Battery not Charging - Dead Alternator?

[wutanec]

So here is a little update.

I picked up the car from the shop because I did not want to comound diagnostic fees and the car to take up their shop space. but they did not charge me anything! Very nice of them I think. Now I am going to try to track it down myself.

Upon picking up the car, it started right up, battery seems to be charging at a healthy rate. Driving back home, I did a WOT and battery stops charging right then again. Weird thing I noticed was that it was idling high afterwards - kind of like it is running rich.

Do you guys still think it could be alternator related? or could the Chip cause something like this also (Haibeck chip has been around long enough, so i doubt it)? I have an alternator coming in but wanted to see if it is something else.

[32valvZ]

I think an alternator will solve the issue. The give away to me is when you hit WOT... it stopped charging. So that tells me either you have a very loose serpentine belt or perhaps a diode going south on you...

[Ccmano]

Originally Posted by wutanec

So here is a little update.

I picked up the car from the shop because I did not want to comound diagnostic fees and the car to take up their shop space. but they did not charge me anything! Very nice of them I think. Now I am going to try to track it down myself.

Upon picking up the car, it started right up, battery seems to be charging at a healthy rate. Driving back home, I did a WOT and battery stops charging right then again. Weird thing I noticed was that it was idling high afterwards - kind of like it is running rich.

Do you guys still think it could be alternator related? or could the Chip cause something like this also (Haibeck chip has been around long enough, so i doubt it)? I have an alternator coming in but wanted to see if it is something else.

Has absolutely nothing to do with your chip. The intermittent nature of the issue points towards the alternator. To be sure take it to Autozone and have them check the battery and the alternator.
H

[wutanec]

That's great to hear...gives me peace of mind alright I will replace the alternator and see if that solves.

[Dynomite]

I do not think anyone has mentioned this before...…….but there is a third option for replacing Alternator.

1. Remove Alternator without removing Plenum.....(very difficult)
2. Remove Plenum...…..(A big job for some having to disconnect everything from DIS).
3. Tip Plenum up in front (about 4 or 5 inches more or less) without disconnecting anything under Plenum (Just remove Plenum Bolts).

Removing Plenum or Tipping Plenum would require lowering coolant level if TB Coolant not blocked.

I have not done this third method yet as I always recondition everything when I have Plenum off. But if you want to do a quick Alternator change out.....seems Tipping the Plenum is the way to go. Tipping the Plenum or Removing the Plenum would require (in most cases) a new Plenum Gasket from Jerry's.

[wutanec]

I have not heard of the third option. I will try to do it with option 1, if deemed impossible, I will try option 3. Thank you for the help!

[Paul Workman]

Originally Posted by Dynomite

I do not think anyone has mentioned this before...…….but there is a third option for replacing Alternator.

1. Remove Alternator without removing Plenum.....(very difficult)
2. Remove Plenum...…..(A big job for some having to disconnect everything from DIS).
3. Tip Plenum up in front (about 4 or 5 inches more or less) without disconnecting anything (Just remove Plenum Bolts).

Removing Plenum or Tipping Plenum would require lowering coolant level if TB Coolant not blocked.

I have not done this third method yet as I always recondition everything when I have Plenum off. But if you want to do a quick Alternator change out.....seems Tipping the Plenum is the way to go. Tipping the Plenum and Removing the Plenum would require (in most cases) a new Plenum Gasket from Jerry's.

Just to add: IF coolant through the TB has been plugged, tipping the plenum is a 10 minute job, no spillage, AND the gasket is likely reusable - unless you have air-powered ratchets (like me) and then the plenum comes off even quicker.

[lfalzarano]

You can just remove the throttle body and air horn. Just get a new gasket for the TB to plenum... Easy....


Sent from my iPhone using ZR-1 Net Registry

[wutanec]

A little update: to help out who might have similar problem.

While I was getting ready to take everything apart,
went to the alternator to disconnect the wires but I found one of the connector was barely touching the alternator bathing in grease with a broken clip!
I think somebody who worked on the car in the past probably broke it off, and greased it up hoping it would hold.
It looked like it have been this way for a long time.

I rolled up a piece of paper to wedge it in as a temporary solution and the car is now charging at a healthy rate!
such a simple problem but I am so glad I can drive the car again.
Just in time for Radwood LA this weekend!

Now, obviously I am not going to keep it looking like this. Is there a more permanent solution? or can I buy the connector somewhere and replace it?

[WVZR-1]

You shouldn't need to do anything but shop 'local' for a 3-wire CS144 alternator connector BUT if you'd like there is a vendor on eBay that does offer 3 wire CS144 in most any wire configuration you'd like. There's a fellow here that I believe has used this vendor to assure he gets correct 'wire configuration' for restorations. Strangely enough he actually has a eBay offering mentioning LT5 configuration. Reach out maybe assuring you get proper lengths to make you effort as easy as possible. I believe the snapshot wire configuration is actually correct for a '90 L98 and PNK/BLK should be changed likely. Confirm!!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Alternator-...IAAOSwdW1Z593K

If I needed a connector this is the guy I'd reach out if there wasn't something I liked 'local'. If you don't mind the wait it's for sure the better choice. His stuff is 'correctly' assembled.