Data logger not reading alternator

[SPOOL_GSX]

I was having problems keeping my car on, when i went to start it (out of no where) it would be dead, and when i jumped it it would just die on me, so i put in a BRAND NEW alternator BRAND NEW battery and BRAND NEW brass negative terminal. So now my car starts but my battery is reading only 12 voltz, not 13.8., My car drives and all (not the best) but something is definetley wrong, i can't use my stereo because it shuts off and turns on constantly now and everytime it happens my ABS light turns on, and then when my foot is on the brake and ABS kicks on you can feel it in the brake. This sux guys, one problem after another, just as all of you are aware, you know DSM's.


91 Eclipse GSX

 

[91eagle_tsi_awd]

theres an alternator fuse on the engine bay fuse box.if your battery dies again you might want to check that out.

 

[ChvyKc]

theres an alternator fuse on the engine bay fuse box.if your battery dies again you might want to check that out.

It definately sounds like a relay/fuse problem. If you are having problems with your radio cutting off then you have some serious voltage drop caused by something in the car. Make sure that they battery has a good ground first. Even if you replaced the terminal, the grounding location on the firewall is not the best place and may not be giving the battery a good enough place to ground.

I don't believe that the problem is in the batter though. Even if the battery was bad, if the alternator is good then the car should run fine once started. All of your cars electronics are run strictly off the alternator. The battery is just basically used for starting the car. Now if the alternator is bad then the car will start draining power from the batter until it runs out of juice. I have seen where this will make the car run really bad because the ignition is not supplied enough power to run the motor correctly and the ecu also gets voltage drop so it stops working correctly.

Electrical issues are always a mess. Let us know if you figure something else out or have any more info on the problem.

 

[95blackGsTurbo]

This may sound like an insult to your intelligence but I did it so... Check to make sure everything is hooked up to the battery. There is a pack of wires that had a flat connector on it that goes on the battery that I accidentally put under the battery when I reinstalled mine and therefore my alternator would not charge because it was not hooked to the battery. May sound stupid but I'm speaking from experience.

 

[xcz504d]

You could have a current draw somewhere in your system, amplified more by additional electronics you power on... Take your car to autozone or wherever, and have them test the current draw on your vehicle, they will check for a "tolerence" while the car is running with all electrics off, they clamp what looks like an oversized plastic clip around your wires to the battery terminal, the voltage is induced into the calipers then read by the multimeter...

If they say you have a short, or current draw, you might want to pick up a multimeter with the plastic clamp (also called a digital clamp meter), have someone help you do the readings, and pull one fuse at a time to help isolate the problem area.

 

[project_tsi]

+1 for forgetting to check the fuse......

I bought a new Alt. too, had multiple batteries in the car, until I realized I had forgotten to check the fuse.

 

[MIdsm]

I have seen rebuilt alternators from pep boys / autozone with bad/shorted voltage regulators. If you installed the alternator with the battery connected and shorted the alternator positive terminal to ground something may have been fried. If you have an aftermarket stereo and it is miswired you could have a large drain.

Good luck.

 

[xcz504d]

I have seen rebuilt alternators from pep boys / autozone with bad/shorted voltage regulators. If you installed the alternator with the battery connected and shorted the alternator positive terminal to ground something may have been fried. If you have an aftermarket stereo and it is miswired you could have a large drain.

Good luck.

I've had bad coil packs, diodes, and a list of others from alternators purchased as well, even the guys at the parts store wouldn't admit the alternator was still bad after they tried to check it while it was on the car... I took it to a trusted mechanic, told him what I thought, 10 minutes later he called me to confirm the problem... Bad diodes...

 

[90blacktsiawd]

I've had the same problem getting a bad alternator. I bought a new alternator and battery. Car started up fine after the install but the next morning i came out to start my car and it wouldn't turn off just clicked. After getting it back to the store they tested everythign and said "your alternator isn't putting out any juice." They ended up replacing it and it's been fine ever since.

 

[project_tsi]

I have seen rebuilt alternators from pep boys / autozone with bad/shorted voltage regulators. If you installed the alternator with the battery connected and shorted the alternator positive terminal to ground something may have been fried. If you have an aftermarket stereo and it is miswired you could have a large drain.

Good luck.

I too have had bad experiences with reman'd alternators. It seems they always seem to die after a few months of use. I even bought one once that was DOA. I don't think the heat is killing it as I have done some mods to keep it shielded, but overall, the quality of reman'd altenators is so so.

 

[MIdsm]

Just a silly question - is the electrical connector on the alternator connected all the way? I don't mean the battery cable but the two prong plastic connector. Dsm alternators won't charge until those two lines have been connected.

 

[DROOPY209]

i replaced the whole alternator power wire with brand new 4 gauge power wire.....

from the alt, to the 80A fuse, from the 80A fuse to the optima red top battery....

turns out the alternator was still bad....

replaced the life time warranty alternator with another one.....

now i get 14.4 volts and 89 peak amps.....


i disconnected my abs system too....