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78 242 - alternator not charging - or limited output....... STUMPED 200 1978

uid 18083's pic
posted by  lucid on  Thu Jun 16 14:20 CST 2005
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last visit: Fri Oct 24 12:31 CST 2014
[RELATED]

I agree with dbrick — you don't really know if your alternator is charging or not. And the BATT light is working as it should, which also means that the alternator D+ wire (thin red) and ground wire are OK.

The alternator could be putting out good voltage that isn't making it into the battery due to a corroded battery terminal — so the battery dies after repeated starts without ever getting "pumped up" again while driving.

The fact that the BATT light doesn't come on while running is a further sign that the alternator is probably OK. Because it comes on only when the alternator voltage is LOWER than the battery voltage.

I would disconnect and scrape/clean:

1) both battery terminals (inner surface and posts)
and while they are off,
2) the starter terminal (to/from alternator and battery)
and,
3) the B+ terminal at the alternator (big red wire going to starter terminal)

Then with engine running, measure voltage at both Alt B+ and Battery Positive terminal. Battery should be within 0.5 volts of the Alt B+ output.
--
Bruce Young
'93 940-NA (current) — 240s (one V8) — 140s — 122s — since '63.






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