Alternator Not Charging Battery

I recently got my car back from being in the shop for three weeks for replacing the fuel lines and coil overs. After picking up the car the battery light illuminate in ignition position 2 when starting I also get 5 beeps from Dave McKeen’s otterstat indicating it’s not charging.

It’s a new alternator from DPI put on in feb. it was working when the car went into the shop. They didn’t do anything to the alternator, except put a Alternator Tensioner on it (https://www.deloreandirectory.com/ma...tor-tensioner/). I did notice there was some coolant on the top of the alternator from the coolant line above it. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...dbd0611891.jpg


The bulb in the warning light was replaced with an incandescent bulb in July when I replaced the other bulbs with LEDs.

Any one got any ideas on why it’s not charging?


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Incorrect tension on the belt?

You need to put a multi meter on the alternator and battery to determine if it's truly the alternator, a break in the charge circut(possibly a wire knocked loose or damaged from the shop) or maybe the dash gauge is just lying to you. Without that info, you are just shooting in the dark blaming the alternator.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...6ad4706828.jpg
Only blame the alternator because it is not charging based on the dash gauge. Also we ran a multi meter on the battery; no charge.

If the battery light is not coming on when the key is on position 2 along with the oil light, would that be the reason the alternator might not be charging the battery?

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Originally Posted by Midnight Specialist

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...6ad4706828.jpg
Only blame the alternator because it is not charging based on the dash gauge. Also we ran a multi meter on the battery; no charge.

If the battery light is not coming on when the key is on position 2 along with the oil light, would that be the reason the alternator might not be charging the battery?

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If the battery light isn't coming on, then yes you are not charging. The volt gauge reads battery voltage only. It has no idea nor does it care what the alternator is doing. Like I said, you gotta test but based on this new info, start at the bulb....actually look at the back of the alternator and see if the pigtail is secure and intact. If they were doing suspension work, they may have knocked something loose.

A broken charge light circuit could be at the bulkhead connector or the instrument cluster. The connectors at the cluster are often bad after it has been removed. I would start by pulling and installing the bulkhead connectors. Doing that often cleans the pins up a little.

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Originally Posted by Midnight Specialist

After picking up the car the battery light illuminate in ignition position 2 when starting ...

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Assuming you meant to say, "... the battery light does not illuminate in position 2...".

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Originally Posted by Michael

If the battery light isn't coming on, then yes you are not charging. The volt gauge reads battery voltage only. It has no idea nor does it care what the alternator is doing. Like I said, you gotta test but based on this new info, start at the bulb....actually look at the back of the alternator and see if the pigtail is secure and intact. If they were doing suspension work, they may have knocked something loose.

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FWIW, since a mutimeter is reading low voltage, it's probably not the case here, but it is possible for the light to never come on and the regulator kick in (self energizing regulator, high rev, etc). The battery, alternator and gauge are wired in parallel, so the gauge reads both (together), not caring/knowing where the power comes from.

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I agree that the place to start is the bulb's circuit: Turn the key to position 2 ('RUN' -- Don't start the engine), disconnect the pigtail (Brown with Yellow stripe wire) and tap it to ground (the alternator's casing is a good place). If this makes the light come on, the circuit is OK. If the main terminal reads 12V also, the unit is bad.

Have you checked the crimp that splices the GM pig tail to the Delorean wire harness at the Alternator? That butt connector could have come loose or knocked around, that would cause an issue as well.

Start the car and start reading voltage directly at the alternator.

Give 12v directly to the exciter circuit of the alternator and see if it starts charging. (Assuming you aren't reading a charge voltage from the above step)

(Never have worked on a stock alternator, but according to the schematic it appears to have an exciter circuit, so the above test should be pretty failproof).

So I changed out the bulb and cleaned the bulkhead connectors with contact cleaner. No light and not turning over now.


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https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...086437db6d.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...1db7416512.jpg


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If you don't see any obvious connection problems, I would pull the alternator and have it tested. Not unusual for a newer alternator to go bad.

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Originally Posted by dmcman73

Have you checked the crimp that splices the GM pig tail to the Delorean wire harness at the Alternator?

