alternator swap problem

[Nightsfire]

so i did a satrun alt swap and i dont know if i hooked a wire up wrong or what but when truck is started and running volt meter reads 11-12v i remove the positive terminal it kicks up to 13-14.5 HELP plz?

[banzai510(hainz)]

you convert the old external volt reg wireing(short 2 sets of wires) for the internal reg alternator?

[datzenmike]

This, above...

 

... and trhere's a 50/50 chance the alternator is shit.

[Nightsfire]

yes did the removal of external volt reg and shorted 2 wire sets, alternator tests fine. whats really weird is i remove my battery cable a solenoid marked hr1-18   12v 409 kicks open and closed when i connect and disconnect battery

 

[datzenmike]

This is the 620???

 

You will have to remove the choke heater relay, or disconnect it as it will stay on all the time now. That's what you hear clicking. Look on the back of the carb for the Blue choke heater wire and the Red idle cut solenoid wire. They may have a black sheath protecting them. With the choke heater relay disconnected, the choke now needs another source of switched power to work it. Connect the Blue wire to the Red idle cut wire. The idle cut is turned on and off by the ignition switch so now it won't drain your battery.

 

Will this fix the charging problem? Might.... but it will stop the battery going dead over the weekend.

[Nightsfire]

i wonder after checking all wires again and again i desided to check my battery voltage its reading right above 8v so i am guessing when the old alternator (original) went out it might have took battery with it, would that cause alternator not to show 14v+ charging?

[BambooU]

The battery voltage shouldn't affect the alternator output. If you're alternator is doing its job even slightly, the battery is only there for ignition. After the initial startup from the battery, the alternator will take over, pumping the necessary voltage for the car to run (12v or so) and excess that goes backwards to the battery. If the alternator is REALLY bad (less than 11 or 10 volts), the car will start to pull from the battery.

 

Alternatively (get it?), if you're wiring is swapped (ground where a hot should be or something), the alternator would be drawing from the battery while the car is off. You can test battery drain by connecting the positive batt terminal then touching the negative link to the nob; if you get an arc, then the battery is draining and there is a short somewhere in the car. 

 

ASIDE:

Depending on your setup and the cleanliness of your bay, It wouldn't hurt to take a wirebrush or sand paper to various contact points, maybe even replacing oxidized females ends. 

For me, I got almost 1.5 volts more out of my alternator after giving my fuse box and connectors a vinegar soak. Not saying the alternator couldn't also be shot (like Mike said, 50/50), but I'm a firm believer in having clean copper. 

[Nightsfire]

ok so stupid question i was reading posts and i guess on cs130 alts the light wire has to be hooked up for regulator to kick on?

[datzenmike]

It does on the Nissan alternator, yes. Sometimes if you rev it up there is enough residual magnetism to jump start and get it going but this is not a fix. The  charge light draws a small current through the alternator to produce a magnetic field for the windings to produce an output .

 

A fully charged battery is 12.6 v. An output of 12v won't charge the battery. You need about 2 volts higher to 'push' a charge in like 14.3 or so.

[Nightsfire]

update got it wired in ended up getting a new plug for alternator charges around 13.4 would probly charge higher but i think the 12v off alternator threw the harness is not in best shape

anyways wondering if i can run a wire from the 12v terminal on alternator straight to battery

 

pics of alternator mounting got alternator from a 02 saturn sl1

 

 

 

[datzenmike]

I ran the output wire from the alternator directly to the starter terminal. This was on an '02 Altima 100 amp alternator. The output cable was thicker than my positive battery cable!!! There was no easy way to connect directly to the battery. I crimped and soldered a large lug on it.Covered everything with split harness covering.

 

 

 

 

[Nightsfire]

ok so new problem after doing swap battery is draining slowly i am going to guess its the choke heater, but my question is there a way to keep it working with out it draining battery

[datzenmike]

On 12/18/2018 at 8:13 PM, datzenmike said:

This is the 620???

 

You will have to remove the choke heater relay, or disconnect it as it will stay on all the time now. That's what you hear clicking. Look on the back of the carb for the Blue choke heater wire and the Red idle cut solenoid wire. They may have a black sheath protecting them. With the choke heater relay disconnected, the choke now needs another source of switched power to work it. Connect the Blue wire to the Red idle cut wire. The idle cut is turned on and off by the ignition switch so now it won't drain your battery.

 

Will this fix the charging problem? Might.... but it will stop the battery going dead over the weekend.

 

 

I already covered this. This is the simplest method. Disconnect the choke heater relay and join two wire together.

[Nightsfire]

problem with that sorry for late response Christmas and all but there was only 1 wire connected to my carb there was 2 other wires on same part of harness

[datzenmike]

 

Maybe the carburetor was changed. You should have a Red wire to the idle cut and a Blue wire to the choke heater. Both may be covered with a black sheath

[Nightsfire]

gots a Holley 5210c double barrel

[datzenmike]

[Nightsfire]

?

 

[datzenmike]

Somewhere on that harness must be the 12v power to the idle cut solenoid even if not using it. Get a meter or test lamp and look for 12 volts supplied when the key is turned ON.

[BambooU]

On 12/23/2018 at 1:32 AM, Nightsfire said:

 

 

While you are doing alternator work, I would fix that turnbuckle! It's supposed to replace that stock bar that it is mounted to right now. Mount it to the same waterpump bolt that the stock bar is on. I honestly don't know how your belt isn't screaming at you right now. Seems like it wouldn't hold...

[Nightsfire]

it holds quite well have drove over 100 miles with it like that it has not budged

[banzai510(hainz)]

Bamboo

I think he has to have it that way as the alt bolt hole is to far to wards the block otherwise theturn buckle will be about 1 inch long to get tension on there. I see a couple set ups like this before.

 

Rockauto sells NEW alternators now. there made in China but I have 8 months on this one now. so hopefully they are better than the rebuilds as I barely get 8 months out of them now O rileys and Autozone). However they are stock amperage

[BambooU]

16 hours ago, banzai510(hainz) said:

Rockauto sells NEW alternators now. there made in China but I have 8 months on this one now. so hopefully they are better than the rebuilds as I barely get 8 months out of them now O rileys and Autozone). However they are stock amperage

 

Wait, like stock-setup alternators? Or something like a ZX Intrnal reg.? How much are they charging for them? 

 

EDIT: I found a ZX one on RockAuto for 70$ ?

https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=6678256&cc=1209394&jsn=371

 

16 hours ago, banzai510(hainz) said:

I think he has to have it that way as the alt bolt hole is to far to wards the block otherwise theturn buckle will be about 1 inch long to get tension on there.

 

Ah I see what you mean, makes sense. I mean, I suppose anything will hold if you tighten the shit out of it. ?

Edited January 3, 2019 by BambooU

[datzenmike]

 

I know the camera lens may be distorting, but the alternator pulley does not look like it's aligned with the other two. The turn buckle is Z shaped and would be better on the back side of the strap. Actually the turn buckle end should be mounted to the block which is solid. You have two unsupported ends meeting and held by a bolt. At best it will shake loose, at worst it will fatigue and break.

 

A hundred miles is no proof that this will last when it should have a service life in the tens of thousands. That belt is going to have a short life.

 

When I fit my 2002 100 amp alternator from an Altima, I used a spare engine as a mock up. I took the time to align it perfectly with a straight edge. It runs quiet, belt is like new and has at least 5K miles on it.  I do not want problems to develop a thousand miles from home.

 

 

This included trimming the alternator block mount to move it it forward enough and allow it to swing closer to the block so I could mount using the stock belt and adjustment strap as well as also not rest against the lower rad hose.