Help with an Alternator!
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 34
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Help with an Alternator!
I have an '04 corvette. I just took it to sears and they tested the battery, and said the battery was good(under a year old) and said that the "voltage regulator" was what was bad. Has anyone else had this problem? Does this happen a lot? And how hard is it to change out the alternator? A buddy and I are going to try tomorrow. If anyone one has any directions on how to do it, it would be much appreciated! Thanks guys
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10,962
Likes: 29
From: Van Buren Arkansas
Wounded Warrior Escort '11
Did you put a meter across the battery yourself? You should see 12.5 vdc or higher on it when the engine is off. With the engine running, you should see 13.8 to 14.1 vdc. Anything other than that, the first things you check are the battery connections, alternator connections and the connections at the start solenoid. Did you pull your codes yet? What was the indication that you received telling you of a problem?
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 34
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It has had no problem starting at all. The voltage just jumps around a lot now. It use to stay at 14.1 volts now when sitting at a light it falls sometimes down to the twelves. The way I noticed it was it when I started the car it said "power falt" and then then everything cycled though saying it was not working, abs, tc, ah. All that good stuff. So I stopped turned off the car waited a sec and started it again and then I noticed the voltage was jumping all over the place it would get as high as 15.4 and as low as 12.7 so at thats when I though it was either the battery or the alternator.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10,962
Likes: 29
From: Van Buren Arkansas
Wounded Warrior Escort '11
I'd be looking at the cables/connections first if I was you. Don't forget that the solenoid area is not only the electrical center or distribution of the car but electrically hot, so be careful. BTW, replacing the alternator is easy but they are pretty strong.
