Charging problems? wtf? (alternator?)

[padrickz88]

WELL! i have now put a vr engine in my vn, and whatever whatever.....

I used the vr engine with a vn box.... changed the cooling system,the usual of what has to be done

Main problem im having now is my alternator was working the other day and was putting out 16v (apparently) but i drove it down to the servo to fill up but died on the way and battery went completely dead....
SO i got another battery from home, filled up and got home before i killed that battery......
Recharged the battery and put a different alternator, it done nothing so i assumed that one was stuffed. i then took the alternator off my brothers car that i know works great

Guess what? same thing! battery light is on and not charging.....

Im using the vr loom that is on the engine (might have to change it to the vn one?) but i assumed that wouldnt be a problem..... and the plug that goes into the alternator is putting out .6v (is that right?)

But im pretty much just wondering stumped to why its not working and if anybody knows why its doing it? everything is connected and even with a good alternator its not charging .......


Any suggestions would be appreciated because that's the only thing stopping me from driving my car more then 5-10 minutes at a time

I miss driving my car damn it! lmao

[Morton]

Had the same problem on a mate's car that we converted from buick to ecotec, and the issue was with a missing earth. We found it, reconnected it, and it's all been sitting pretty since.

I know you connected everything, but that's what we thought too

[padrickz88]

ohhhh nice, im going to give that one a look then thanks heaps man

[padrickz88]

well i gave the earthing points a look over....... all seem to be good

tell me if im missing one......
body to battery
the loom that runs to the passenger side of the bay has 3 earths?
and 1 from my coilpack to the body.....

5 earth points in total, anyone confirm if thats right or if im retarded and missed something? lmao

might buy some 4guage tomorrow and make my own earth kit, stuff this **** lol



EDIT: sorry morton cant give you more rep, need to spread it around apparently lol

[VrWagz1]

Theres a small wire going to the alternator from the ignition somwhere. If the fuse is blown on that, it will not be activating the alternator to start it outputting, so check fuses. Sound like the regulator is buggered on the first one, replace it and you will probably have a good alternator

[padrickz88]

any idea on were this little wire would be? if i can find out roughly were it is ill go have a shot tomorrow

thanks mate

[VrWagz1]

It will plug into the back of your alternator. just looking through my vr manual now.

K, i had a whole write up here on how to check the cct, but my net connection dropped and i lost it, so heres the short version now. This is from a vr manual which i think all your wiring is vr from what i read.

Your dash globe according to my cct can stop the alternator charging(which may be so if it had high voltage running on it.)
Fuse 10 could be blown
Check continuity of cct from fuse 10 to alternator RB wire
You need to get 12v on that RB wire on the back of the alternator to get it to operate. If it dosnt have 12v, try bridging 12v onto RB from the main wire on the alternator and see if you can hear the engine change tune if it kicks in. If so then you know the issue, its just a matter of sorting it.

[Bz Kn33z]

IN my old car i put another motor in it and had the same problem it was a newer motor and had a different loom, might have to rewire 2 wires from the alternator and take 1 to the battery and the other to the loom thats how my currant car is cause its got a newer motor in it also and the previous owner did it like that. good place to start is checking all the fuses, also pull out the reg on the alternator and see how much is left on the brass thing if its low or not that was also another problem with mine good luck

[padrickz88]

VrWagz: i only have the vr loom on the engine, the rest of the engine bay wiring is the vn stuff loom (there is 2 looms, the vr one is the one that wraps around the engine that goes to the battery/alternator/starter motor.... the one that is around the bay is the vn one.... (e.g injectors/sensors/earths etc)

think that might be the problem?

Bz Kn33z: i had to change my mat(?) sensors and coolant temp to the front but i dont know what else i would need to change..... engine runs fine but the problem is the alternator
remember which wires it was? roughly? worth a shot

[Bz Kn33z]

The Wires to the Regulator on the alternator, so it happens with another different alternator aswell?

[padrickz88]

ahuh happened with a different alternator (from my brothers car, that is working atm) hence why mortons reply seemed like a good one to check.... but all the earths are on and tight (checked today)

ifffffff all the earths are the one's i suggested before?

[greenfoam]

Have you got the wire that goes from the alternator to the battery it wont charge without that hooked up

[VrWagz1]

have you tested if there is 12v there yet on the wire???and if it didnt have 12v did you try bridging 12v onto it to see if it starts outputting

[padrickz88]

Have you got the wire that goes from the alternator to the battery it wont charge without that hooked up

yep done up tight jason.... might go have a fiddle now and see if a miracle happens or anything lol

vrwagz: which wire are you talking about? the big 1 that goes to the battery or the clip that looks like an injector plug?

[greenfoam]

The little tiny wire?!) it's like a trigger wire

[padrickz88]

im going to look now :P all i could see that connects to the alternator is a thick fat mofo and one that looks like an injector plug..... both on properly.....

[padrickz88]

ahhhh i just realised what wire you meant jason, yeah it wasn't connected so i plugged it in obviously.....


still isnt alternating charge to the battery and evertime i check the voltage is less BUT the battery light on the dash is now off so thats a plus!

just got to figure this **** out lol

[greenfoam]

hrm
well I think you will be right soon :0 that wire is important

[Emackulation]

Yeah that little wire stooged me before also, it looks fine, but it wasnt getting good connection.

[padrickz88]

i hope so ill give it a look later and see how i go.... got a couple alternators and **** here, so ill see how it goes.

might buy some 4guage tomorrow and some connectors.... i saw some at dse for $3 a metre or something, so even if it doesnt help then a better earthing system is always a plus

[Brin]

Use the VN wiring loom padricks.

[padrickz88]

yeah i realised now that i need to use the vn one..... but my old man fixed it... dont know how but its charging etc etc so yeah, nooooo idea

[Brin]

LOL.

I was gonna say to check out your comp connections (i think two wires are the same colour) and also make sure the dfi module is not faulty.

If the above work out fine, you needa swap the loom over.

I remember driving from Blacktown to Bankstown after my engine transplant, in the pouring rain, cutting out every 10 effn minutes.

But a cute guy stopped to help me!! Lol. And it turned out I knew more than he :P

[h0Ld3n`VN]

patrick your vn is a s1 as far as i can see same with minee its like im gonna have the same problems too since im converting, you should change your ecu loom to s2!! maybe that would fix it, coz with the vr engine loom and vn s1 ecu loom.. i have 2 alternator plugs? LoL seems wrong

when i was writing my list to whats been converted

vn throttle body
vn extractors
vn s2 ecu loom + vn computer <-- i think thats a must ? ?
vp-vr raditor + overflow bottle
vn transmission torque converter cover

[Brin]

Why're we all putting VR's into our VN's....

Someone get the guts to ECOTEC it.

I would if I were..... knowledgable enough lol.