CamaRod

Alright so here is the deal

I got my camaro about 4 years ago, and never had any kind of electrical problem with it. About a year ago, my original alternaor burned out. So of course i went up to the parts store and replaced it. Everything is good.

About 4 months later the alternator stops charging and so i think ****, there must be something wrong. So I go through and check as much as possible, i check the fusable links, and grounds and a bunch of other things i can think of. and i find an exposed wire, so i think thats the problem, and replace it, and put in a new alternator.

About 3 or 4 months later. Alternator stops charging again!!

So im baffled, but it turns out the parts store guy is a third gen guy, so he helps me a out a little bit. And he says if i put in an alternator with a battery that isnt fully charge it puts the battery in overcharge mode, causing it to burn out the diodes. So im like ok, recharge the battery and put in yet another alternator.

So come about 4 or 5 months later(about a week ago). Alternator out again. I dont have time to find the problem then, and i had to have my car to get to work. So i go get another alternator and put it in and put it off.

Now i dont know how many more alternators i can get for free from the parts store before they stop givin me free ones.

So i was thinking, I think i heard somewhere, That some parts store kept giving them the wrong alternator? Is this possible?

If not, What could be the problem, i dont even know where to start.

Its a 91 rs, with a 305 TBI

And i want to fix this before i try and put in my stereo system

thanks ahead of time
-Dave

Dirtbik3r

What is your battery voltage guage reading when this happens? Not sure about third gens, but lots of alternators have a wakeup call wire which leads to the computer. The battery indicator light (On the I/P) in those cars are wired in series with the wakeup call circuit. If that bulb is burnt out, your alternator will not charge. -Just a thought. Please correct me if i am wrong.

Vader

The "wakeup-call circuit" is a piece of resistance wire, and it is in parallel with the charge indicator lamp, not in series. The "computer" is not involved:

Dirtbik3r

Thanks for clearing that up vader

CamaRod

well first of all my car is not tuned port

2nd that wiring diagram makes me sick, so someone will have to make some labels or something

also, my dash lights are burned out. However this year car uses a circuit board to light the gauges. So i dont think there is a charge indicator lamp.

Which fusable link am i looking for, and should i replace my circuit panel on the back of my guages?

Thanks
-Dave

Dirtbik3r

There shouldn't be much of a difference between TBI and TPI for that diagram and you still have an indicator light. I would check to see if you have any fuses blown which could be a sign of a short. With the car running, start taking some voltage drops on the 3 wires of the alternator. You should get 12v (ref. to GRD) from the B+ blk/red wire. From the brn wire on the "B" pin on the connector, you should see 13v-14v if everything is running correctly.

If you have access to an inductive amp clamp, put it on the blk/red wire and hold the rpm's around 2000. Are you getting close to 150A?

Also, you can do a quick check of the diodes in the rectifying bridge. A bad diode may cause alternator ripple. Set the DMM to AC volts and connect the red test lead to the positive battery post. Connect the negative to the tip of negative battery post. Now turn on all acc. including lights and blower to load it up. You should see no more than 90mv.

Could you possible have a load in your car that is draining the battery when the car is off? So maybe that load is killing your battery and making your alternator angry. Do a quick parasitic load test. Set your meter to AC again. Disconnect the negative battery cable and put your leads in series between the cable you took off and the negative battery terminal. You should get under 150mA.
PS: make sure everything is in the "OFF" position.

Try some of these things and get back to us. Good luck.

jstrdn90rs

Just a thought and I dont know if the v8 have this same set up as the v6's do but two of my dash lights are burned out too.I replaced them with 194 bulbs and those burned out... the book calls for 194LL which stands for long life and couldnt find any of those in the local parts stores.My volt gauge was doing some weird stuff and I followed the thick about 12 gauge wire off the back of the alt.and it ran towards the front of the car on a junction block with few fuseable links attached to it.I noticed the nut wasnt tight and in tighting it, I noticed my gauge never acted up again.This wire then runs to the positive terminal(pigtail)on the battery.If you have this its near the radiator tank either on the drivers side or passenger side.Make sure its tight.