Hey guys not sure if any of you remember my previous thread from last week but my car stalled on me last night 2 hours after getting it back from the transmission shop (yes I have a new tranny and motor mount ) but it all pointed to the alternator so I changed it last night and just got a new optima today, once both were replaced I tested to see if what I did was correct cuz the big ground cable's terminal was very corroded so I got new one. So I tested alternator output today and its in the 15.05-15.15 range which is pretty high and will most likely mess up my battery again soon.

Have any of you had this problem? What can cause the alternator to be doing this beside the regulator (since its my 3rd alternator since July) I doubt its the alternator itself but rather something on the car. What should I do?

thanks in advanced
--John

 

Where are you getting you're alty's from?

Lemme guess...

 

make sure the plug is pushed in ALL THE WAY....

 

when you swapped out the alternator did you give the new alt a good look all the way around. because autoparts stores have tendences of doing a cross refrence to determain the closes alt for your max. hitachi has built simalar alt in various of other cars but all of them have different alt outputs. max's already have a high output alt already for the eltc. i had the same problem you had and mine had spiked at 16v enough to make stock halogen look like hids for a few sec's then burned out.

and max alt should read 14.5v anything over that is to high DANGER

 

if you're seeing 15v at the battery, then your voltage regulator inside the alternator is junk. take the alternator back (yes, AGAIN), and get another one.

FYI, most parts store alternators are junk... last time I had to replace one, it took me 5 tries to get a good alternator straight out of the box. you would have been better off taking your original alternator to a qualified rebuild shop.

 

Or spending a ton for a top of the line Napa unit. That was the only one that exactly resembled the oem one. ie.. hitachi I believe.

Sean should thank me.

 

have them bench test the unit before you walk out of the store.

 

maybe they gave you a VE alternator???? if oyu need one, i have a used VG anternator with 128k on it.... never had any problems!

 

I've been told VG and VE have slightly different mounting dimensions.. supposedly they don't line up.

and that wouldn't matter anyway.. the voltage regulators are the same between the two units.

 

I did have the alternator tested last night before leaving the store as I had the problem happen before so I didnt want to take a chance.

So you guys are all leaning toward defective regulator as opposed to something that is on the car?

Thanks

Oh and yes I did plug it in all the way, but hey Greeny if you wanna post a pic of how a VG alternator is supposed to be connected I guess it might help

 

There are just 3 connections on the alty,really no way it could be hooked up wrong..

The main hot from the battery..


And the ground/big grey plug..

 

so are you saying that if I get an alternator from Brian aka internetautomart, I will solve the problem and be happy?

 

we're saying the average parts store alternator is junk.

 

buy an underdrive pulley........

 

when my factory alty went out last year, I got THREE fauly ones from Napa (rebuilt ones) and when I walked in with yet another faulty one they conceded to my request for a NEW top-of-the-line one for no extra charge. Geeze, and I thought I was having bad luck with them at the time...

 

explain how that's going to change the output voltage of a regulated alternator....

 

off topic...but good god...please tell me that dodge isn't from houston in your sig Matt...

that sh*t will be a huge distraction on the road...

 

Personally,i will not buy anymore aftermarket alty's period..As matt has said most are junk,i am on my third reman alty,and the front bearing is grinding on this one..

My next one will either be a good used oem one,or taking the existing one to the local rebuild shop..


Not sure on brian's alty's though..

 

Kool, so I shouldn't worry about no crazy electrical **** going on with my car like a short or any of that sort right?
just having problems with defective alternators that test good when tested in the store but once installed in car they're crap, If its the alternator then I dont care (no big deal) but if its something wrong with my car I wanna take care of it ASAP cuz I need a reliable car.

 

thats what i said too. Basically you have a better chance going to a wrecking yard and getting a used one or two for the half the price of a remanufactured unit

 

Yea think I'm gonna hit the JY's get 1 or 2 and just get them tested if not I can exchange within 45 days

 

Where exactly did you say this?

 

You didn't say anything of the sort. you said they give you the wrong one, which isn't true. they give you the 'right' alternator. the problem is they're rebuilt using the cheapest parts they can find and are crap inside. that's if they're rebuilt at all. usually they're just torn down, hot tanked, new bearings and a voltage regulator/diode pack installed, and they stick 'em in a box. rarely are they actually thoroughly tested for proper function post-rebuild. they spin 'em up and if it makes voltage, they call it good- even though the voltage is crap.

 

i dunno.. i was thinking since it isnt spinning as much, it wouldnt put out as much..

 

Doesnt adding an underdrive pulley actually spin the alternator more as its takes less effort to fully spin the belt?

 

No, the ones available for our cars are 85% the diameter of the stock pulley, which spins the accessories at 85% of the stock pulleys rate. Although you won't notice a difference in any accessory output. Not only that, but the UDP is SIGNIFICANTLY lighter, meaning the crank is putting less effort into spinning it. A UDP doesn't add any more power, it is simply is more efficient.

 

Wow, very educational..seriously. but I thought it gave like like 3-6 horsepower or something like that. Oh well, think I'm gonna make my car slightly more efficient then, gotta keep it low though cuz I have an auto..

 

It doesn't "give" it more horsepower, it frees up more horsepower...

 

wow so technical, i like that

 

they probably have lighter torque converters for the auto too...... that is something you might wanna look into

 

Nope. the alternator has an internal voltage regulator. that means the thing puts out the same voltage no matter the RPM. just as it spins faster, there is more power available, which translates into the same voltage but higher available current to power accessories and charge the battery.

 

Thanks for the high quality alternator.

I actually replaced it with a 180 amp (peak, 115 idle) irragi alternator for my stereo current needs. It works great....

 

is it a drop-in replacement? i.e. is the case identical to the VE? warranty?
how much was it?

(not flaming.. I'm curious as to where you found a custom alternator to fit a VE)

 

Yes, the casing is the same as the stocker. I bought it f0r about $370 through a group deal on elite car audio. Irragi alternators are probably some of the best out there. They actually make a 200 amp alternator, but it only does 95 at idle so I went with the 180. I believe it has a pretty good warranty I just don't remember right now.

I have 3 two channel class a/b amps (front stage) and a 1000 watt sub amp... Before I bought the HO alternator, my lights used to dim like a **** even with 2/0 power and grounds EVERYWHERE. I also had an 2 two good batteries at the time. Now, I only have one stinger sp1700 (65lb battery) and my lights don't dim at all even max volume at idle...

 

Too bad I cant afford one. So it doesnt overcharge your batter or go over 15volts?

 

it always stays at 14.6v....