Help my alternator sucks!
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 716
Likes: 0
From: Spring Hill Florida
Help my alternator sucks!
yea thats right after about a booming 4 months of my ol alt. its lookin likes it takin a crap out on me..... when i hit my breaks with the headlights,fogs,and heater on it drops to about 13.2 to 12 then 11.9 so i give it a little gas goes up a little and drops back down and once i start driving boom it jumps up to 13.2 , and that is with the system off :confused:
now in the day time its a differ story.. no lights no heat and system on while driving it holds strong at 13- 13.2 untill i hit my breaks and come to a stop so i turn the system off and still its droping
does this sound like its takin a crap... its a el chepo from autozone i was straped for cash at the time and i think i got a warrenty with it but im not sure. im going over there tom and get it checked but i have a feeling of what they are going to tell me
Thanks :cheers:
now in the day time its a differ story.. no lights no heat and system on while driving it holds strong at 13- 13.2 untill i hit my breaks and come to a stop so i turn the system off and still its droping
does this sound like its takin a crap... its a el chepo from autozone i was straped for cash at the time and i think i got a warrenty with it but im not sure. im going over there tom and get it checked but i have a feeling of what they are going to tell me
Thanks :cheers:
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,251
Likes: 2
From: Thomson Georgia
Re: Help my alternator sucks! (Cory00)
Sounds like crapper time. Regulator may be going. Normal voltage is around 14.0-1. 13.5-6 @ idle, lights, radio, interrior lights on. Swap it out, for another. Got an Advance one in my 89, been there 2 years, engines seen 7000 more than a bunch of times and no problems.
[Modified by johnnyevans, 7:23 PM 12/14/2003]
[Modified by johnnyevans, 7:23 PM 12/14/2003]
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,251
Likes: 2
From: Thomson Georgia
Re: Help my alternator sucks! (Cory00)
That's a really good question, I went thru 3 AC Ds before that one. Been thru 4 on the Mark.
Those sealed, invertible, totally maintenance free, Exide batterys just smoked the interrior on another 89 that I have been working on. Go figure.
Those sealed, invertible, totally maintenance free, Exide batterys just smoked the interrior on another 89 that I have been working on. Go figure.
Pro
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 670
Likes: 1
From: charlotte nc
Re: Help my alternator sucks! (Cory00)
Cory, there's nothing wrong with an Autozone rebuilt. you could put ina new GM unit from the dealer and still have the same problem. What you need to do is to upgrade to a larger capacity alternator . All the info you need is in the tips section. I replaced the one in my 86 with a rebuilt from a 93. The whole problem is that the original 105 amp alternator is too small for the load it has to carry on a vette and it runs too hot as a result and burns up the diodes. Up grading to a 120 or 140 amp unit will solve the problem :cheers:
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 22,267
Likes: 15
From: The light that never warms.
St. Jude Donor '12
Re: Help my alternator sucks! (Cory00)
i just wanna know one thing..... what the hell makes a alt crap out in 4 months and how do i stop it from doing to next time i get one
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 1,636
Likes: 3
From: Lafayette IN
Re: Help my alternator sucks! (Cory00)
Cory,
lite blue's tech tip is spot on.
If you want more information on the problems associated with the SI series of alternators, which had been used for a healthy number of years, and worked rather flawlessly when the demands of the car did not include electronic fuel injection, here are some more links.
Hib Halverson's ideas on the subject http://www.idavette.net/hib/reman.html
Forum member SunCr and me discussing the issues... http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=651832
Some people will inherently have no problems whatsoever with the factory alternator. For me, it just didn't do the trick.
And if you are trying to decide between the CS130 and the CS144, the CS144 is the way to go, after various discussions wiith Dr J and information gathered elsewhere on the net.
A few more links that detail the 4 pins on the CS series of alternators. http://www.alternatorparts.com/cs130_sbpage1.htm http://www.novaresource.org/alternator.htm
HTH
lite blue's tech tip is spot on.
If you want more information on the problems associated with the SI series of alternators, which had been used for a healthy number of years, and worked rather flawlessly when the demands of the car did not include electronic fuel injection, here are some more links.
Hib Halverson's ideas on the subject http://www.idavette.net/hib/reman.html
Forum member SunCr and me discussing the issues... http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=651832
Some people will inherently have no problems whatsoever with the factory alternator. For me, it just didn't do the trick.
And if you are trying to decide between the CS130 and the CS144, the CS144 is the way to go, after various discussions wiith Dr J and information gathered elsewhere on the net.
A few more links that detail the 4 pins on the CS series of alternators. http://www.alternatorparts.com/cs130_sbpage1.htm http://www.novaresource.org/alternator.htm
HTH
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Racer
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 353
Likes: 0
From: Tuscaloosa AL
Re: Help my alternator sucks! (dwestsr)
I would love to upgrade to a higher amperage alternator. Where is this "tips" section you mentioned. Will it explain how to get one and how to hook it up? My alternator is always around 13.4-13.6 while driving around in the daytime. thanks.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 716
Likes: 0
From: Spring Hill Florida
Re: Help my alternator sucks! (lite blue)
thanks for the help everyone
i jsut got the new alt and put in and at idel its 13.8 :party:
cant wait to take her out tonight after supper
ill let every know know how it does when i get back
agin thanks for the help :cheers:
i jsut got the new alt and put in and at idel its 13.8 :party:
cant wait to take her out tonight after supper
ill let every know know how it does when i get back
agin thanks for the help :cheers: