Something I noticed while working on my truck tonight...
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Joined: Jun 2006
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From: Youngstown, OH
The black box on the back of the alt is defiantly the regulator, and yes they go bad.
If you have a meter hook it to the battery at Idle and tell me what it say in volts you should have atlest 14.0 volts.
you can also load it up by turning on all your accessory's on at the same time and checking to see what your meter reads with load on it.
you could also take it to auto zone and have them load test the whole system, they do it for free.
*edit*
If you want to check for a draw pull the negative battery cable and put a test light between the neg cable and neg battery lug, if it lights up you have a draw.
then like mentioned earlier start pulling fuses until the light goes out.
If you have a meter hook it to the battery at Idle and tell me what it say in volts you should have atlest 14.0 volts.
you can also load it up by turning on all your accessory's on at the same time and checking to see what your meter reads with load on it.
you could also take it to auto zone and have them load test the whole system, they do it for free.
*edit*
If you want to check for a draw pull the negative battery cable and put a test light between the neg cable and neg battery lug, if it lights up you have a draw.
then like mentioned earlier start pulling fuses until the light goes out.
How do you change the voltage regulator?
Could the alternator be causing this?
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 6,259
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From: Utah
13.8 is border line IMO, 14.50 would be a lot better!
yes an alt/reg could cause this, napa may carry alternator parts??(regulator)
A battery with a dead/weak cell could cause these problems too. It could be over whelming your alternator.
If you have a autozone, checker, napa (maybe? mine does)
I would take it to them for FREE an have them load it up with their machine then you will know for sure.
If it's been cooling off at your place your batteries may be weak. we have a ton of battery failures when it gets cold and when it gets hot again for summer at my work.
yes an alt/reg could cause this, napa may carry alternator parts??(regulator)
A battery with a dead/weak cell could cause these problems too. It could be over whelming your alternator.
If you have a autozone, checker, napa (maybe? mine does)
I would take it to them for FREE an have them load it up with their machine then you will know for sure.
If it's been cooling off at your place your batteries may be weak. we have a ton of battery failures when it gets cold and when it gets hot again for summer at my work.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,361
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From: Youngstown, OH
13.8 is border line IMO, 14.50 would be a lot better!
yes an alt/reg could cause this, napa may carry alternator parts??(regulator)
A battery with a dead/weak cell could too. It could be over whelming your alternator.
If you have a autozone, checker, napa (maybe? mine does)
I would take it to them for FREE an have them load it up with their machine then you will know for sure.
If it's been cooling off at your place your batteries may be weak. we have a ton of battery failures when it gets cold and when it gets hot again for summer at my work.
yes an alt/reg could cause this, napa may carry alternator parts??(regulator)
A battery with a dead/weak cell could too. It could be over whelming your alternator.
If you have a autozone, checker, napa (maybe? mine does)
I would take it to them for FREE an have them load it up with their machine then you will know for sure.
If it's been cooling off at your place your batteries may be weak. we have a ton of battery failures when it gets cold and when it gets hot again for summer at my work.
So the voltage is supposed to go UP under load?
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 6,259
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From: Utah
Thread Starter
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Joined: Jun 2006
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From: Youngstown, OH
Thread Starter
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Joined: Jun 2006
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From: Youngstown, OH
I know its not the grids...
How would I go about replacing the regulator?
I looked and it seems that there are no release points for the wires going to it...
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Joined: Jan 2004
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From: Corpus Christi, Tx.
Old alternator? Probably just worn out brushes... Cheap to replace yourself.
Cool weather always began to make my GM alternators act up when the brushes were worn to nubbin's.
Improved after underhood temps rose a bit.
Got more unpredictable as they wore even more.
K.
Cool weather always began to make my GM alternators act up when the brushes were worn to nubbin's.
Improved after underhood temps rose a bit.
Got more unpredictable as they wore even more.
K.
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