Alternator replaced. Have questions?

[urmomsaniceguy]

So the alternator I bought from o reillys a few months ago went bad. Ok warranty replaced for free. It's the Canadian eagle talon alternator. Basically a 90 amp. Replaced it last night, checks voltage, 18volt at the battery. Thought maybe it was putting out more to maybe charge the battery from 12.89 volts to 14.1. Everything was bright, loved it. Now the problem I'm having is the abs light comes on above 1300 rpm. My power inverter shuts off. It's plugged in to the cigarette lighter. I use it to charge my laptop. Could the alt. Be defective? Please help.

Drove it around this morning and I can hear whinning.

 

[genegoesfast]

Sounds like the voltage regulator isn't doing it's thing. The problem is, the voltage regulator is inside the alternator. It should limit the voltage output. Running voltage that high is not good for your car.

 

[urmomsaniceguy]

According to o reilly auto parts the alt. Is good. I don't know about an alternator putting out 17volts. So today I hooked up my voltmeter and when I revved the engine, I noticed liquid spitting out of my battery. Is my battery toast? Can I still use it if I replace the alternator.

 

[mattasi]

My guess is the battery is toast from the 18volts. Did you read 18volts? were is that number coming from?

 

[urmomsaniceguy]

From the voltmeter I connect to the terminals. Why is my abs light coming on and off above 1300 rpms?

 

[m1nd64m3]

I would return the alternator for another, 18v is wayyyy to high. These parts store alternators are very hit or miss. I'm at least on my 3rd one over the years, maybe more, but I have gotten them bad out of the box.

My current one has a bad voltage regulator and I can see up to 15.2v out of it sometimes. Causes my lights to flicker, may have even fried my radar detector, and other weird electrical issues when the voltage is reading that high. I will bring it back soon when I dig up the receipt.

 

[urmomsaniceguy]

Well this is my only car. They are telling me to take it off and bring it to them. Kinda hard with one car. I'm going to call the DM tomorrow and tell them of their alternator fries my battery or any electrical I'm holding them responsible. The guy tested it on the car and told me it was still good cause the machine said so. I told him my machine (voltmeter) says its bad, its putting out 18 volts. When I asked him what alternator he know on a 4 cylinder gas engine puts out that much he stuttered. Where do they hire these retards. Lol. One guy said there's no such thing as an eagle talon. I laughed.

 

[m1nd64m3]

Bring a jack and some tools and remove it in the parking lot. It's easy and after doing it enough it should take only 15 minutes to remove and another 15 to put back.

I wouldn't trust those testers they have in the store. I've gotten one that didn't work yet in the store it tested fine on the machine. The next one they gave me tested fine and worked just fine in the car.

 

[Lofty]

Your battery is venting because it saw too much volts. As far as my knowledge is, the battery swells and overheats and it pushes the electrolyte out of it. This is sulfuric acid. Yay. Once a battery has vented it is not necessarily dead, however its life has decreased greatly. Seeing 18 volts is not good for your system at all, stop driving the car, wouldn't want to see anything light up.


Did you plug IN the voltage regulator?

The thing you said everything was bright scares me, because your voltage regulator is not working or it is not plugged in, take it back and ask for an exchange and tell them it ruined your battery. See what they can do.

 

[urmomsaniceguy]

My plan is to take this posting to corporate and show them what the experts on these cars have to say. So they will know its not just the opinion of one man. I'm sure they will fight me over this. My next question is, to cover all possibilities, if my battery is bad would this cause the alt. To put out that many volts? I'm sure its not, I've had it tested and before the alternator was put on I checked it with my voltmeter and it showed 12.89 volts.

 

[m1nd64m3]

My plan is to take this posting to corporate and show them what the experts on these cars have to say. So they will know its not just the opinion of one man. I'm sure they will fight me over this. My next question is, to cover all possibilities, if my battery is bad would this cause the alt. To put out that many volts? I'm sure its not, I've had it tested and before the alternator was put on I checked it with my voltmeter and it showed 12.89 volts.

I really wouldn't bother with that, using forum posts from the internet is not a good way to prove your point.

If they are giving you a hard time about replacing it then bring the car there and bring your tester and just pop the hood and show them its not right by testing the voltage, even suggest they try their own tester if they believe yours is not right.

 

[urmomsaniceguy]

They did use their own tester and it shows good. It shows 14 volts. But that's only at idle. Anything above 1000rpm it puts 18 volts. I explained that to him.

 

[mattasi]

That a tough situation man, but I have had wayyy worse. Here is what I personaly would do, take it or leave it. What I would do is find a shop in your town that rebuilds alternators. (for me in eugene that is J&S starters)... Take the bus over there with alternator in hand and tell them to rebuild it with a new regualtor and what ever else they think needs replaced. It will probably cost about $60-100, but it will be done properly. You will get it back all new and clean and install it with a new battery and move on. Also if it goes out on you again you can take it back and talk with someone face to face that rebuilds them for a living. It will normaly have a one year warranty.

Or take the car back to the auto store, have them test it again. Tell them everything again, and if they will not replace it tell them you want the name and phone number of the manager of them. Don't be rude but tell them that you need this alternator issue to be done. Tell them "I don't care what your testing machine says, no car should hit 18volts period"

 

[m1nd64m3]

Whenever I return one to autozone its no questions asked, just bring it in and swap it out for another, unless I ask them to test it. Your best bet is to bring in the car and hook your meter up to the battery and rev it up past idle to show them that it is putting out too much voltage.

Although even 14 volts at idle seems pretty high, at idle on all my alternators have been between 12.9 and 13.4, except for my current alternator but it has a bad voltage regulator like yours and it sees around 14 at idle.

Maybe you should consider doing the saturn alternator swap, or buy an oem alternator from the dealer or a used one. It will save you alot of headaches in the future, and possibly towing bills.

 

[urmomsaniceguy]

I bought this one cause its the equivalent to the Saturn but its a bolt on. No modification needed. It's used on the Canadian eagle talons. I'm going to go down there later today and take my volt meter. I never have problems with autozone, but they can't get the 90 amp alternator.

 

[urmomsaniceguy]

Problem solved. Got the new alternator put in tonight at idle its 13.89. Idle up 14.05. I'm happy. Autozone said they would replace my battery even though I'm a week past my free replacement, at no charge. You live and learn, always get the warranty .

 

[m1nd64m3]

Week past your free replacement? It's lifetime replacement, or it was when I got mine. I hope they didn't change the policy.