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This is a 30 second check from the ground and given the service history the likely source.

Either the splice or the connector at the alternator. Plug/unplug and tug the splices.

+1 on removing alternator and taking it in to your nearest auto parts store for a free test. Rules out the most obvious fault then you can look to other
more exotic reasons for no charge condition. You need to charge up the battery now so take it with you for the free charge at Auto Zone, Oreilly or Advance Auto.

Since the light never comes on, it makes no sense to pull the alternator without grounding the Brown/Yellow wire and seeing if it comes on, first.

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Originally Posted by Ron

Since the light never comes on, it makes no sense to pull the alternator without grounding the Brown/Yellow wire and seeing if it comes on, first.

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The second sentence in the thread says the light comes on.

Edit, Ah, I see you allready saw that and corrected him. I'm not sure he has confirmed that.

Thanks for all the help. I spoke with Josh from DPI and seems the alternator is at fault. After a continuity with the alternator and the bulls head connector, it seems that the alternator might have been damaged when the battery was recharged.


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Originally Posted by Helirich

The second sentence in the thread says the light comes on.

Edit, Ah, I see you allready saw that and corrected him. I'm not sure he has confirmed that.

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He did, in post 4, 10 and a pic in 11.
Anywaaay, it's a minute versus an hour....and he's got it covered now.

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Originally Posted by Midnight Specialist

Thanks for all the help. I spoke with Josh from DPI and seems the alternator is at fault. After a continuity with the alternator and the bulls head connector, it seems that the alternator might have been damaged when the battery was recharged.

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That happens a lot (with jumps).
If that shop (or whoever) will not take care of it, there's a ~95% chance that all it needs is a regulator.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Midnight Specialist

Thanks for all the help. I spoke with Josh from DPI and seems the alternator is at fault. After a continuity with the alternator and the bulls head connector, it seems that the alternator might have been damaged when the battery was recharged.


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If the alternator is bad and the warranty for a replacement ran out or is null, do yourself a favor and go to your local Autozone and pick up an alternator from a 1994 Chevy Camaro with a 3.4 engine. I'm all for supporting the vendors but when it comes to the starter and alternator, you can't beat a local parts place that offers a lifetime warranty on them.

If you have DPI's new billet Alternator bracket, you may get away with the alternator being a drop in, I believe he makes the mounting point on it longer to fit the aftermarket alternators. If not, you'll need a 1/2 inch spacer to go between the alternator and bracket:

Attachment 66635

Personally I am in favor of having them rebuilt locally. After my last(and 3rd or 4th total) alternator took a dump, and for 10 years of seeing less than stellar voltage and charge rates, I had mine rebuilt by a shop that has done nothing but starters and alternators for the last 25 years.

Upon installation I was thrilled to see a solid 14+ volts at idle on my gauge. Something I had not seen in a decade.

If you do go down that path, make sure it's a good shop that will redo the windings rather than just dip them.

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Originally Posted by Michael

Personally I am in favor of having them rebuilt locally. After my last(and 3rd or 4th total) alternator took a dump, and for 10 years of seeing less than stellar voltage and charge rates, I had mine rebuilt by a shop that has done nothing but starters and alternators for the last 25 years.

Upon installation I was thrilled to see a solid 14+ volts at idle on my gauge. Something I had not seen in a decade.

If you do go down that path, make sure it's a good shop that will redo the windings rather than just dip them.

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This is excellent advice if you have a shop like that. Around here they have all gone away. (Like machine shops) I fear the knowledge is going away to.

i rebuilt my hervey cs130 last year with a high amp kit...

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Originally Posted by dmcman73

If the alternator is bad and the warranty for a replacement ran out or is null, do yourself a favor and go to your local Autozone and pick up an alternator from a 1994 Chevy Camaro with a 3.4 engine. I'm all for supporting the vendors but when it comes to the starter and alternator, you can't beat a local parts place that offers a lifetime warranty on them.

