Resolved New Alternator not charging

[knytespyder]

First off I have a 99 eclipse GS-t spyder 2.0L turbo
Im just going to say what I found out about my car even though they are all basically the same there are some important differences when it comes to trouble shooting
Important note for this model and year
1.. There is no inline generator relay for the 99 eclipses there is how ever under the hood fuse bx with fuses and fuseible links,that need to be checked
2..The threw bolt {the long bolt}that bolts your alt. to the block is your alt. grounding, so make sure that area is clean and bolted tight.
3..Your battery indicator light in your dash has to be working to complete the circuit or your new alternator will not charge your battery...turn your key to the on position{dont start it} and on the lft hand side of your dash lower right corner see if you see a pic of a battery it looks just like a battery If there is no battery pic then you need to replace that bulb.... So pop your dash out "very simple" a few screws it pops rite out just make sure you get the 3 plugends back in line when you put it back and it falls rite in place,go to the wrecking yard and get some bulbs ,way faster then trying to order them,I have a fuse tester I used to ck the bulbs with,clean all of the connections with Qtip an rubbing alcohol 91%,pull the little connecting prones on the bulb out just a little bit to ensure a good connection when you reinstall the bulb or bulbs "This is what my problem was bad bulb"
4...Also Make Sure Your Battery Is FULLY CHARGED and is a GOOD BATTERY before you connect it to your Alternator and connect the positive cable first then the negative
5.. Be patient when you reinstall your battery if your battery has been disconnected for any length of time your computer will need to reset its self
maybe a couple hours ,with some normal driving
6. EASIER INSTALL Just Loosen the alt.belt tensioning bar has long slot in it and let it fall down and connect that bolt first,then the threw bolt,I removed my O2 sensor,my oil filter,radiator and removed it from the bottom and left my power steering pump in place,I found this was much faster and easier...Hope this helps someone...good luck!!!!

 

[knytespyder]

One more important tidbit when you purchase a new alt. have them ck it first 3 times and also make sure it is the RITE ONE for your car...Ive been screwed more than once by being the wrong part for my model and being a defective part ..So research your part " or at least have your VIN # with you

 

[luv2rallye]

Yes, you're absolutely correct about "Your battery indicator light in your dash has to be working to complete the circuit or your new alternator will not charge your battery". This provides voltage to the alt's field coil which is necessary for it to work. Pre 99 they had a "generator relay" (mis-named - it's not a relay but a resistor in series with a diode) in parallel with the dash battery indicator light. This provided the alt field coil voltage should the bulb burn out. Some 99 turbo's may have had it but most didn't. No 2g NT had it as the ECU controls the alt.

A tip: Put a washer under the alt's tensioning bolt head. It helps keep the bolt in the bracket groove (especially while tensioning): http://www.dsmtuners.com/attachments/alt-tensioner-ps-pump-gone-jpg.144444/