alt going bad after changing O2 sensors

Maybe someone here can help me with my situation. I hope so anyway. Back in October, I had my battery die. It was OEM on my 98 K1500. A week after I replaced it, my alternator went bad and I replaced that as well. In November, I changed one of my oxygen sensors. Well a few weeks ago, I finally got around to replacing the other two oxygen sensors I bought back when I replaced the first one. After I replaced the sensors, I found that my battery light was on and my gauge read between 9 and 14. I drove to my father-in-law's house where we removed the alternator and took it to the place I bought it from back in Oct. They checked it, said it was bad and gave me another one which they checked prior to giving it to me. I replaced it and went to work. On my way to work, the truck drove from a stop very slowly but would eventually get up to speed. Also, my security light was on. When I got to work, I turned it off and then restarted it. The security light went off and it accelerated normally. On my way home from work, the truck started sputtering and hesitating (shortly after I got in the interstate) and about a half mile later, the battery light came on again and after I turned off onto my road I live on, the truck died. I was able to start it again and it died one more time on my way home. I milked it the 2 miles home doing about 20 with no more hesitations or having it die. Went to father in laws again the next day and removed alt and took it back to store. Later that afternoon, my f-i-l went to go get the replacement as my wife and I came home. Went to his house next day and put it on after battery sat on charger for several hours. No more problems. Until today. I changed my oil and fuel filter today. I also replaced the one other oxygen sensor I had missed previously. After I took the truck off the ramps, I noticed the battery light is on again and the gauge is reading between 9 and 14 again. Does anyone know what I can look for to be the problem of this? My wife thinks it has something to do with changing the o2 sensor which I think it ridiculous (until it happened twice). I think I will get another alternator now, but from somewhere else. It has a one year warranty, but I will see about getting my money back this time instead. I don't want to get another one of their junk alternators. Thanks in advance for any assistance that can be afforded.

Dave

Reply to
dcbryan71
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Hi Dave, I had a similar event some years back now. All was because I was too lazy to disconnect the battery when I replaced the alternator. That spark that occurs when the charge wire is connected is a clue. The charge wire is the large wire that connects to a lug with a nut and washer. Shorting this lug to ground, however briefly, destroys one of the diodes in the diode trio inside a Chevy alternator. That is what happened to me anyway :(

- Regards Gordie

Reply to
The Nolalu Barn Owl

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