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Author
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Topic: Alternator question
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POONSTANG
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Member # 79
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posted
 
 
Car is having a habit of eating alternators..now I am on my third one and when the car is on and no accs are running..all is seemingly good...at night when my lights are on...it goes way down..anything I can check to find out why I am going through alternators?? Voltage regulator bad?? Could that cause it?? I am at a loss of words and knowledge folks...so any advice would be appreciated...thanks..Brian
Oh yeah this is on a 91LX 5.0 too..thanks
Posts: 933 | From: Lawrenceville, Ga | Registered: Nov 2000
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JoeT
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Member # 298
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posted
heat and load kill alternators.
drive at 5000 rpms continually? that would kill 'em too.
are these junkyard alternators? the voltage regulator is on the side of the alternator, the worst it will do is kill your battery if it fails, not the alternator.
Posts: 6785 | From: San Jose | Registered: Jun 2001
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POONSTANG
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Member # 79
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posted
quote:
Originally posted by shade-tree:
heat and load kill alternators.
drive at 5000 rpms continually? that would kill 'em too.
are these junkyard alternators? the voltage regulator is on the side of the alternator, the worst it will do is kill your battery if it fails, not the alternator.
No these are new alternators (or rebuilt) from like Advance Auto. I just don't think by running the headlights or the A/C should cause me to kill an alternator and battery. Wondering if there could be something causing the drain I should look for.
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98 Chrome Yellow Cobra === Sold
2004 Silver WRX Wagon ==== Modded
1967 Black/Green Mustang Coupe
*being resto-modded as we speak*
Posts: 933 | From: Lawrenceville, Ga | Registered: Nov 2000
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JoeT
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Member # 298
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posted
well a short would make sense, wiring harness damage, look for cracks, etc. But are you killing the battery or the alternator?
Posts: 6785 | From: San Jose | Registered: Jun 2001
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POONSTANG
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Member # 79
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posted
quote:
Originally posted by shade-tree:
well a short would make sense, wiring harness damage, look for cracks, etc. But are you killing the battery or the alternator?
Both...cause the alternator will work for like 2 days and then stop charging...and then of course it's running off straight battery. Where should I look?? All or any engine cables exposed period.??
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98 Chrome Yellow Cobra === Sold
2004 Silver WRX Wagon ==== Modded
1967 Black/Green Mustang Coupe
*being resto-modded as we speak*
Posts: 933 | From: Lawrenceville, Ga | Registered: Nov 2000
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JoeT
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Member # 298
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posted
chase the wiring harness coming off the alternator. Is yours the 3-wire kind? I have the one-wire kind that they switched to later in the fox years (or maybe it's just a 3G-alternator thing)
Posts: 6785 | From: San Jose | Registered: Jun 2001
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POONSTANG
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Member # 79
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posted
quote:
Originally posted by shade-tree:
chase the wiring harness coming off the alternator. Is yours the 3-wire kind? I have the one-wire kind that they switched to later in the fox years (or maybe it's just a 3G-alternator thing)
It is a 3 wire now...dood I bought the car changed it over...think that wiring could be fucked up?? and that's causing it?? Oh by the way..thanks shade-tree! ![[worship]](graemlins/worship.gif)
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98 Chrome Yellow Cobra === Sold
2004 Silver WRX Wagon ==== Modded
1967 Black/Green Mustang Coupe
*being resto-modded as we speak*
Posts: 933 | From: Lawrenceville, Ga | Registered: Nov 2000
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JoeT
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Member # 298
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posted
did you use like the 0/2 gauge wire for the one-wire hookup like they recommend? No weenie 10 gauge stuff for the alternator!
Posts: 6785 | From: San Jose | Registered: Jun 2001
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Gear Head
JARED
Member # 779
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posted
Check the battery itself. Because if the battery has a crack or leak for example, the alternator would have to work twice as hard to keep that battery charged thus the alternator going out because of the extreme loads.
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Support our troops!
Posts: 5685 | From: EASTBAY | Registered: Jan 2002
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POONSTANG
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Member # 79
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posted
Battery and Alt are BOTH brand new...and the wires are of the correct size...I still have no fuckin idea ![[Confused]](confused.gif)
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98 Chrome Yellow Cobra === Sold
2004 Silver WRX Wagon ==== Modded
1967 Black/Green Mustang Coupe
*being resto-modded as we speak*
Posts: 933 | From: Lawrenceville, Ga | Registered: Nov 2000
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