OK, here we go again!
Prev owner installed 95A 3G alt in the car, and when I first drove it, alt belt was slipping somewhat fiercely eventually shucking it off...leading to my other adventures with heater/AC system....wiring clean up.... I attributed this to a loose belt....but now I wonder about that...
FINALLY took the car out for it's first run after all this other hoohah....and I could still hear the alternator squealing occasionally.....this shouldn't be!
If I can believe my notes, the Alternator (95A 3G style) is wired correctly.
Main output hot wire "B+" reuses original large wire which passes back thru AMP gauge in dash and then on to the battery. (Some doc's say bypass the amp gauge wiring and go directly to battery.... as another way to do this.)
3-wire connector wiring:
"A" Yellow wire connects to main battery connection at the starter solenoid I believe IIRC! This is voltage "remote sense" for the regulator. (some doc's want you to put this at the battery also....not just jumpered over to the alternator output as some would have you do cuz it's easier.....in long battery cable runs this short method may not work as well..)
"S" White/Black wire connects to the "S" plug on the back of the alternator. This is some sort of local sense deal.
"I" Lite Green/Red wire connects to "blue" wire from old regulator connection, which goes up to the dash lamp for GEN indicator in TACH. "Switched voltage" from ignition switch passes thru this lite to the "I" terminal of the regulator.
My problems:
1) Amp gauge shows LOTS of charge, at speed, upwards of the 75A mark, but it "waggles" a good amount also. As I slow down, the amp indication drops also, ie at idle, but was still showing a good amount of charge. Battery wasn't dead, but perhaps not fully charged, and I didn't drive it but about 4 miles or so. (Charged it last nite on external charging.) Have not started/driven car today to check behavior.
* I would expect to see a 20-30A charge indicated with a low battery, but not 75! *
2) I have no dash indicators coming on when switch is moved to "on" position. What lamps are supposed to be lit when the car is not running????? (I need to look at SOBill's diagrams to see how charge lite is wired...series or parallel....)
I am thinking that the "I" terminal of the regulator is not seeing a voltage (if the bulb is blown!??) back to the regulator, but this is not the "S"ense connection..... Documentation that I found says you want it to "switched" voltage source (when key is on).
I also found where a 560 ohm resistor is recommended "around" the dash lite, in the event that it burns out....the "I" terminal still gets voltage via this feed. (for whatever purpose...) But this would seem to be needed only in the event that the bulb is in series with the current flow ie one side of bulb is not grounded but rather this switched voltage passes directly thru the bulb.
I need to bail....and may not be able to get back to this for a day or so......but I need to put this out to keep the brain happy....otherwise will have "alternator on the brain" all day!!!....and nite!!!
I will go back and check for switched +12V at the "blue wire....and resolve that. See if it resolves my issue! May need to get some 560 ohm resistors as well!
Other indicators thing will be handled as I get info....
Oh, one last thing! I recall a "short here to test" thing molded into the back of the regulator..... Short to ground and look for what??? Anyone know how this functions in testing the regulator?
Thanks!!!
Steve
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