Alternator Test?

[4tiresngas]

Okay, I was out of town for 3 weeks. I came home and fired up the truck...just because. Anyhow, she did not seem to want to keep running unless I gave more gas...thought at first she was just cold.

As I was looking at the carb, she died.

I jumped her off and she ran smooth. Shut her off and she would not crank again.

I jumped her again, she was running fine, but I pulled the grd cable from the battery. She died instantly.

Does that mean the alternator is not charging? I pulled the alternator and am going to take it to be tested.

If that is not it, what else might it be? Voltage regulator?

The battery is less than a year old, and the truck probably has 10 miles on it in the last year.

Thanks in advance for your help.

[farside847]

If the alternator is ok, you might try charging up the battery. If it has been sitting for a while it might have drained too much.

[truckdude239]

if it is indeed bad you be better off do ing an internal voltage reg converstion http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=119379 takes about 30 mins at that 38..88 is what the alternatior cost me ask for one off a 1983 chevy k-10 4x4

[Longhorn Man]

pulling the cable is not a good way to test the alt, however, you are not charging. It could be the alt, it could be the regulator... who knows, who cares.
Replace it with an internally regulated unit, and throw away the old junk external stuff.

[4tiresngas]

Okay, the answer is it was neither the alternator nor the voltage regulator. It was operator head space...lol

The wiring harness was not fully plugged in to the voltage regulator. I'm not sure how long it has been that way, but I guess it finally caught up with me.

I had the alternator tested at Kragens and it was putting out 14volts. So, I thought it had to be the regulator. It cost me $24. However, when I was going to replace it, I noticed the wiring was loose. I snapped it in, and it was good to go.

[farside847]

Originally Posted by 4tiresngas

Okay, the answer is it was neither the alternator nor the voltage regulator. It was operator head space...lol

The wiring harness was not fully plugged in to the voltage regulator. I'm not sure how long it has been that way, but I guess it finally caught up with me.

I had the alternator tested at Kragens and it was putting out 14volts. So, I thought it had to be the regulator. It cost me $24. However, when I was going to replace it, I noticed the wiring was loose. I snapped it in, and it was good to go.

Glad you got it fixed, just take the part back the next time you go back....