Troubleshooting Alternator / Voltage Reg

Alternator is not charging battery. Connections and cables are all good, no voltage drops. Battery holds a charge, checked under load and is fine.

This one has separate alternator and regulator. Anyone know how to check regulator & alternator separately to see which is bad? Alternator is a pain to remove.

97 Aerostar

Thanks.

R/R Video for this car

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Voltage regulator:
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Reply to
Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney
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"Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney" wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@earthlink.com... Alternator is not charging battery. Connections and cables are all good, no voltage drops. Battery holds a charge, checked under load and is fine.

This one has separate alternator and regulator. Anyone know how to check regulator & alternator separately to see which is bad? Alternator is a pain to remove.

97 Aerostar

Thanks.

R/R Video for this car

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Voltage regulator:
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Alternator says 'internal' regulator. Stupid question - does internal mean the one that is sold separately is bolted on already?

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Reply to
Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney

Have you checked out this article?

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Reply to
Stormin' Norman

Reply to
clare

Which engine do you have? The regulator is a lot more work to remove from the alternator on the vehicle than removing the alternator. Can't remember how it is on a 4 liter - but it is certainly no easier than on the 3.0

The "internal" regulator is bolted to the alternator. It IS available separatgely for repair - and SOME replacement alternators come without the regulator. Standard practice around here is to supply the alternator complete with regulator installed and tested.

Reply to
clare

Reply to
clare

good, no voltage drops. Battery holds a charge, checked under load and is fine.

check regulator & alternator separately to see which is bad? Alternator is a pain to remove.

internal mean the one that is sold separately is bolted on already?

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Thanks. Did a similar test and nothing coming from the alternator.

Reply to
Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney

good, no voltage drops. Battery holds a charge, checked under load and is fine.

check regulator & alternator separately to see which is bad? Alternator is a pain to remove.

3.0
Reply to
Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney

The rectifier diodes could be shot in the alternator, if you are mechanically adept, you could disassemble the alternator, test and replace the diodes, if you can find them. If money isn't a big issue, buy a rebuilt or new alternator.

Reply to
Stormin' Norman

all good, no voltage drops. Battery holds a charge, checked under load and is fine.

to check regulator & alternator separately to see which is bad? Alternator is a pain to remove.

internal mean the one that is sold separately is bolted on already?

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I troubleshot it to the alternator. This time I had to get it fixed right away to use in a paying job, so I charged up the battery and dropped it off a the local garage. Good thing, too. The tensioner pulley turned out to be going bad. I probably would not have noticed that, and even if I did, I would have had no way to get to the parts place. Total damage for R/R alternator/regular & serpentine belt was $400. Plus tensioner assy, $130.

Reply to
Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney

What is the meaning of "R/R"? Rebuilt or Refurbished?

At least you have it fixed, hopefully it will last the life of the vehicle.

Reply to
Stormin' Norman

Probably Repair/Replace because some people get nitpicky about the differences between them.

Reply to
FromTheRafters

all good, no voltage drops. Battery holds a charge, checked under load and is fine.

how to check regulator & alternator separately to see which is bad? Alternator is a pain to remove.

internal mean the one that is sold separately is bolted on already?

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> >> >

alternator.

right away to use in a paying job, so I charged up the battery and dropped it off a the local garage. Good thing, too. The tensioner pulley turned out to be going bad. I probably would not have noticed that, and even if I did, I would have had no way to get to the parts place. Total damage for R/R alternator/regular & serpentine belt was $400. Plus tensioner assy, $130.

Remove & Replace

Reply to
Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney

This is why I do all my own work (exception is automatic trannies) . My guess is that parts cost to the garage was in the neighborhood of 125-150 bucks , the rest was labor and a nice markup on that tensioner and alt .

Reply to
Terry Coombs

Generally speaking R&R is remove and replace.

Reply to
clare

Here in Ontario Canada dealer price on the tensioner for a 4 liter is$73.87 and list is $111.28 from NAPA That was a month or so ago when I replaced mine. The 3 liter will be very close. In the USA at carpartsdiscount.com the 4 liter tensioner is a whole $29.35 US for Gates and $26.35 for Dorman., For the 3 liter it is $35.55 for a Dorman and $40.75 for a Gates. Your garage WILL have paid more than that. NapaOnline has the 4 liter one listed at $49.95

Reman alternators at NapaOnline are in the $220 range, New in the $520 range. The alternator comes with the regulator installed.

Not sure what the situation is now, but garages used to make about 30% on parts, and labour ranges from the low $70s to over $100 depending on location.. So, say $49 for the tensioner, $220 for the alternator - total $270-ish times 1.3+ $351 plus an hour at $70 and you are over $420 - so all in all, at $400 for the job you did OK. You were not ripped off - for sure.

Reply to
clare

I wasn't trying to imply he was ripped off ... I just hate to pay someone else that kind of money to do something I can do myself . Oh , and his total was $530 , so either the parts were more or labor was a lot more than $70/hr . Can't see that job flat rating more than 1.5 hours , if that . Recently our Toyota 4Runner (V6) blew a spark plug out of the head - probably crossthreaded and/or partially stripped at some time in the past . Total for parts was under a hundred bucks including the reamer/tap kit and a new coil pack . Labor was about 2.5 hours and half that time was spent machining guide bushings and other tooling . Had that problem gone to a shop they would have at least pulled the head , likely wanted to replace rather than repair , and I'm certain I wouldn't have gotten out for less than 1500 bucks . It helps that I have a machine shop , and I understand that not everybody does . -- Snag

Reply to
Terry Coombs

Just did a plug on a friend's Rotax 912 in his SeaRey amphibian plane. Less than an hour including modifying the installation tool. Had to buy the special 12mm kit - save-a-thread - I think the kit was just over 100 dollars and hasabout half a dozen helicoils.

Reply to
clare

Is that Rotax an OHV or L-head ? I had a bunch of stuff in the way , and this V6 is one of the DOHC 4 valve/cylinder models . Spark plug is top dead center in the combustion chamber . About 6 inches down in a hole ...

Reply to
Terry Coombs

OHV 4 cyl opposed. Those dohc crossflow heads with the plugs down insude a well are a BITCH to do thread repairs on!

Reply to
clare

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