So about a week ago my alternator dropped voltage and caused 3 lights to flicker/flash at a stop sign(battery,coolent and the oil light). Car stayed running the entire time

Oil change done 2 weeks ago and it's not low at all

I know this is known as the 3 lights of death for 1g alternators

So before I go freeze to death in this -39 pure Canadian cold to replace my alternator, does anyone have any final suggestions ?

I've already tested charging with my volt meter it sits anywhere from 12.3-12.7 at idle only

When down the highway and in the city it stays a solid 14.1-14.2 v when ever I'm cruising

My car idles at 900 rpm
The belts tight
Everythings connected

The weird thing though is my laser never died once on me , I can sit at idle with my heat ,radio , sub, defroster, lights all on and She'll idle till the cows come home.

Every morning I let it run for 10-15 and it never dies an my alternator only does 12.3ish?? That makes no sense to me. How can it still run ?

I have a brand new battery that's 900cca (hasn't failed on me at all car starts every day) got it in January.
When I was getting a coffee at Tim Hortons today my car started idle surging just a bit nothing bad

I searched the forums to find an awnser but I got nothing similar to my situation.

Anyone ever experience this?
Cars a 91 laser turbo with an nt swap with a rebuild stock Canadian alternator (higher amp rating for daytime lights).

Going to swap my generator relay(diode) asap

I can get access to a charging tester for alternators later on today

Any help appreciated thanks

Forgot to mention that my alternator might have a failing bearing it kinda makes a strange sound

Sounds like mine before the regulator went and boiled the battery..What manufacturer? Champion?

Are you asking why your car still runs even though the alternator doesn't charge? It can run off battery for a bit. Not in a DSM but I've drove for over an hour in my Jeep on battery alone.

crimsondragon said:

Are you asking why your car still runs even though the alternator doesn't charge? It can run off battery for a bit. Not in a DSM but I've drove for over an hour in my Jeep on battery alone.

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Yep that's what happens to mines when I have everything on in my car at idle the voltage drops so low that it appears to run off the battery until I get driving again. My alternator is 21 years old now so I think the regulator is done I have a 150amp alternator waiting to go in once it gets a little warmer out. I have had the car shut off on me once in a while at idle.

Yeah I'm still useing the stock alternator , pretty much tried everything .
It doesn't charge more than 14.2v so my brand new battery is doing fine.

And I'm pretty sure the alternator is keeping it at the lowest voltage

Anyone no if mitshibushi sells the oem regulators?
My car just flickers hasn't died yet (knock on wood)
I'd better be cautious and replace it asap

Check the harness plug for shorts/wire damage. Our alternators are self exciting after 2000+rpms so there must be an issue thats not triggering the alternator at start up. Its not a real big issue if you dont want to fix it. Just blip the throttle up past 2k rpm when you first start the car if you are going to be idling long.

Also run a voltage drop test from the battery to alternator to make sure its not resistance in the line.

I did a visual inspection and didn't see any brakes ,cracks ect obv there could be more I can't see but here is something wierd

When I started my car like 15 minutes ago my alternator was reading 14.3 ??? Bet when I go out there it's down to 12.3 v

Heat soak issue?
I'm grabing an alternator right now so I at least have a spare incase something bad goes down.

Oh and I gotta get a New block heater cord
Lol

lasthope05 said:

Check the harness plug for shorts/wire damage. Our alternators are self exciting after 2000+rpms so there must be an issue thats not triggering the alternator at start up. Its not a real big issue if you dont want to fix it. Just blip the throttle up past 2k rpm when you first start the car if you are going to be idling long.

Also run a voltage drop test from the battery to alternator to make sure its not resistance in the line.

Click to expand...

Edit: when I want back out side voltage was at 12.3

Okay so I went thru all the wiring and found nothing cleaned my battery terminals and cables,

I Put a jumper cable on the alternator to see if it was a ground issue
There's no voltage drop from the alternator to the battery
Checked for shorts and bad wiring
Swapped out my battery light
Swapped out the generator diode
Checked the 100 amp alt fuse
Checked the battery fuse for the hell of it even no if it was bad my car wouldn't start

I even used a "chargeing system tester" battery passed (brand new)
as well as the chargeing system but as it gets hot it drops slowly

So now unless someone can think of anything I've gotta replace my alternator
Or spend 91$ on a voltage regulator (has to be air shiped from Toronto)

All the reman alternators are crap 180$ for a 75 amp 250 for a 90 amp
I want oem
Trying to find a used alt atm then possibly this summer I wanna do a Saturn alt swap

The funny thing is that my alternator was rebuilt in 2012

My car still hasn't flickered or died yet even in rush hour I only got the 3 lights once
It's a Daily driver

Picked this up for a whole 60$
Will see how she does , it's still under warrenty

my current alternator has to make it another 200km to work and back so I can swap it Tommorow night

It still won't charge at idle

Thought I'd update that my old alternator was shot

The new one works excellent