Alternator not charging at idle

[pitbull]

Anyone know what the cause of this could be? My alternator doesn't charge while idling, (aprox 670 rpm) but with an increase of rpm (to about 1500) it will start charging (13.7 volts).. Is this just a sign of an alternator about to die?

 

[allan greyling]

my 96 did the same thing and when i took it in for the cams to be welded they actually found some burned up wires in the wiring harness i believe they said it ran above the tranny/bellhousing not sure but they were able to fix and have had no problem since..

 

[pitbull]

anyone?

 

[Off Road SHO]

Yes, it sounds like your alternator is worn out. Have it checked while still in the car just in case it's your battery.

Tom

 

[dmjarosz]

Well I'm gonna jump on this subject since my alternator is starting to go as well. It started making a whistling sound about 6 months ago and I have managed to ignore it up until a few weeks ago when it started getting louder. I'm gonna replace it as soon as the weather warms up so I dont get caught by suprise when the battery light finally comes on. (If it ever does...) The question I have is what brand name of alternator works/doesnt work for everyone? Ive checked around and prices seem to vary quite a bit.

 

[luigisho]

Be aware that reman. units, no matter where you happen to find them, have a high defect rate right out of the box. Before you yank the old one and try to install another put the new unit on a test bench to make sure its output is within spec.

 

[Off Road SHO]

I go right to the rebuild shop for my new starters and alternators. It's usually a lot cheaper and the guy that does the rebuilding is the one that takes my money so they are very very good at checking things out.

Tom

 

[luigisho]

I don't know if the local rebuilders are good at this unit. There are funky welds or grounds on the casing. It's a little different on the GenIII's than the earlier SHO's.

 

[avocadoman1]

the most difficult alternator to install yourself.
read all the links before you start on this task.
you need small/strong hands.

 

[Off Road SHO]

you need small/strong hands.

Like a Carney?

 

[dmjarosz]

I am quite aware of the difficulty of this job an look forward to the adventure!! (haha can you smell the sarcasm?) Unfortunately I had to replace the alternator as soon as the warranty ran out on my car, go figure. So do I just have whatever place I purchase it from bench test it right in the stoor before I buy it? On the other hand, does anyone know of a good rebuilder in the Buffalo, NY area? FYI for whoever is interested: the alternator I am replacing is a Motorcraft one that was installed at 53k miles and the car now has 109k

 

[luigisho]

Yes. Put it on a test bench before you leave the store at the very least before you try to install it. I wound up doing this on 5 different units before I found one that was within spec. for my GenI a few years ago. AutoZone and PepBoys had test benches in the store IIRC.

 

[pitbull]

anyone know off hand what the specs are on these?

 

[SHOZ123]