Battery light coming on intermintently...

[boat]

I have searched for this and I have done some troubleshooting/legwork already and I am a little confused.

Prior to all of this, I have been told I have a "whine" up front and been told by one that it might be your alternator bearings. Bubba and I were out running around town the other day and he said the whine sounded pretty bad. I have had some what of a hearing problem so in all reality I am just now hearing it, I heard it today.

Yesterday, my battery light was coming on intermintently and my first thought was either my alternator, or it was my negative battery clamp. The battery clamp was to the point it couldn't be tightened anymore and could just be pulled off with no tools.

So today I start digging around, and took off the alternator and AC belt. I spun the alt pulley and it was nice and smooth no catching and I also listened to it while I was spinning it, didn't sound bad at all.

I go to the idler pulley, had kind of a wobbly feel to it, I listened to it while spinning it freely, and it didn't have the same smoothness to it as the alternator did, in fact it sounded like it was grinding some what.

So, I go to Advance, I replaced the battery clamp, and had the charging system checked.

Here it is as follows:

Battery Test
Voltage: 12.6V
Measured: 741 CCA
Rated: 650 CCA
Temp 104 F
Results: Good Battery

Starter Test
Voltage: 10.9V
Amps: 249.6A
Time: 796mS
Results: Cranking Normal

Charging System Test
No Load: 14.49V / 9.5A
Loaded: 14.65V / 5.8A
Results: No problems, Test Normal

Drain Test
0.07A It was 0.59A, but the guy pulled my hood down far enough for the light to go out and it came down to .07A
Pass

The whole test passed, so with that I think I can rule out the alternator, battery, and starter.

As I drove away, the battery light started coming on again.
Is it possible that an MTX idler before the alternator could be causing the belt to slip or something and make that battery light come on? Most likely the bearings in the idler are going bad, or it is just worn out. That is the only thing left that I can figure.

Thoughts?

 

[frosho]

10.9 volts at the starter sounds low... Have you replaced the battery cables?

 

[boat]

Nope, I haven't.

10.9 volts at the starter sounds low... Have you replaced the battery cables?

 

[Phoenix]

Check cables , if they come out good , its the alt. period.

How many people keeps testing on and on , keeps telling its good , but in reality , its not. Search on the subject , you'll see.

 

[rubydist]

The only times I've ever seen the light on like you describe, it was the alternator. 3 out of 3 times. btw, by the time you see that light, typically you are only one or two starts away from having a dead battery.

 

[boat]

I have been searching, I cannot seem to find that. I am searching "Battery Light Alternator". I am not getting those stories. What different search criteria should I use?

How many people keeps testing on and on , keeps telling its good , but in reality , its not. Search on the subject , you'll see.

 

[1995mtxsho]

Charging System Test
No Load: 14.49V / 9.5A
Loaded: 14.65V / 5.8A
Results: No problems, Test Normal

5.8A under a load?
It was less than when no load is applied?
Under load the alternator should be putting out significantly MORE than when there is no load.

A 95 SHO MTX Alt. is capable of a 130A peak load.

Alternator is bad if it can only muster 5.8A under load, it should be north of 80A; depending on the load tester.

 

[fdogg96]

sometimes the plug going into the alt can become loose. it'll trigger the battery light to flicker when its shaking.

 

[JRA2000TL]

When you said "whine" that made me immediately think alternator as well. I've heard a bad one go out (on my parents' old 89 GL). It had a whine and as you stepped on the gas the whine increased with the speed of the engine. With the battery light coming on, seems like you've checked the obvious things it could be...battery, alternator, and connections for those. I still think it might be a bad alternator though. How hard are they to pull? Could you maybe "parts test" swap yours with bubba's or Eric's?

 

[bubba]

I think double time it's the alternater... and he can't swap with mine as I'm an atx Yeah it's pretty bad "whine" you can't even hear the secondaries open up! Will see tomorrow about it!

When you said "whine" that made me immediately think alternator as well. I've heard a bad one go out (on my parents' old 89 GL). It had a whine and as you stepped on the gas the whine increased with the speed of the engine. With the battery light coming on, seems like you've checked the obvious things it could be...battery, alternator, and connections for those. I still think it might be a bad alternator though. How hard are they to pull? Could you maybe "parts test" swap yours with bubba's or Eric's?

 

[shoon]

sometimes the plug going into the alt can become loose. it'll trigger the battery light to flicker when its shaking.

x2

there is a little grey connector with 1 wire for the exciter. Due to the position of the connector and lack of weatherproofing, moisture can pool inside and the connector contact and corrode. pop the connector off and try and polish it up with a metal pic, put some dielectric grease on it and see if the light goes away.

 

[boat]

Yeah, thats what it was. I took it to Barney's Auto Electric this morning. The guy told me after he bench tested it, that he couldn't get it to charge. The bearings seemed fine. Worst case sceniaro, is a new alt from these guys for about $130. So my whining, is probably the idler pulley. So now what do I do with that?

5.8A under a load?
It was less than when no load is applied?
Under load the alternator should be putting out significantly MORE than when there is no load.

A 95 SHO MTX Alt. is capable of a 130A peak load.

Alternator is bad if it can only muster 5.8A under load, it should be north of 80A; depending on the load tester.

