I had my alternator replaced 2 years ago, two days ago i noticed that the gauge was not charging, only when I had the gas pedel push dwon a little did the hand raise above the bottom of the battery picture on the gauge. It is at the local shop now, they put a new alternator on it and it is still not charging...they are going to put a nother new alternator on it......Has anyone had a problem like this.....i will follow up on the outcome in a few
In my neck of the woods almost every auto store will happily test any alternator you bring. They also test new ones before the sale. I am assuming that this is true in most places. Had your 'local shop' bothered to use this free service, they would have either determined that the culprit was not the alternator or avoided installing a bad one - whichever the case might be. They should have also tested and recharged your battery, if needed. Something is telling me that they are either incompetent or taking you for a ride. Perhaps both...
depending on teh year, i had the smae problem but it turned out to be the positive battery cable. i have a 1994 and ford cables on the years 1991 -
I would think that if the alternator was not working it would not move up at all, no matter what. Did they check your battery? And as Happy T suggested check the positive battery cable. If it is blackened near the terminal (and even if it's not) it may be rotted away inside. Is the battery voltage higher when the engine/alternator is running?
Verify that the FIELD fuse for the alternator is good. On my '92, this fuse is at the rear of the main fuse box under the hood on the right (pass side on US cars) side fender support. The alternator may be is self-exciting once the revs are high enough for residual megnetism to make the initial excitation current. The excitation may also go through a dashboard idiot light too. I'm not at the car or the manuals, or I'd give a better description.
ALSO: Please state the year and model of the car you are working on. My great aunt Claire Voyant died a few years ago, so I can only rely on what you share in your posts concerning the year and model. ;)
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