Waaay off topic but i know someone knows [message #157833] |
Tue, 24 January 2012 07:12 |
Donovan-formerly Jase386
Messages: 139 Registered: January 2009 Location: Greenville SC
Karma: 0
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friend has an 86 new yorker which was waaaaay over engineered. we cant find why it wont charge the battery when its running.
last night playing with a test light, i found that the isolated stud on the alternator (the one that goes to the starter) has a tiny trickle of ground on it.
i know thats not supposed to happen, and when the car is running sometimes we see arcing inside the alternator. Could this be our charging problem? someone told him it was the computer controled regulator so we already changed that out and still no luck.. and the alternator tests good on the bench at autozone. but that stud shouldnt have ANY ground on it.. so now im thinking there is our problem, its the damn alternator? am i getting excited for nothing? any ideas?
Donovan, Greenville SC
1975 Eleganza II
81,500 miles
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Re: [GMCnet] Waaay off topic but i know someone knows [message #157834 is a reply to message #157833] |
Tue, 24 January 2012 07:52 |
jhbridges
Messages: 8412 Registered: May 2011 Location: Braselton ga
Karma: -74
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Look for a leaky diode in the alternator. For the arcing, look to worn brushes/slip rings. Easy out, it's 27nyears old, treat it to a new/rebuilt alternator.
--johnny
'76 23' transmode norris
'76 palm beach
From: jase386 <jase386@aol.com>
To: gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org
Sent: Tuesday, January 24, 2012 8:12 AM
Subject: [GMCnet] Waaay off topic but i know someone knows
friend has an 86 new yorker which was waaaaay over engineered. we cant find why it wont charge the battery when its running.
last night playing with a test light, i found that the isolated stud on the alternator (the one that goes to the starter) has a tiny trickle of ground on it.
i know thats not supposed to happen, and when the car is running sometimes we see arcing inside the alternator. Could this be our charging problem? someone told him it was the computer controled regulator so we already changed that out and still no luck.. and the alternator tests good on the bench at autozone. but that stud shouldnt have ANY ground on it.. so now im thinking there is our problem, its the damn alternator? am i getting excited for nothing? any ideas?
--
Donovan, Greenville SC
1975 Eleganza II (Ella)
72,500 miles
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Foolish Carriage, 76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
Braselton, Ga.
I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell
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Re: Waaay off topic but i know someone knows [message #157835 is a reply to message #157833] |
Tue, 24 January 2012 08:30 |
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Matt Colie
Messages: 8547 Registered: March 2007 Location: S.E. Michigan
Karma: 7
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Donovan-formerly Jase386 wrote on Tue, 24 January 2012 08:12 | friend has an 86 new yorker which was waaaaay over engineered. we cant find why it wont charge the battery when its running.
last night playing with a test light, i found that the isolated stud on the alternator (the one that goes to the starter) has a tiny trickle of ground on it.
i know thats not supposed to happen, and when the car is running sometimes we see arcing inside the alternator. Could this be our charging problem? someone told him it was the computer controled regulator so we already changed that out and still no luck.. and the alternator tests good on the bench at autozone. but that stud shouldnt have ANY ground on it.. so now im thinking there is our problem, its the damn alternator? am i getting excited for nothing? any ideas?
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Donovan,
To answer an easy question first, there should not be visible arcing inside the machine. It at least needs the slip rings cleaned and new brushes. I don't think that is the only problem.
You are stretching some really old memory cells here. During that period, Chrysler was changing supplier of lots of things. I can't even guess who the supplier was for that vehicle and I am also remembering that it might have been engine - dependent. Some of their vehicles in that period had Mitsubishi engines and if it does, it will have the matching alternator. If the alternator has a connector with 4or5 leads, it is controlled by the engine ECU. The primary reason for this control was that the engine was so limp at cold start (emissions controls) and the alternator so massive, that it could stall a cold engine.
The AZ (or anybody's) bench test is solely for output at full. It is equivalent of the screwdriver test on you coach's old Delco. It may test good, but without a much better bench that any parts store will have, there can still be a whole lot wrong inside.
You say there is a trickle of ground at the output stud.... With the system shut down, there should be no reverse current at all there ever. If there is, then there is an internal failure.
I think I like Johnny's answer. Go find a good rebuild and save the receipt.
Matt
Matt & Mary Colie - Chaumière -'73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan with OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Near DTW - Twixt A2 and Detroit
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Re: Waaay off topic but i know someone knows [message #157879 is a reply to message #157833] |
Tue, 24 January 2012 18:25 |
JohnL455
Messages: 4447 Registered: October 2006 Location: Woodstock, IL
Karma: 12
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I too do not know when Chrysler went to the "regulator in the ECM (ECU) and battery temp sensor". The scarry thing about that is I could imagine a failure mode where the alternator took out the drivers in the ECM for added headache. I know the mid 90s OBDII Jeeps used this and it works well when it works. If that was FWD car like Matt said it could be a Mitsu. Different ball game. As noted, a rebuilt that requires no core or a new replacement might be easiest. There is still an actual rebuilder in my area, but as a rule its a throw away society ( or core charge society)
John Lebetski
Woodstock, IL
77 Eleganza II
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Re: Waaay off topic but i know someone knows [message #157885 is a reply to message #157844] |
Tue, 24 January 2012 18:53 |
Bob de Kruyff
Messages: 4260 Registered: January 2004 Location: Chandler, AZ
Karma: 1
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Donovan-formerly Jase386 wrote on Tue, 24 January 2012 09:11 | on the subject that the car is 27 years old. most guys here will appreciate this. it has only 15,864 miles on it. it has a digital dash with 6 digits, and the 15k is original. its been sitting for almost 23 of its 27 years. and we cant get her to charge. we keep plugging away at it though.
we are running out of ideas, so i thought id come here and consult the best experts on everything.
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Chrysler did use EVR (electronic voltage regulation) in the 90's, but not on your vintage. It was used on both Chrysler and Mitsubishi engines. It was a 3 wire system that could be interrogated through the ECM. The good news is that you will probably only need to replace the alternator.
Bob de Kruyff
78 Eleganza
Chandler, AZ
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