I checked my connections all over and they were all tight, grounds, at the starter, battery connections were tight as well, just replaced the negative battery clamp also.

Eric's alt is going out or at least it was. He has a 93 ATX alt and that won't work on mine. Like Bubba said, his is an ATX and not a direct bolt up, wish it was, Bubba has a couple of spares

When you said "whine" that made me immediately think alternator as well. I've heard a bad one go out (on my parents' old 89 GL). It had a whine and as you stepped on the gas the whine increased with the speed of the engine. With the battery light coming on, seems like you've checked the obvious things it could be...battery, alternator, and connections for those. I still think it might be a bad alternator though. How hard are they to pull? Could you maybe "parts test" swap yours with bubba's or Eric's?

 

[Eric VerValin]

Eric's alt is going out or at least it was. He has a 93 ATX alt and that won't work on mine. Like Bubba said, his is an ATX and not a direct bolt up, wish it was, Bubba has a couple of spares

Meh.. mine has a moody diode pack that acts up.. but it isn't goin out by any means.. lol (watch me jinx myself.. lol) And I wonder about having the different pulley on mine would screw it up too.. would have to change that as well... which would be fine, but my air compressor is currently up at Matts.. so I couldn't pull it off anyway.

And seriously man... I been tellin people all the time... Auto Electric died when "Barney" took it over... they will try to "****" you into a new starter... lol I think the most I spent on a starter was $25, $40 for my alternator brushes... go to Fort Wayne Starter like I told you on Goshen across from the Post Office.. a drive or two west of the BP station.. small yellow sign..

I know he has the brushes there, and can possibly clean up that bearing in the backside maybe for ya if you ask him real nice.. He's an older guy, and likes to fish.. so go in talkin about trout or something.. lol


If you say or the other guy says the bearings are ok, then maybe tossing a set of brushes at it will bring your voltage up.

 

[Eastcoast SHO]

this may not even be of significance, but when this happened to me, my light would go on and off for 2 days, then ac would cut out, come back on same with radio, finally car died, replaced battery, still died, replace altenator, no problems. now i am not saying that this is your problem but i figure i would put my 2 cents in in case another member is having the same problem and comes across this thread

 

[boat]

I don't remember you telling me about that place. You told me of a place in that area that does exhaust. I thought they did me fair when I had the ATX alt rebuilt last year. Like I said, its at Barney's, he is going to give an estimate in a day or so. I can get a used reman'd one from some here on the forum for a $100 with shipping included, when both have about 5k-6k miles on them. So at worst case, it will cost me 130 for a brand spankin' new one.

So thats what I have ahead of me, we'll see.

OH, by the way, man up about your car, and don't blame me if your car breaks down in Decatur

And seriously man... I been tellin people all the time... Auto Electric died when "Barney" took it over... they will try to "****" you into a new starter... lol I think the most I spent on a starter was $25, $40 for my alternator brushes... go to Fort Wayne Starter like I told you on Goshen across from the Post Office.. a drive or two west of the BP station.. small yellow sign..

I know he has the brushes there, and can possibly clean up that bearing in the backside maybe for ya if you ask him real nice.. He's an older guy, and likes to fish.. so go in talkin about trout or something.. lol


If you say or the other guy says the bearings are ok, then maybe tossing a set of brushes at it will bring your voltage up.

 

[Eric VerValin]

Man I told you about that place before and after your last alternator... barney's prices went way up... do what you want tho..

and I am just a little nervous when your 2 SHO's have an alternator issue... makes me think these things happen in 3's. When have you ever known my SHO to "break down" ? lol Starter quit once, but nothing a push start couldnt fix.. so I don't consider that "broken" lol

 

[bubba]

Just wait..... Until I show you my new thread... I just found out why my alternater went out :booboo:

 

[boat]

I have an update.

I did check my cables. There was no corrision on any of them, from the battery to the starter. All were good, solid connections. All the grounds were good, clean and solid with no fraying.

I got a call from the place that had my alt. He took it apart after being told it was a failing to charge on the test bench, put it back together and it worked. I went there this morning and the guy (Bill) showed me, the equivalent of it being in the car, start up, turning on the headlights, ac and stereo, and it was 14.3V pulling about 110 amps. They didn't charge me a penny nor did they replace any parts.

Now, we did find the idler pulley itself to be grinding a little bit when spun. Carefully removed the seal, put some 90W gear oil in it, and replaced the seal back on it. I think we got a little too much oil in it, cuz the oil was oozing out of it on both sides making a mess. I took it back off, pulled the seal off again, and blotted up and removed the excess oil in it.

I am having a hard time getting the correct tension on the belt to keep the belt from slipping, squealing. How tight should this alternator belt be on an 94-95 MTX? I was thinking it was anywhere from a 1/2 inch to an inch, but this doesn't seem to be the case, she's squealing like a banshee. I think my SHO is mad at me, she is being most difficult.

Any help is appreciated.

 

[boat]

Gee, I guess no one cares...

I did finally get the correct tension on the belt, I wasn't tightening it enough.

I have been driving my SHO around for the last 3 days, and no battery light. Being a Bible believing man, God fixed it. I think maybe when they took it apart and put it back together, maybe something was loose in it, or maybe it was the idler sticking. No idea what happened, but it seems to be working good right now.

 

[danohall]

Amen brother.....