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I am having some strange things happen to my car. When I start my car, the charge light is dimly on, and when I rev the engine it goes out - and then back on again at idle. Sometimes when I start the car, the light is off and wont come on for the whole trip. I replaced the battery, had it load tested and it was kaput. Still the same problem.

Now here is the fun part. I checked the output voltage at the battery terminals and it appears that the battery is being overcharged. It is at 15-16 volts when the car is off, and 20-23 volts when the car is on.

I think it may be the alternator, specifically the regulator. I know this is an expensive job to do and not exactly easy without a hoist or a garage.

Is there any way to adjust the regulator to put out 14.5 volts like it should? Or do I have to get another alternator installed?

The regulator is internal of the alternator. Your going to have to either pull it out and get it repaired or replace it. Call an auto electrician and describe the symptoms- he could at least give you a quote and I think that would be the cheapest way to go.

I wouldn't run it like it is, you'll just cook another battery and risk damage to all your electrical system.

The warning lamp will light if the output voltage is too high.

There is no provision for adjustment. I believe the regulator is solid state and must be replaced.

Thats what I thought,
thanks for the help!

hmm still.. isnt it...if theres to much volts in the battery while on... doesnt it mean its not charging correctly? The reason why i say this is because well...if you umplug the battery and keep the car runing...the voltage goes high...do you know what I mean? or am I wrong o.0 :p

The reason the alternator voltage goes up if the battery is disconnected is because the circuit conditions for which the regulator is designed are not being met - the load presented by the battery is missing. I don't think that has any connection with this problem - here we have the battery connected, but the output is too high, i.e. a regulator malfunction.

<small>[ December 06, 2004, 04:41 PM: Message edited by: IanL ]</small>

Im taking my car in tomorrow morning to have another alternator put in. Probably a rebuilt one. My battery has no juice left in it, undoubtedly because it boiled off from running at 23 volts!

Any idea how much Im going to get gouged for? I wish I could do it myself, but it looks pretty hard, space wise...

Take out your rad support, take out all the bolts, 10 mm, put them in a cup.... have a friend there
grab your rad on each side, pull it up, have your friend take any wires in the way and push them as your lifting, once the rad is out, youll have just enough clearance to put it on your front valve cover... get your friend to hold it up...


Take off the leads, etc from the alternator, then unbolt it 2 bolts... there will feel like theres a big long bolt at the back bottom left, but you dont need to actually pull it out, with enough force /wiggling it will pull forward and you can get it out, just make sure your tensioner is loose before you try pulling it out... p.s" putting the ****in belts back on, is a *****, so prepare to be frustrated. But, its easy to do by yourself as long as its warm outside and you got a buddy that can help you.

Yikes!
350 dollars for the alternator
1.6 hours labout at 90 an hour.

Should take a hint from GM and put the alternator at the TOP of the engine!

Originally posted by killerpickle:

350 dollars for the alternator

$350? You could have gotten it rebuilt and cleaned at an alternator shop for under $100 U.S.

advance auto is the cheapest place to get alternators, $160. The alternator can be replaced in 45 minutes. It took me that long in my driveway with hand tools the first time I ever did it. I could easily do it in a 1/2 hour or less now.

Here is the link to advance auto-
http://www.partsamerica.com/PartDetails.asp?SourceArea=&SourcePage=SEARCHRESULTS&MfrCode=WWA&MfrPartNumber=14450&PartType=11&PTSet=A

Here is a link to some info on changing the alternator-
http://www.mx-3.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=15;t=005066#000000

<small>[ December 12, 2004, 10:43 PM: Message edited by: TsiMiata ]</small>

350 canadian. You pay what you have to pay to get it done as fast as possible. If I wanted to go bargain hunting I probably could have saved 50 bucks. tops.

By my numbers you would have saved ~$220 canadien. That would seem like time well spent bargain hunting to me.

<small>[ December 17, 2004, 07:29 AM: Message edited by: TsiMiata ]</small>