1995 Plymouth Van, 3.3 L Alternator problem!

Fixed your typo...

Sounds like the regulator in the BCD has stopped working. It is possible to install an older style regulator. Dan Stern has outlined this procedure on this site. It may be that he has also contributed this to allpar.com.

-Kirk Matheson

Y'know, it's posts like this that make me *almost* curious to see what it has said *this* time.

-DS (...almost...)

The short version is;

Ol' Glenn seems to be suffering extreme delusions of paranoia.

Sad, in a way...

Didja figger this all out on yer own?

With all due respect, I did not get the humor. My friend has a problem that needs to be solved... Any help will be appreciated...

i

*yawn*

Mr. maxpower thinks that you are Daniel Stern. That's the joke. Max it would seem is seeing things where thy don't exist... That's sad.

Now, on to your problem.

The external alternator circuitry consists of three wires

1) Large gauge "Red". This is the output connection, it runs between the alternator and the power distribution center and ultimately on to battery positive. Key off there should be battery voltage present. Key on, engine running, voltage drop across this wire should not exceed .2 - .3 volts. There -is- a fusible link in this circuit in between the alternator and the power distribution center. 2) Small gauge dark green/orange. This is a key on engine running 12 volt feed to the alternator field winding. It originates at the ASD relay. We know the ASD is functional because the engine runs, we don't know if there is 12 volts available there until you measure it with a volt meter. 3) Small gauge dark green. This is the circuit that is pulled to ground by the SBEC (computer) at pin #20 to control field current. Jumpering this pin to ground with the engine running should full field the alternator resulting in full charging voltage. I'd strongly recommend checking this pin for corrosion and/or the pin being backed out or anything else that would prevent it making contact with the SBEC pins.

Armed with this information, if you make voltage checks to make sure there is voltage available when and where it should be, and continuity checks on these three wires, you'll probably find the problem.

Yikes. That's...um...odd. Perhaps someone ought to tell Mr. "I'm not a Chrysler tech and I'm too inarticulate to play one on TV" Beasley that 3418039AB is not a nasal inhaler and 4883971 and 5013477AA aren't hot dog condiments.

Thanks for a great explanation, I forwarded it to my friend.

i

Now climb back under your rock little boy