M20 alternator charging issue I need help please

[e30m20TurbO7]

Back to the charging issue. So when I first got the car running I couldn't find the blue wire the went to the d+ - neg terminal on the alternator, somehow it went missing i remebered pulling of when i pulled my motor but I wasn't worried about that because I couldn't even drive my car because it wasn't insured and the fuel pump went out on me. So one day after I had got my new fuel pump installed I found the stupid wire hiding in the insulation of the red wire with the wire ripped and shorter in length like 6 inches , so I soldered a new wire in , and I installed the connections on my alternator , when I was finished I started the car all the lights on the cluster were on including my park brake that stayed lit when it was disengaged and went brighter when pulled . Also the battery light was on , (new battery) and the brake fuild , abs , brake lining light . I then went and accuired a rebuilt 85$ alternator I installed it and all the lights went off on the dash , thinking my car was charging I drove it around realized the cars lights going dim took it home , and turned it off and turned it back on , no start , so I charged the battery thinking maybe the alternator wasnt working because the battery was to low or something , so I drive over to orielly after it charged and I get my alternator tested , it' read 12.59 volts supposed to be 13-14 and the voltage regulator was only putting out 30 amps when it supposed to be putting out over 100 like 130 I believe

[jlevie]

Does the battery/alternator warning light in the cluster turn on when the ignition is turned on? If it doesn't the alternator isn't going to charge as that light is the source of exciter power.

[e30m20TurbO7]

Battery light turns on .
I ran a test light from the negitive cable
Aligator prong connected to negitive cable then I touched the test light to he negitive terminal and the light lit up so i might have a draw in the system somewhere

Does the battery/alternator warning light in the cluster turn on when the ignition is turned on? If it doesn't the alternator isn't going to charge as that light is the source of exciter power.

[jlevie]

The light means exciter power is available for the alternator. Check system voltage with car idling, if less that 13v the alternator is bad.

[e30m20TurbO7]

I'm still having issue don't know what to do , about to take it to someone for help but scared to get raped on pricing

[e30m20TurbO7]

neep help

[jlevie]

Well you've had the alternator tested, and it failed, and the exciter circuit is okay. Unless there is a grounding problem at the alternator or between the engine and chassis, the new alternator is bad. Not an uncommon occurrence with the inexpensive generic reman units.

[blocke]

FYI I went through (3) re-manufactured alternators in a row from Pep Boys. Ended up biting the bullet and buying one from Napa that I know would be quality.

Entirely possible that you got a bunk alternator. Have you swapped out the voltage regulator and seen if it made any difference?

[Cyrix2k]

check the exciter wire. i had a bad connection near the fuse box which I found after replacing a most likely good alternator. Oops.

[u3b3rg33k]

it' read 12.59 volts supposed to be 13-14 and the voltage regulator was only putting out 30 amps when it supposed to be putting out over 100 like 130 I believe

First off - that's not how it works. the alternator is capable of putting out UP TO (95A?) x amps - that does not mean it will all the time if nothing is asking for it.

I got a reman once that was only putting out 12.6V - not enough to charge a battery, just enough to keep things running. I went through THREE units before I got a good one, which I still have.

Next time I'll just fix it myself - much less of a waste of time.

[e30m20TurbO7]

I just put a utlima alternator from orielly price matched 70.99 from pepboys .
Fixed the issue I'm a noob to electrical I hate e30 alternators

[u3b3rg33k]

hate due to lack of understanding is, well, stupid. e30 alternators aren't much different from 90% of the pre-ECU managed alternators out there - only the mounts are different.

Do you hate e30 alternator mounts?