Damm Alternator

[SPR]

Been doing some much need work on the Screaming Toylet. Among a bunch of replaced/repaired parts was a new alternator... I had to rev up the motor or bang it with a hammer to get the old alternator to charge. In addition, the berrings were very noisy.

I purchased a new/rebuilt alternator from Schucks (limetime warrently for an extra 10$ and everything should be new except the case). Oddly, it does not seem to work.

So please let me know if I missed something.... GM 1980s alternator with one ground wire and one "Switch On" hot wire that [url]plugs[/url] into the side of the alternator. Lastly, there is a short red wire from the [url]plug[/url] that doubles back to the "hot" post on the back of the alternator. Is there another hot wire that needs to be connected to the hot post on the back of the alternator?

The ground to the alternator is good. The Switch On hot wire to the alternator is good. There is not juice coming out of the hot post on the back of the alternator when the motor is running.

Any ideas???

[OldGreen]

Sounds right to me. . .you might run down and have them test it on the bench. Mine is hooked up that exact same way (early 80s GM alternator on my Jeep.)

[SPR]

Thanks Jimmy. I thought I was loosing it. The damm things is just out of the box

[OldGreen]

One time. . this one kid I know. . .well, he accidentally hooked up the hot jumper to ground. . .and. . .well, his vehicle didn't charge. . .

[tobyw]

Schucks (limetime warrently for an extra 10$ and everything should be new except the case). Oddly, it does not seem to work.

So please let me know if I missed something....

Any ideas???

***DISCLAIMER*** The below is my opinion only, based on years of personal experience. YMMV.

Sadly, your problem lies in the source of the parts... that $10 warrently will be the biggest PITA you ever encounter. I've had absolutly ZERO luck with Schucks for hard parts, for the same reasons. Before I learned my lesson, I bought several lifetime warranty alternators, starters, and even master cylinders from them, and I can count on one finger the number of those that I didn't have to warranty out within a months time. For my money, Shucks gets the nod for fluids, hoses/tubing, floor mats, and the occasional trinket, but I get my hard parts at NAPA, 9 to 9, or someplace like that. I know this doesn't help your situation at all, but I would certainly take that sucker back in and let them bench test it, and adjust your purchase price accordingly...

[SPR]

At 0530 hours this morning I confirmed my hunch... I am mechanically challenged and I need a helper.

The alternator works great. I had not connected the battery lead to the hot post on the alternator. I thought that there should have been another wire but I had difficulty finding it lying tucked away in the engine compartment.

Interestingly, I found that the hot post on the alternator does not put out any juice unless it is connected to the + battery terminal by a big wire. Apparently, the voltmeter wires do not have the oomph to trick the alternator into charging and reads nearly zero volts

[OldGreen]

Short bus coming. . .

You didn't have the BIG wire connected? I'm so happy you admitted that in public. It makes me feel a lot better.

[Grumpy]

Short bus coming. . .

You didn't have the BIG wire connected? I'm so happy you admitted that in public. It makes me feel a lot better.

He feels like he has company now, Steve And watch the Short Bus cracks, Bub