Help! weird alternator/battery problems.

[4twenty]

Last week I checked my output voltage on my alternator and it was putting out 16.7 volts. I got a replacement and put it in and the next day my battery died. I then got a new battery and that one died the following day also. I tested the output voltage and I am getting 11.7 volts at the alternator and 11.5 volts at the battery. When the alternator is removed from the car and tested at Autozone it passed their test 4 times. When autozone tested it in the car with it running they get low voltages like I saw (11.X) and when they put a load on it the car stalls. As soon as I shut the car off it will not restart as the battery voltage is too low. Any ideas?
Thanks

Jared

 

[talondude4]

Check the alternator fuse, it may be blown.
I'm not sure but i think there are a couple of fuses for the alternator in there don't quote me on it.

But check those fuses and tell me how those are.

 

[4twenty]

I checked the fuses under the hood already and they are fine. I didn't think there was a fuse inside for the alternator but I will double check.

Jared

 

[Kapok6]

there is an alternator relay you may want to check. Under the hood near the front of the car on the passenger side; at least on 1st gens, i'm not sure about 2g's but give it a look.

 

[talontsi18]

I have gone through 3 auto zone alternators in about 2 weeks they are crap, and every time i took the alternator to them to be tested it came out fine. I finally just got my money back and put the alternator from my project car into my daily driver and i have never had a problem since. Check all fuses and relays and if they are in working order your alternator might be going out. Also, I would not reccomend buying any electrical part from auto zone. Good luck.

 

[talondude4]

Autozone alternators

 

[4twenty]

This is my fouth alternator in 6 months from autozone.

 

[T9S1i]

hey one thing to check... do you have your lower exhaust heat shield on? the hot exhaust from your o2 housing and downpipe will burn out ur alt all the time... trust me you sound like my friend who was going to kragen every week for a new alternator... we put his heat shield back on and it never fried again... just something to think about! same problem happened on my car once and i put my heat shield back on and alt has been strong ever since...

 

[Defiant]

A few drops of power steering fluid will also destroy an alternator.

 

[4twenty]

I have gone through 3 auto zone alternators in about 2 weeks they are crap, and every time i took the alternator to them to be tested it came out fine. I finally just got my money back and put the alternator from my project car into my daily driver and i have never had a problem since. Check all fuses and relays and if they are in working order your alternator might be going out. Also, I would not reccomend buying any electrical part from auto zone. Good luck.

Thanks to your info of Autozone testing bad alternators and the machine reports them as good, I picked up a alternator from a junkyard for $50. Now everything is good and things are back to normal. Thanks for your inout guys.

Jared

 

[KeltonDSMer]

You HAVE to charge the battery before installing a new alternator because it will over load it otherwise right when you try to start your car. If you guys don't have at least 12 volts off the battery before trying to put in a new alternator, than no wonder that shit fails.