTX?

Who's doing the work?

Are the alternators "new", remans., or where they "rebuilt" by the shop?

They also need to look for voltage drain while the car isn't running (short-to-ground search)? Have they tested the starter to see if it's shorting out after the car has been started/running?

What is the condition of the battery cables to the alternator and starter - have they been checked, tested, or changed?

You need to also drive the car for a period of time WITHOUT using the A/C, to isolate/eliminated that as a potential short-to-ground voltage drain that is burning-up the alternator.

FYI, a new battery should be able to start and run the car without any alternator output for well beyond just 5 minutes. If you're seeing signs of the battery being drained to that level in 5 minutes or less, you have either a major short-to-ground or harness issues.

 

[SHOZ123]

Are the fuse links blown?

 

[2sho4me]

Car is a 92 MTX with 77,000 miles on it. The alternators a remans from autozone

 

[SHOZ123]

Next time you get an alternator and battery that works check the voltage at the battery while the car is running.

 

[1bad98SHO]

Car is a 92 MTX with 77,000 miles on it. The alternators a remans from autozone

Get rid of the autozone Junk. Go with a NAPA or if you can get an OEM one go that route. Make sure the fuse for the ALT is not blown also. Maybe the belt is slipping????

 

[2sho4me]

fuse is good and no the belt is not slipping.

 

[kikkinasphalt]

fusible link from alt to battery?

with the car running you need to check the charge at the battery. make sure its getting the voltage the alt is putting out.



i feel for you, i had a mysterious battery drain that took me several weeks to find.

 

[2sho4me]

fusible link from alt to battery?

with the car running you need to check the charge at the battery. make sure its getting the voltage the alt is putting out.



i feel for you, i had a mysterious battery drain that took me several weeks to find.

Just went to checkers and they run the test and said the battery is only at 320 and should be at 720 they said the alternator is putting out the right volts and the starter test was fine as well.

 

[hawkeye18]

That plug that plugs into the alternator? Make sure you're getting battery voltage on both the outside wires (the ones that aren't black). It might not be the outside wires depending on year, but one of them just ends in the harness and it's black.

Anyway, both those wires go straight to the positive terminal (through some fusible links, which is why everybody's telling you to check them). One of them goes to the positive terminal via the battery light on the dash, and the other tells the alternator what the battery is putting out so it can adjust the regulator. If either aren't getting whatever the battery is putting out, then that's your problem.

 

[Storm-Chaser]

Alternator for a 92 is only going to have two wires from the main harness plug . . . .

That's why I asked the year/trans.

 

[mocosho]

ive been having the same problem but only happens in a longer period of time. my battery died today and the battery and the alternator are less than a year old. for the last month the light has been coming on and off and one time almost died at a traffic light. Well it took a crap at the mc d's so noow im diagnosing myself. i am gonna take a look at my alternator output control relay and let you kno if its a possiblity or it atleast answers my problem. i hope it will help you as well.

 

[mocosho]

uhmmm cant find the alternator output control relay........ i have access to alldata and it said its behind th right hand wheel well( under the cladding and all) but its not there. i think all data may have the wrong info for my 90 sho but i did find a fusible link melted. right on my starter relay. i charged my battery and tested my alternator and the battery tester said it was all good. so hopefully its jus as simple as a fusible link.

 

[smokekicsazz]

Another tip I thought might be useful..is to volt drop test the cables, and ohm out the main ground cable to check for resistance. I had simular problem not that long ago..It was not the alternator it was the positive wire that goes to the terminal on the alternator, It was only connected by a thread....it was almost a broken circuit that's how bad it was, it was causing the same symptoms, bat light, alt failing etc... Oh and like someone said above...stay away from Auto Zone junk if you can afford to, they have sold me quite a few parts especially electrical that were bad and caused me a lot of unnecessary extra troubleshooting....Like someone said go to Napa, Pep Boys is pretty good to....

 

[mocosho]

i did that yesterday and found out that i was droppiin 3 volts from the alternater to the battery, cut a lil bit of insulation away and there was a lil corrosion in there. 20 year old battery cables are no good it would be a good investment to change that any ways. oh and no the fusible link was not the problem i did the batt cable las night and the batt light jus turned off coming back form lunch so hopefully its as simple as the cables. id take a look at the positive cable first too.

 

[ffemtcurrence]

CHECK YOUR GROUNDS!!!!!.. my starter ground wire was bare and it shorted out the starter killed 2 alts and 2 batteries before i found that problem i wrapped electrical tape around the wire and no more power problems