Driving today, I get a message on the DIC "Service Charging System". I notice the voltage is at 11.5. As I continue to drive, more electrical things begin to have problems - ABS, Traction Control. Voltage starts dropping and holds at 9 volts. Turn signals gone, lights gone, radio off. I get the car home and shut it off. Try to start but not cranking. Battery voltage is measured at 12.5 volts.

Symptoms point to alternator (130,000 miles on factory alt). I take the alternator to a rebuild shop and they test it. Output is 14 volts. Owner tells me symptoms point to alternator and sometimes they test fine in the shop but don't work on the car. I decide to have alternator rebuilt. Will pick up tomorrow.

Any other ideas what could be wrong?

 

Check the cable going to the starter and the attachment to the starter solenoid.

 

ditto...also check the cable above the starter to make sure it's tight.

 

Hello I just post an electrical issue question regarding battery and cable question, would you be kind enough to let me know what happens.
thanks

 

Alternator at 14. something volts, would dare to guess that the problem is ether at the starter or the ground wire to the engine block above the starter instead.

Hence the positive charging wire from the alternator is bolted to a terminal on the starter, there is a bus loop that runs through the starter to another lug, and on that other lug is bolted the positive wire that goes to the battery. So what happens is the the starter terminal nuts get loose (of the lugs crack off on the starter) that cause the problems.

Also, the ground wire bolt to the engine block can come loose, and cause problems as well.



Short of that, could be the positive wire to the engine bay fuse block is loose instead.



As for the quick test to which is the problem, motor at idle, take a reading off the Alternator rear terminal under the rubber boot to the body of the Alternator itself as the ground to get a base line voltage.

Now take a reading at the battery terminals, then take a reading off the fuse block power connector terminal to the body of the Alternator as the ground.

Major drop in voltage at the battery terminal from the Alternator itself is screaming that the positive wires at the starter may be the problem.

Voltage back up between the fuse block to Alternator body, then the problem is the ground wire to the engine block isntead.

 

Thanks for all the suggestions. I have new positive/negative cable bundle and am replacing it. The positive connection to battery experienced bad corrosion a few years ago and part of the connector is gone. I hope replacing the cable solves the problem. The alternator rebuild just seemed like a good idea since I had it off the car, 130,000 miles on it (original), and only cost $85. Much of the issues described above will be addressed in changing the battery cables.

 

Will do. Should have repairs done tomorrow. Needed to borrow a low profile floor jack to raise the car enough to get under for access to starter.

 

OK I just created a bunch more work for myself. In order to replace the positive/negative cable bundle, you need to remove the positive connection at the starter solenoid. As soon as I turned the nut on the stud, the stud sheared off, so now I have to remove the starter and replace it. Sounds easy except with the Z06 exhaust system. The catalytic convertor prevents removal of the starter. Now I am towing the car back to my house to put on lift and remove the Z06 exhaust system, put the stock one back on, in order to do the recall. Also get the starter fixed and replace the cables.

What a poor connection at the starter solenoid. Looks like it is just spot welded inside the solenoid. I guess it would not matter if I was replacing a bad starter, as this break would not be a problem except trying to remove the cable with it hanging loose. But in my case, I am only replacing the cables and now I have to replace the starter too.

 

Maybe the solenoid connection was the problem!

 

You can replace the solenoid without changing the starter.

 

Could very well be the issue.

 

But you still need to remove the starter to replace the solenoid, right?

 

I have a spare starter, don't know why, but a forum vendor had them on sale, so I bought one. I went and looked at it and it appears that you can, but it may be a real challenge because only two bolts hold the starter in from the bottom and the engine mounts may get in your way to get a wrench in to remove the solenoid without removing the starter.

 

I have an added problem in that I have a Z06 exhaust system on my LS3. The catalytic convertor sits right under the starter and prevents any access from underneath. I am taking that exhaust system off and putting the stock back on in order to take the car in for the recall on catalytic convertors. Then I will be able to remove starter and replace solenoid.

 

Mine is pretty easy to get to, plus I store it on a lift so I can get 4 cars in my 3 car garage.

 

I see that. Wish I could put headers on mine, but California says no every two years.

 

Any suggestions for solenoid purchase?

 

We have testing. They plug into the OBDII to check for codes. No code, you pass.

 

My window was down a bit during this ordeal and then the solenoid stud broke off. With this stud broken off but the cable still connected to the stud, can power be restored in order to operate power windows? I tried this, but the stud was in contact with something and it was shorting for the moment I touched the positive connector to the battery. When I pulled it free and hooked up the battery again, nothing powered up. Did I possibly pop a fuse when the short occurred?

 

Seems to me that people have taken the starter to a starter repair shop and they did it. There are shops that just do starters and alternators...they know what they are doing.

Google: DB Electrical starters....I've seen them mentioned before.