related problem to no lights?

[baltobernie]

When I picked up Gina from the Fiat mechanic, he said, “You know your charging system isn’t working. I charged up your battery so that you can make it home, providing you don’t use the lights.” I said, “I know the alternator light comes on occasionally, but it’s a new (rebuilt) alternator, and I measured 13.9V at #30 and elsewhere throughout the system.” “Be that as it may, it now measures 12.6V”, he said. The idiot light was on continuously.

I drove home, removed the alternator, took it to Advance, and the kid tested it on their bench. He also measured 12 volts and change, but I gotta tell you, I wasn’t real confident in his ability. Nonetheless, he ordered a replacement warranty alternator (Marelli 42A, external regulator) which arrived today.

This alternator measures 12.4V under the same conditions, yet the idiot light is off! OK, so that means I’ve got a bad voltage regulator or interconnects, right? I borrow a known-good regulator from a club member (mechanical, mine is solid-state), and I still get 12.4V.

Belt is snug, connections are good, 0.2Ω from one end of grey #57 to #56. Ditto from orange #15 to fuse block #L. Alternator case, voltage regulator both well-grounded. Battery measures 12.8V when fully charged, and is new. New battery cables, securely fastened. Connections at the ignition switch and Molex pairs under the dash appear good.

Is is possible that my new lack of headlights and no charging are related? I don’t know how he adjusted the valves, might he have used a manual button, and knocked a wire loose on the starter? I’m going to look there next, but that’s not an easy job.

[mdrburchette]

Have you cleaned the ground strap at the bell housing? I gotta tell you that I chased a charging system problem for years on my 72 until I got fed up and changed mine to a Bosch w/internal regulator. It's a simple conversion and one I would highly recommend. Mine was charging up to 22v when running.
As for the lights, what are you getting at the battery when you turn your headlights on? Have you cleand the contacts at the toggle switch?

[mbouse]

i have not personally experienced this one yet, but the #1 problem i have read from folks that recently had a complete paint job is electrical issues. And, as i recall, most of those were related to grounding.

if you do not have a second ground wire between your engine block or transmission housing and the body, put one on. clean the connections between the factory ground wire at the tranny housing and body. Clean the connection between the battery negative terminal and the body.

assume that all of the lighting now has a soon-to-fail ground connection, and establish an assured ground connection. Do the same for each failing circuit.

[baltobernie]

Turns out I did have two bad alternators - a serial voltage killer! (Double-checked main grounding points too; all OK)

Advance refunded all of my money, after I had the second one tested at a real auto electrical shop. The first one lasted 200 miles, the second one was DOA.

I'm running a salvage Marelli unit and rebuilding a Bosch, Denise, looked up your archived conversion post - thanks. I think it will be the better choice in the long run, even though the car doesn't have any aftermarket electrics.

I think I've beaten this subject to death, but it sure seems like the mass-market auto parts retailers cannot or willnot hire knowledgable people.

[mbouse]

there is a huge difference between reconditioned alternators and rebuilt alternators. What did they sell your, or make you believe you bought?

reconditioned is a thorough cleaning and replacement of only the obvious defective parts.

rebuilt should see new bearing, new brushes and voltage regulators (where applicable) installed, regardless of the condition of the old part.



and yeah, I have gotten to the point when i get to Auto Zone to go to the empty computer monitor and begin punching in my own data. I've made it all the way to the specific part i needed once, and nearly all the way through the menus several times before a "counter technician" appears to serve me. I don't think the "counter technicians" like the fact of knowing that I know their job as well as they do, and that they are gonna loose their jobs as soon as corporate stumbles on the concept that the average customer is computer literate enough to be able to help himself.

Now, i am not saying i want this to happen. I sorely miss the knowledgable parts salesman at my local parts store. I will, however, never forget the pimple faced kid who told me that the wiper arm I just bought for my '69 Triumph will not work because the computer said it was a Jeep part! I do not enjoy the knowledge that I paid for that kind of service.

[So Cal Mark]

ALL production rebuilders replace the defective part and ship the unit, figuring that the low cost of repair will offset the number of returns.
The only solution is to find a custom rebuilder in your area that builds units one at a time. It will cost you more, but the results are well worth it.

[mdrburchette]

This is exactly what I do, Mark, and have been happy each time. In fact, that reminds me that I need to remove the alternator off my Yanmar tractor and get it rebuilt. A girl's work is never done.

[baltobernie]

I did one thing right - got the starter rebuilt locally, 'cause I saw where that sucker was buried. They had the alternator, too, but had an illness at the shop, and I couldn't wait another two weeks. That's where the Bosch unit is now. These guys have been in business for more than 30 years, and I've had good luck with them on everything from tractors to boats.

The Advance Auto Parts alternator was supposedly "rebuilt", but as you say, they put only enough components in them to pass the first bench test. "Lifetime Warranty" however! The first one was labeled World Products, the second Beck Arnley.

[mbouse]

Did you ever notice that those "Lifetime Warranties" are written on thermal paper?

har har har. Lifetime=until the ink fades on the paperwork