VR not holding charge. (Alternater/regulater?)

[joe_rolls_commo]

Sup guys. So. Here goes ...

'Kay bout 3 weeks ago I started having problems with the battery not holding a charge. So, after the car repeatedly dieing in the arse, I got into the habbit of (a) constantly getting the battery re-charged, (b) keepin' a f*ckin' spare battery in the boot. Which lead me to (c) a replacement alternator.

Okay, sweet. Problem solved. For a week.

I just got home (bareley). Prior 2 which, approximately 20 mins from home, the CD player starts cuttin in & out, followed by the dash lights gradualy gettin' dimmer & dimmer, and the petty-guage starts tellin' me the tanks its near empty, after I just filled it up.

So. Get home. Park the car. Kill it. Death-stare the dash for a minit, while I smoke a ciggie'. Turn the key again, and, as expected "CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK". Kaput.

Okay, so. When I was first dealin' with this shit, an auto-eleci told me either "alternator or regulator". I went to the wrecker, got an alternator for $100 bucks. As opposed to the re-co'd one from the auto-eleci for $350.

So, I'm frustrated, bemused and entirley ready to f*ckin SNAP, while I'm tryin' to figure out what the f*cks goin' on. Asking myself the following:

Is it the alternator? If so. Has the one I got from the wrecker just sh*t itslf of it's own occord (although, it looks in pretty new & in good condition). Is there some electronic f*ckin x-files reason that my car's killing alternators all of a sudden?

Is it currently, and, perhaps originaly - the F*CKIN regulator??!

In, the morn' I'll go get the battery charged again, go see the auto-eleci & have a chat to my mechanic mate. Until then, though. Can you guys help me out before I have an anurism?

[joe_rolls_commo]

PS: As I nearly got home, while the battery was dieing in the asre, I could hear a relay clickin' away under the dash ... if that indicates anything?

[Brett_jjj]

It just might be a dodgey second hand alternator.Id try ebay for a new one,sometimes you can pick them up fairly cheap fully reco'd, or sometimes even brand new ones go cheap.Id also check the main wire that goes to the rear of the alternator,this wire can get hot which causes the copper in the wire to go brittle and sort of crystalised,this causes high resistance in the wire which can cause the battery not to charge up properly.Check this link.Im not sure if it effects VR's too,but you never know.
---VS v6 owners check this out---

[joe_rolls_commo]

Well, the rubber that covers the wire leading into the top/back of the alternater is worn & cracked. And, yes, upon inspection, one of the actual main-wires is cracked-open, but not completely cut. Is this the problem? If it is, would it kill/damage the alternator?

[VrWagz1]

Its not the insulation that is the issue, its the fact that inside the lug that goes onto the alternator is likely to be all burned and electrically non-conductive. If it infact looks as if thats the case then re-reminate the lug.
You should be able to prove this by reading battery voltage to earth on the main wire on the alternator, and 14.4V on the alternator terminal when the cars running

[joe_rolls_commo]

Can't get the car running, & don't have the tools where I am to check voltage & stuff. Best I have managed to do, is take the lug off the alternator & get a good look, and, yeah, the wire thats all cracked-up & worn above the lug leads to the right-hand hole, which is all green & crystalised. So, would that be the problem?

[darcycammo]

I went to the wrecker, got an alternator for $100 bucks

FARK you got ripped off lol i only payed $33 for mine at jollys you pull it in dandenong vic lol

[Brett_jjj]

Can't get the car running, & don't have the tools where I am to check voltage & stuff. Best I have managed to do, is take the lug off the alternator & get a good look, and, yeah, the wire thats all cracked-up & worn above the lug leads to the right-hand hole, which is all green & crystalised. So, would that be the problem?

Id say the dodgey wire definitely wouldnt be helping things.Id cut back the wire to where its like new again, and then crimp a new lug onto it,or you can run a complete new heavier gauge wire from alternator to the positive battery terminal.Just remember that theres a fusible link included in the standard wiring that goes between the battery and alternator,just in case something shorts out somewhere..

[joe_rolls_commo]

Cheer cheer boys. Much appreciated for the info.

Always fu*kin' pays off to jump on this forum and educate ones self prior to dealing with a pain in the arse sh*t-box, and/or shifty mechanics. I'll deal with this sh*t 2moro & let yas know what the deal was ...

[joe_rolls_commo]

Mmm'yay. Just got back from the auto-elec'i.

Fuseable link at the battery was worn & got replaced. Put the metre over it & checked the voltage, thus, didn't do anything with the wire & lug to the alternator, as wasn't deemed necesary. Only other problem that was spotted, was that the battery-globe was either not coming on at all, or, only coming on intermitantly when the ignition was on. So, when it didn't come on at all, just reached in an tapped behind the globe till came on. I was told to keep an eye on that globe when starting, because if that globe fails to come on, will not initiate a charge to the battery. As in, it's not just a warning. But a trigger. Sound right? Dunno. Few of the globes in the dash are dicky these days, on & off. Was advised to open the dash up & clean behind the globes etc.

Sound bout right? Either way, I'll be keeping a spare battery in the boot ...

[Brett_jjj]

I cant see how having bad connections in the dash lights would cause the battery to go flat,unless of course the lights are staying on all the time when the cars turned off...

[RX25SE]

The charge light in the dash is wired through the voltage reg from the ignition.

If the circuit is broken (blown globe) the voltage from the 12v side of the globe cannot reach the reg to crank up the field windings of the alternator.
No current to the field windings means no magnetic field generated which means no voltage out of the stator which means.........etc.

[Brett_jjj]

This doesnt make sense when looking at the wiring diagrams,I cant see how the 12 volts goes through the dash warning light to the regulator.The wiring diagram just shows the charge warning light wire going from the alternator ,through the charge warning dashlight,then straight to earth..Theres no other connections or 12 volts feeds through it,or from it, or even monitored through it.The only other connections to the alternator are the main battery charge wire,and the voltage sensing wire which regulates the alternator charge to the battery,depending on the batteries condition.I dont have my proper wiring diagrams at the moment, so its hard to tell really,but I cant see any other wires that join it..

[delcowizzid]

yes if the dash charge light doesnt come on at key on it wont start charging untill you rev the engine above 3000 odd revs it sends 12v to the alternator to excite it. it also wont charge without the white wire with fusable link attached ie if the link pops

[Brett_jjj]

Right,I was wondering about this because my mate is always getting these cars and stripping them out and entering them in the fender bender races at the local speedway,and they just rip the whole dash out,and theres definitely no warning lights left in there,but I doubt it would spend much time under 3000 rpm,thats why they dont have problems with them not charging then..Thanks heaps for explaining that fellas,its handy to know..

[joe_rolls_commo]

Uh, okay. Well, it seems to behaving since the fuseable link at the battery got replaced. So far ...

Buf as far as the battery-light in the dash poppin' up goes: If it doesn't pop up when I turn the ignition, all I gotta do is jiggle round behind the globe & it comes on. Is this just an indicator as to wheather or not that the battery is gonna get charge, or, if the globes bein' dicky, will it actually interfere with the battery charging?