No Poker Champ

HANDS IN THE AIR
At the my wits end Atl no Charge to Battery

Background
3 alternators two new one original installed = No Battery Charge (NBC)
3 Batteries two new one original = No Battery Charge (NBC)
New Belt installed No Battery Charge (NBC)

Cleaned and secured ternimals on starter (NBC)
Cleaned and secured terminals on battery (NBC)
Cleaned and wire brushed all visible body grounds 4 (NBC)
Battery junction Behind Battery tested good flow to and thru (NBC)

Meter tested the following see chart,
Battery Pos Term, key off engine off 12.63, key on engine off 12.63 key on engine on 12.29
Battery Neg Term, 00.2 thru out or less

Alt Battery post on alt Koff Eoff 12.63, Kon Eoff 12.29, Kon Eon 12.29 (Koff Eon = key off Engine on)
Alt Harness Red wire, Koff Eoff 12.63 Kon Eoff 12.29, Kon Eon 12.29
Alt Harness Blue wire, Koff Eoff no read, Kon Eoff 12.27,Kon Eon 12.27

Fusible link 1 to Battery terminal of alt Continuity good
Fusible link 2 to red wire of harness of alt Continuity good
Fusible link 3 to positive cable good continuity
What next???

Occasinally there has been an intermittent charging of the battery for maybe ten minutes or so ends after car is shut off and / or restarted.

Also, when it does not charge the battery will drain down to 10. 3 and below within 5 miles of driving.

Otherwise, when running it runs great well good (smiling).

WVZR-1

I'd say that using the numbers you've supplied you've got alternators that aren't producing OR potentially connections that aren't clean and proper.

Do the alternators perform the same on the

No Poker Champ

As a seasoned shade tree mechanic, I can understand defective new alt problems but they are not coming from the same vendors., In addition each alt test good. Even the original one, that was replaced over 18 months ago. I have been checking cleaning and securing any connection / connector that is reachable. Even as far as the starter wires and those connections.

The only component that has not been removed / tested is the ECM.

Add, at times when the bat / gauge shows its charging the digital dash gauge has surge as high as 15.6.

I am open to any suggestions as this has been going on since may. Missed my summer driving

WVZR-1

What year is this car? Does it have a CHARGE INDICATOR in the DIC?

93Rubie

gerardvg

What year is the car?

I have found bad new alternators, poor manufacturing for the 86-91 alternators.
do this check, tap the alternator with the plastic handle of a socket ratchet. Check the voltage it may go up, you should see mid to high 13volts.

I found the bearings on a new alternator did not fit the shaft, allowing it to go back and forward a little. That Is enough to allow the brushes to not touch the commutator, showing erratic charge and no charge.

I went to a powermaster alternator no move issues-

Is you resistance wire ok and the plug connected securely?

Check the alternator charge wire from alternator to starter or Battery,
make sure the are no loose connections or a bad connector.
I would check the continuity from the alternator connector to battery, disconnect from battery first.

Good luck should be something simple.

No Poker Champ

[QUOTE=WVZR-1;1590404206]What year is this car? Does it have a CHARGE INDICATOR in the DIC?[
It is a 1989 stock automatic Vett, the dash is digital and it displays the voltage there. Again I drove it out this evening to dinner. The voltage was at 12.1 when I left my home, then two hours later on my return it went up to the normal range of 13.9. I has since parked it for the evening.

WVZR-1

I believe an '89 should have a BATTERY (ICON) in the DIC (not the cluster). Does it and does it LIGHT with just "KEY ON" not running before crank? Does it "FLICKER" at other times? I would have thought you might have noticed but ...

Do you have to toggle a switch to see VOLTS or TEMP or is VOLTS fixed. In'87 I believe it's controlled by toggle, '89 I'm not sure. The fact that you saw 12.1 but later 13.9 (expected maybe) I'd say there's certainly an issue somewhere. Maybe just put a new connector on the alternator OR take it and have it (electrical system) while running in car with proper equipment. A flaky battery? One wouldn't think and you mention having a few.

Cliff Harris

He's asking about the "battery" symbol in the lower left corner of the DIC. It should light when you turn on the ignition with the engine off and go out when the engine starts. That shows that the alternator is charging.

No Poker Champ

I will check to see if there is a symbol in the DIC, and I went out looking for a new alt pigtail earlier today as well. I located an aftermarket on and will pick it up and splice it in in the morning. Like many of you have suggested the battery which was also replaced. And each time the voltage drops down into the no start range I will trickle charge it back to full charge. Also, in one instance I had one battery go defective from the many charges, which was replaced under warranty.

Also, I stopped by the Pep Brothers (Boys), who told me they do a charging system dia, for $60. but would probably just return with the results that I had a short in the system. Which I already know. They said their test would also see if there was a paracitic (sp) draw which in my simple test showed no indication of such.

I still responding to each of the members replies hoping to narrow it down and eliminate the cause.
But it interesting, so far no one has suggested the ECM, which was next on my radar.

No Poker Champ

Like many of you guys, its just about time to be putting Vetts up for the season, It should at least, here on the east coast, but I had other plans for mine during this seasons storage which did not include a electrical short scavenger hunt (smiling). Please allow for my venting frustration, but I have come to value all of you guys replies but man, 4 months of not being able to take a leisurely drive in America s show car takes its toll.

This has been the worst leisure season since I sold my boat in Bermuda a few years back. WHEW

whalepirot

Been a bit off here, too, for seemingly endless issues with a few cars.

For parasitic: https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-but-dang.html

Did you have the stores test the returned alternators? I'd be surprised that all that new stuff was bad, more like the exciter wire to the alternator was not 100%. It will not produce power, unlike a generator, w/o that tickle. The part-time proper charge would seem to indicate a bad connection, but no wiring diagram is handy.

Maybe you'll have some of the "Indian Summer" that is roasting us.

Lloyd Smale

by a oem delco alternator if you haven't. Chinese replacement parts have taught me lessons.