Service charging system STILL
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 239
Likes: 30
From: Columbus, GA
Service charging system STILL
Alright guys 6 days ago I bought a new red top. 2 days ago my system was overcharging (maxed out volt gauge) and popped my battery (battery acid around battery, don't worry I neutralized it). That same night I got a new alternator and drove it with the popped battery for 30 minutes. Next morning I got a new battery and it ran perfectly fine but I still had that "service charging system" message. Got a load test and the alternator was bad. Got a new alternator. Car runs fine but when I start it it stays at 11.9 volts then goes up as I drive and stays consistent the rest of the time the message comes on when I come to a stop but the voltage is great at 13.7. I do have an under drive pulley and I do have MSD wires and NGK tr50s (I know bad boy) but even with all of these things I never had that issue but suddenly all of this is happening at once. I checked my grounds as best as I could, checked voltage to the connector that goes on top of the alternator and looked (visually not physically) for loose cables to th le starter. Bad starter solenoid or something? Someone help!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 8,672
Likes: 2,726
From: Atlanta GA
. Next morning I got a new battery and it ran perfectly fine but I still had that "service charging system" message. Got a load test and the alternator was bad. Got a new alternator. Car runs fine but when I start it it stays at 11.9 volts then goes up as I drive and stays consistent the rest of the time the message comes on when I come to a stop but the voltage is great at 13.7. I do have an under drive pulley and I do have MSD wires and NGK tr50s (I know bad boy) Bad starter solenoid or something? Someone help!
Did you try and charge the battery with a charger yet , I would give it a real long slow charge and see what the readings are
Did you find out what the reason was for POPPING ( overcharging) the old battery as this might play a part also
Keep us posted
Dave
Last edited by Dcasole; Oct 22, 2017 at 10:57 AM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 239
Likes: 30
From: Columbus, GA
Hi Dave thanks for the quick reply! The voltage regulator was going out on the OEM alternator so it caused it to overcharge and I knew driving it on a bad battery was a no-go but I HAD to and they were both under warranty. As far as charging the battery I installed the new alternator last night and made sure the battery was charged when I put it in there so it was a combination of a new alternator and a less-than day old red top battery. I haven't done a slow charge however it was auto zone that charged it for me. What bad connection would you happen to be talking about?
Last edited by All Stock Ls2; Oct 22, 2017 at 11:03 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 8,672
Likes: 2,726
From: Atlanta GA
just before my solenoid gave up the ghost I was seeing low battery voltages at the DIC and at the battery even though the alternator was putting out 14.5. After I replaced my starter , everything is fine so I can only assume that it was the battery connection at the selonoid
I am sure your problem has to be a bad ground or dirty connection between the alternator and the battery and fuse box.
you can chase it down by disassembling and cleaning every terminal between the two . Don't forget to clean the alternator mount at the bottom . , wire brush all the connections including the grounds
I have seen folks are running a extra cable from the alternator directly to the underhood fuse box and battery
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...vment-kit.html
This kit looks nice for the money but if everything is clean you should not need it
Dave
I am sure your problem has to be a bad ground or dirty connection between the alternator and the battery and fuse box.
you can chase it down by disassembling and cleaning every terminal between the two . Don't forget to clean the alternator mount at the bottom . , wire brush all the connections including the grounds
I have seen folks are running a extra cable from the alternator directly to the underhood fuse box and battery
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...vment-kit.html
This kit looks nice for the money but if everything is clean you should not need it
Dave
Last edited by Dcasole; Oct 22, 2017 at 12:52 PM.
