2003 Chevrolet Impala, Battery Goes Dead

This 2003 Chevrolet Impala came in with the complaint that the battery would go dead after a couple of days of driving. The customer stated that the battery light had been coming on and going off for a while now. The alternator has been replaced three times and the battery twice. The battery light was … Continue reading “2003 Chevrolet Impala, Battery Goes Dead”

1994 Dodge Pickup, No Charge Condition

This 1994 full sized Dodge pickup came in with a complaint of the battery going dead. A quick check showed a no charge condition. With the engine running, I checked for power on the main alternator power lead. Next I checked for power going to the field terminals. The inside one had power but the … Continue reading “1994 Dodge Pickup, No Charge Condition”

Changing Brushes in a Denso Alternator

To check and change the brush holder assembly on a Denso internal fan alternator, start by removing the nut on the insulator post. Then with the insulator removed proceed to removing the remaining nuts, one screw and ground strap. The extra screw and ground strap will not always be present. Note that this particular alternator … Continue reading “Changing Brushes in a Denso Alternator”

2002 GMC Sierra, Erratic Charging Condition, Battery Goes Dead

This 2002 GMC Sierra came in with the complaint that the battery had gone dead and that the voltmeter was reading low voltage at times. I opened the hood and the problem was quite evident to me but I decided to do some testing anyways. The following picture shows 14.32 volts at the alternator output … Continue reading “2002 GMC Sierra, Erratic Charging Condition, Battery Goes Dead”

2001 Ford Windstar, Alternator Burnt Up, Cooling Fans Run At High Speed, Part 2

The vehicle’s original alternator failed in July of last year. The customer had an extended warranty and the warranty company paid the bill, less the deductible. I had personally checked the system and installed a replacement alternator at that time. I offer a 12 month, 12,000 mile parts warranty and a 90 day labor warranty. … Continue reading “2001 Ford Windstar, Alternator Burnt Up, Cooling Fans Run At High Speed, Part 2”

2001 Ford Windstar, Alternator Burnt Up, Cooling Fans Run At High Speed

This 2001 Ford Windstar came in with the complaint that the alternator was not charging. Simple enough I charged the battery, checked and changed the faulty alternator assembly. The alternator is easy to change but the belt is a bit difficult and requires two people unless you already have the vehicle up in the air. … Continue reading “2001 Ford Windstar, Alternator Burnt Up, Cooling Fans Run At High Speed”

1996 Acura 2.5 Tl, No Charge Condition

This 1996 Acura 2.5 TL came in with the complaint that the battery goes dead. The customer said that he thinks that something may not be hooked up properly because the alternator worked before and this is the second alternator that has been put on since the engine was changed. I confirmed the no charge … Continue reading “1996 Acura 2.5 Tl, No Charge Condition”

1998 Chevrolet Cavalier, No Charge Condition

This 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier came in with the complaint that the battery would go dead while driving. The battery and the alternator had been replaced and the battery light stays on while the engine is running. The first thing I did was to check the wiring at the rear of the alternator. The main battery … Continue reading “1998 Chevrolet Cavalier, No Charge Condition”

1989 Ford Crown Victoria, No Charge Condition, Alternator Wiring

This 1989 Ford Crown Victoria came in with a no charge condition and a customer that refused to listen. He came in a couple of days earlier and stated that he had replaced the alternator and the voltage regulator and the charge light was still on. I explained to him that he more than likely … Continue reading “1989 Ford Crown Victoria, No Charge Condition, Alternator Wiring”

2003 Ford Expedition, Charge Light On, P0620

This 2003 Ford Expedition came in with the complaint that the alternator had been replaced twice and the charge light light indicator was still coming on. The shop that had installed the alternators had called in desperation as their customer was becoming quite upset. They also stated that the light may stay out all day … Continue reading “2003 Ford Expedition, Charge Light On, P0620”