If you have DPI's new billet Alternator bracket, you may get away with the alternator being a drop in, I believe he makes the mounting point on it longer to fit the aftermarket alternators. If not, you'll need a 1/2 inch spacer to go between the alternator and bracket:

Attachment 66635

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Did you swap out the pulley on that alternator or use the one in the pic?

You need to install a V-Belt pulley on the Camaro alternator. If you don't have one or want a new one, I like this aluminum pulley from Summit Racing (March 131).

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/mch-131

I put a new alternator in and tested it with the multimeter. I got 13.47 volts. I took it on the road and after a half mile, volts dropped and battery light came on. The battery light works now and the multimeter is showing 12.50 now with the car running. Any ideas?


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Odds are you got a bad one.

Can you post a pic of how it is wired?

This is the wiring. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...986c9e6f99.jpg


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And the tensioner. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...e49bee1792.jpg


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Midnight Specialist

And the tensioner. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...e49bee1792.jpg


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Probably not related but the belt looks like it's rubbing something. Maybe hitting a bolt or pulleys are slightly out of alignment or one has a very deep groove?

That’s just the angle. Nothing is rubbing the belt.


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Originally Posted by Ron

Odds are you got a bad one.

Can you post a pic of how it is wired?

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This! I've seen this happen a lot. If you had wired it wrong, it probably would have failed right away.

I've heard that Autozone, Advanced Auto and Orielies all buy components that won't pass the big three automakers tests. They still work and sometimes they work for many years. But there never as good as the ones that pass the more rigorous tests. That's why it seems like new cars components last. (This is true of starters, AC components and other stuff)

Of course you get the lifetime warranty. I understand they bank on you getting rid of the car before it fails.

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Originally Posted by Midnight Specialist

This is the wiring.

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Does the pigtail (small brown wire) eventually connect to a brown with yellow stripe wire in the harness. If so, I'd put money on it being a bad alternator.

...Did you ever tap the brown with yellow stripe wire on ground to see if the battery light goes on and off (key on)?

I added a ground. After adding the ground it started and started charging 14.5 volts. Then 3 min later, same thing. No charge. Battery light on. I then grinded off some of the coating on the back of the bracket and sides where it attaches to the engine block and alternator. I even put the original tensioner back on. Same thing. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...d59f335080.jpg


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Now it sounds heat related. Can't say I've heard of that.

It’s not a hot engine at all.


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I had the brand new alternator tested and this one failed as well. Is there something in the electrical system that could kill alternators?


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Midnight Specialist

I had the brand new alternator tested and this one failed as well. Is there something in the electrical system that could kill alternators?


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It's rare but a bad battery can do this. Testing with a multimeter will not detect this problem.



Dave B.

As rare as getting a bad alternator from the vendor? With my luck it might be. Going to have o’reily test it tomorrow


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I think I figured it out. There is no ground to the alternator. I had the shop swap out my tensioner with the one shown. What I didn’t know was the rod ends “Made of stainless steel, these rod ends provide excellent corrosion resistance. A PTFE liner allows smooth ball rotation and eliminates the need for lubrication.”

That teflon liner is acting as an insulator. The DPI bracket is coated and also acting as an insulator.

Not knowing this I must have fried the replacement. Another one is coming in and I have removed the coating on the bracket where it connects to the engine and the alternator. I will also use the ground wire.


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No need to grind on the billet aluminum bracket. Just run the jumper wire if you are going to continue using the rod end tensioner. Other wise with the supplied stainless tensioner in the kit all will be good. Haven't posted on this thread but have been dealing with midnight directly to find the grounding issue and working on getting warranty units back and forth.

We are updating our directions with additional warnings regarding discharged batteries and the risk of adding in components not included with the kit. IE different tensioners in this case was enough to cause an issue. As a margin of safety we will also be including updated grounding components to mitigate poor negative earth issues common on the cars. This will prevent damaging regulators if engine mount grounds and so on are not clean enough. Essentially the failures occur from a lack of ground for the circuit. Adding the grounding after the fact is not enough as the damage is normally done.

As a test we were able to take a brand new unit and cause a fault this morning by reducing the grounding. The alternator failed after just a few miles.