Replaced Alternater..Still at 19v...please HELP!!!!

Hey guys...started having electrical issues a little while back...Volt output increasing a little everyonce in a while, ecu throwing codes, lights flashing. Now it has gotten real bad. My gauges flip out on me, voltage stays at 19v, it blew my amp, put my tranny in limp mode, etc. Well my guess was definately the voltage regulater, which is built into the alternator, so i replaced the entire unit today. But its still happening, running at 19v, lights flickering, gauges going wack, radio cutting off. Im getting worried because I have to drive this car everyday, and I dont want it to get worse. My only guess would have been alternator/Regulator. Anyone had this problem, or have any advice...Thx

Year model?

What are you measuring the voltage with? Are all of your grounds clean and well connected? Is your battery good?
But forget all that, what's with the name of your town?

Never thought of it but thats the name of the town, been there many times fishing and snake hunting in Lake Lanier.

Are you sure the regulator is in the alternator? It isn't in 91-96 XJ's (it's in the eingine computer). Later ones I'm not sure of, but I don't recall hearing that they changed it back.

Its a 98 Jeep XJ 4x4 I6...I was told by a pretty trusted friend that the regulator was built into the alternator...but im starting to think not. I checked the voltage with the tester they have at autozone...pretty accurate in my opinion. The battery was fine, but dont know anymore since it has been overcharged at 19v. There was some battery acid leaking...kind of scary...any input would be apprecieated...I just need to find where that voltage regulator is located...oh yah, gotta luv Cumming Ga...

As someone else already mentioned.....Check your grounds. Now, I am not sure if your XJ has one but especially check the wire that grounds your engine to the chassis. Had that sucker go on me a few years back (Ford truck) and it was nothing but grief.

HTH

If it's got two wires the regulator is built in, if it's got three or more wires the regulator is in the ECU.

I checked the grounds and they are all fine...There are 5 wires connected to the alternator...1 ground, 2 med size ones on posts and 2 small ones in the middle. I want to make sure it is the ecu before i get a new one, its very quirky, somtimes it happens constantly, lights flickering, gauges, etc...other times it will work great with just a slight jump in voltage every once in a while. And 4 codes are still coming up on ecu, relating to things ive never heard of...for example, turbine control sensor, generator, and a factory code po1524, codes ive never worked with...thx again for all input

What year model ecu's will work in a 98 Jeep Xj 4x4 auto...are they interchangable between the years and the models, and does anyone have one they would like to get rid of??!!

Have you removed and cleaned the grounds just behind the ECM? On my 99 there's two screws with wires on them. Also have you reseated the plugs on the ecm? How about the grounds n the passanger side of the engine block in front of the distributor? For good measure I would remove the ground to the battery first. This sure sounds like a connection problem to me.

JoBo

BLKXJ33 said:

I checked the grounds and they are all fine...There are 5 wires connected to the alternator...1 ground, 2 med size ones on posts and 2 small ones in the middle. I want to make sure it is the ecu before i get a new one, its very quirky, somtimes it happens constantly, lights flickering, gauges, etc...other times it will work great with just a slight jump in voltage every once in a while. And 4 codes are still coming up on ecu, relating to things ive never heard of...for example, turbine control sensor, generator, and a factory code po1524, codes ive never worked with...thx again for all input

Click to expand...

Thats don't act like a bad ECU at all, most of the time the ECU's bad or good.
You have a bad connection some place, the ALT, fuse had a recall and should be replaced. The plug on the ALT in also a problem, but you have a bad connection some where.

First elimanate those grounds compleatly by removing them, and cleaning the mounting areas. I would just replace the block to body ground if it looks even remotely in question. Second if there is any corosion on the wires attatched to the battery termanls, replace them. Check the body grounds, and the plugs @ the ECU on the drivers side fender. If all the wiring is good then start saving cause the ECU isn't cheep, and thats where the regulater is. OBTW if I had to by a new ECU I would look in to seeing if there was a police version.

If the alternator is OEM, it's externally regulated by the PCM. If the regulator circuit is shorting out, that can cause overvoltage output from the alternator, which would cook everything (a common test on internally-regulated alternators is to ground a specific point - usually labelled - or to touch a "field" terminal to battery voltage and check output. Don't do this for more than about a second, but it should jump up immensely...)

While the idea of going about and cleaning grounds is valid (get all the grounds you can reach, and be thorough. Remove any paint under the lug from the metal surface, and coat with Ox-Gard on reassembly,) I don't think any more diagnosis can be done until you've gotten everything cleaned. I find it interesting that you're getting the "turbine control sensor" - that sounds a lot like a turbo issue to me, and we all know XJ's didn't come with factory turbo (although ChryCo uses a fairly universal core with their SBEC and changed ancillary goodies as required.)

I'm not sure about TSB's or recalls on 1996 XJ's, but you should be able to find out by checking Alldata DIY and see what they say - or take your VIN to the service department at your local dealer and ask about open recalls or TSB services...

5-90

Interestingly enough, I bought my jeep from cumming georgia. How about them apples.