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Posted: 4/21/2009 5:46:43 PM EDT
[#1]
Year/make/model vehicle?
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Posted: 4/21/2009 6:42:20 PM EDT
[#2]
1999 Ford Taurus. Went to a different Checker store. Guy immediately replaced my alternator. 5 minutes to take out, 10 minutes back in. System tests fine now. They didn't have a serpentine belt tool to rent so now I own one.
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Posted: 4/21/2009 6:49:23 PM EDT
[#3]
First thought would be a bad diode pack. It's what rectifies the alternator's AC output. If only one or two of the diodes are bad, you may still have two of the three phases. At higher RPMs, the higher current produced may allow you to get away with only two phases, but at lower RPMs, it's just not enough.
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Posted: 4/21/2009 6:53:01 PM EDT
[#4]
Quoted: It's a bad diode/rectifier in the alternator.Battery light came on today and stays on unless above 3500RPM. Thinking it was the alternator I took it back to Checker since the one in there now has a lifetime warranty (purchased 8 months ago). Battery is about three years old. Kid tested everything says the battery is fine, alternator is fine but there is 'excessive ripple'. He has no idea what this means (neither do I so off to Google). Looks like this is an issue with steady current coming from the alternator. I put my meter on and at the battery VAC fluctuates between .040 and .110. At 3500RPM when the battery light goes off it sits between .040 and .080. Battery seems to be steady at about 13.5V. Doesn't seem to be any different if I have the lights, heater and radio on. So under load it stays the same. So what's my next step? I'm thinking they need to warranty the alternator but this kid says it's not the alternator. I went through all of my connections, cleaned and treated the battery terminals/cables. Didn't change anything. Thoughts? I'm still searching google but it seems the majority of problems that this will cause will be with the PCM. Basically, an auto alternator is a 3-phase AC generator, that has a built-in rectifier bank and voltage regulator. When a diode goes bad, one of the phases either 'goes away' or does not get rectified, putting AC into the system. Either way, the output is fluctuating a lot, and is very low, either 1/3 or 2/3 of normal output. Voltage stays up, because the regulator is jumping thru hoops trying to manage the screwed up output. Think of it like your cruise control jerking the gas pedal around as you go up and down hills, as opposed to a nice flat road. If he doesn't know what 'excessive ripple' is, then he should ask somebody who does. Have him put a good/replacement alternator on his tester and look at the difference. And ask him to explain why yours is 'different'.  Good Luck. ETA Shucks beat me to it while I was writing a book. |
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Posted: 4/21/2009 6:55:19 PM EDT
[#5]
Problem has been 'rectified'
 . Replaced the alternator about an hour ago. |
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