Service Charging System
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 18
Likes: 2
From: Canada
Service Charging System
I had the Service Charging System light come on last night on a drive. The voltage gauge read under 10 by the time I got home barely made it home before lights in the car started going dim.
Pulled the alternator off to have it checked but what else could cause the car not to charge?
Pulled the alternator off to have it checked but what else could cause the car not to charge?
Team Owner
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 21,136
Likes: 212
From: Long Island New York
You should have checked the alt with a multimeter before removing. I would also check all the grounds and the battery itself. The batteries in the C6 sometimes don’t last too many years
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 18
Likes: 2
From: Canada
started car and pulled battery alternator was reading around 10v
Moderator, Tech Contributor
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 15,631
Likes: 4,076
From: Cape Coral, Florida
First off please fill out your profile with model year, mods, tune, your location (if a member has skills they may be able to help you if we know where you lived)...the output of the alternator (B+) wire goes to the starter solenoid where the positive battery cable also goes so if you have high resistance there or a loose connection the battery will not charge...the alternator case and the negative battery cable at the engine block are all part of the cars grounding system...loose connection there or high resistance can also cause improper charging...this may be easily tested using voltage drop testing on both positive and negative sides of your charging system !!
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 18
Likes: 2
From: Canada
First off please fill out your profile with model year, mods, tune, your location (if a member has skills they may be able to help you if we know where you lived)...the output of the alternator (B+) wire goes to the starter solenoid where the positive battery cable also goes so if you have high resistance there or a loose connection the battery will not charge...the alternator case and the negative battery cable at the engine block are all part of the cars grounding system...loose connection there or high resistance can also cause improper charging...this may be easily tested using voltage drop testing on both positive and negative sides of your charging system !!
the alternator shop just got back to me the alternator is defective it’s only a few months old are aftermarket alternators for these cars known to have issues?
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 11,351
Likes: 2,445
From: Eastern
Here is a thread with really good info on troubleshooting thanks to Dano.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...or-issues.html
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 18
Likes: 2
From: Canada
There have been a few threads on this forum of some aftermarket alternators that did not work correctly on a C6.
Here is a thread with really good info on troubleshooting thanks to Dano.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...or-issues.html
Here is a thread with really good info on troubleshooting thanks to Dano.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...or-issues.html
I had him rebuild it so I can get the car back on the road asap cost $120 all said and done for the rebuild. If it goes bad again I'll try a Mechman alternator seems like that's the best option available
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 3,575
Likes: 1,107
From: Ex DPRK, now just N of Medford, OR
There have been a few threads on this forum of some aftermarket alternators that did not work correctly on a C6.
Here is a thread with really good info on troubleshooting thanks to Dano.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...or-issues.html
Here is a thread with really good info on troubleshooting thanks to Dano.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...or-issues.html
Forum search sucks, but there are many threads on the topic...and Autozone/Kragen's/Etc. rebuilds are notoriously sh*t.
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