alternator problems?

[illSHOyou]

Just purchased this 98 SHO. The other day it would not start dead battery. owner complained recently before the sale that something was killing the battery but he installed a new battery and the problem went away. The other day it would not start, but once you jumped it ran fine.

Put a volt meter to the battery and after fully charging the battery in the garage the car is only producing 13.5 volts at the battery. It seem as though the alternator is still working, but not working correctly. After the dead battery jump the car was ready 12.5 while running.

So I would say its safe to say it needs a alternator?

Even after a fully charge battery and 13.5 volts measured increasing the engine speed does not increase the voltage at all. Isn't 14.4 the correct running voltage?

 

[lowc]

iirc the alt needs to read atleast 12.9 at idle to turn the voltage regulator on so you may have a bad battery. although it will say it is charging when you raise the idle due to the alt. pully spinning faster. when i had my 98 non sho i had put in a new battery and alt. and it still died on me i found the pins in the connector had become loose

 

[PrestonsSHO]

My alternator would quit charging after it got hot.... after I jumped it it would say its charging ok but after about 15 min the alternator would just quit and then start draining the battery..... run the car until its warmed up and then check to see if its still charging. I replaced my battery first then thats when I found the alternator quiting after getting hot.

 

[SHOZ123]

14.4v is what they read new. They start going down from there. When they get to 13.5v it is time to change them out.

 

[illSHOyou]

14.4v is what they read new. They start going down from there. When they get to 13.5v it is time to change them out.

The battery is new, plus I could use my spare battery to see if there is any difference. I believe its still working but barley. I haven't been driving the vehicle as much as the previous owner, short trips and many starts, and just think the battery was putting out more than it recovered...

 

[SHOZ123]

Batteries cannot make power. They only can store it.

 

[illSHOyou]

Batteries cannot make power. They only can store it.

Its the difference between many short trips with frequent start ups vs. long trips and less start ups and a half ass working alternator.

 

[Siman]

Shut all the doors is the dome light still on? Its what drained my friends bat...

 

[Inkertinker]

Bring it over and I'll change it for you.

Dave

 

[illSHOyou]

Well I changed the alternator out of the car. Found the housing to be cracked. Most likely debri ran through the alternator and cracked the housing. Now have 14.5 volts, however the car would not start this morning when my girlfreind tried to start it. So, I most likely have a draw of some sort. The bummer is that now the o2's are reset again, and I don't even know wether or not they even work yet (needs state inspection.) I believe Dave discovered one of the light fuses pulled, and it appears as if the door lock switch is probably broke. Could I still have a draw going to the pcm even though the interior switch is broke? If I put the dome on door and shut the driver door it does not turn off. So any suggestions for some voltmeter actions tonight? First is to see the amount of draw, but would anyone reconmend I look in a picticular area?

 

[luigisho]

I recommend you look in the cabinet for some WD40 and spray all 4 doors at the latch liberally. Even if you have the dome shut off the footwell lights will stay on and the map lights if someone didn't pull the bulbs. The lights should time out after 30-40 minutes or so as a battery saver function.

 

[illSHOyou]

I recommend you look in the cabinet for some WD40 and spray all 4 doors at the latch liberally. Even if you have the dome shut off the footwell lights will stay on and the map lights if someone didn't pull the bulbs. The lights should time out after 30-40 minutes or so as a battery saver function.

just bought the car and its got many little issues

 

[luigisho]

WD40 will solve the interior light staying on issue. Is that the door lock switch problem you are referring to or will the switch not operate?

 

[illSHOyou]

WD40 will solve the interior light staying on issue. Is that the door lock switch problem you are referring to or will the switch not operate?

I really dont know at this point, waiting to get off work and then check it out...

 

[illSHOyou]

Car is drawing 1.5 amps in the off position. Problem is that I don't have a car manual, so its going to be difficult to determine what fuse is what on the vehicle...

 

[lowc]

easy way is to start pulling fuses one by one till the draw goes away

 

[illSHOyou]

Found the draw to be 1.29 amps to be exact. When I pull a fuse that seems to lead to the football, amps drop to .29 amps

Bad football?

 

[illSHOyou]

The fuse that I am pulling causes the blower to turn on and the football is dead when i start the car. Does anybody have a picture of the fuse box labels? I don't have a owners manual with the car...

 

[SHOZ123]

Found the draw to be 1.29 amps to be exact. When I pull a fuse that seems to lead to the football, amps drop to .29 amps

Bad football?

I had one do that to me. Replaced it and my dead battery problem went away.

 

[Inkertinker]

Sean hope this helps







I have 2 footballs you can try

Dave