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What the heck Happend

T

trail rate this

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Cape Coral, FL
Driving home on Friday the check gauge light came on. I looked over all my guages and noticed my Volt guage wasn't reading anything. Why is this I was still able to get home. I shut my 98 XJ off when I got, it started right back up and the volt guage showed movement.

It sat there all weekend while I was doing some other mods, so the battery got drained. I jumped it off, but it wouldn't stay running. I put a different battery in that had a full charge. It started up and ran fine. I got my volt meter out to check the voltage and it 10.7 volts and dropping. What's the deal?

I checked the altinator post on the back and nothing. Is the altinator bad or could it be the regulator? I went ahead and got another altinator this morning just in case.

Please help.
 
Sounds like a bad Alt. Take it to Vato-zone or checker or the like. They can run a load test on it to see if its working or not.
trail rate this said:
Driving home on Friday the check gauge light came on. I looked over all my guages and noticed my Volt guage wasn't reading anything. Why is this I was still able to get home. I shut my 98 XJ off when I got, it started right back up and the volt guage showed movement.

It sat there all weekend while I was doing some other mods, so the battery got drained. I jumped it off, but it wouldn't stay running. I put a different battery in that had a full charge. It started up and ran fine. I got my volt meter out to check the voltage and it 10.7 volts and dropping. What's the deal?

I checked the altinator post on the back and nothing. Is the altinator bad or could it be the regulator? I went ahead and got another altinator this morning just in case.

Please help.
Click to expand...
 
DrMoab said:
Sounds like a bad Alt. Take it to Vato-zone or checker or the like. They can run a load test on it to see if its working or not.
Click to expand...
x2
Pull the old alt, get it checked. Sounds like a bad alternator, which is actually great because you already have the new parts :)
 
test first, replace second. Chances are good the alt. is bad, but you still could have a loose or faulty connection on the input side of the alt. causing a "no charge" condition. Unless you wish to troubleshoot with money (new alt) take the alt. to a quality shop or retail parts house for testing.
 
X10 on the alternator being bad. Mine went like a year or so ago. I would be driving and notice that the amp gauge was down below it's normal range...but everything was working fine. Then I would park it for a while, and next time I got in the amp gauge would read normal. It went on and off like this for a while until I started needing jumps. It eventually killed my battery, after replacing the alternator. It's best to have a good battery with a new alternator. Don't install a new alternator with a dead battery!! Atleast charge the battery, or replace it if you can. I recommend autozone batteries, although there are better ones, they have a 3year warranty!!!

When I pulled my alternator and brought it to autozone they hooked it up onto their machine. It still put out some power, but it didn't increase like it should. So it didn't totally die, it just put out a minimal amount of juice...sometimes enough to keep things kosher, sometimes not enough. It's better than a complete and catastrophic failure, but good to change it out ASAP before it kills your battery too!!
 
trail rate this said:
It sat there all weekend while I was doing some other mods, so the battery got drained. I jumped it off, but it wouldn't stay running.
Click to expand...

Alt may be bad but this part sounds like something else may be wrong too - mine can sit for weeks and still start right up. What else besides the clock do you have drawing power when it's sitting?
 
Additionally- and this is what I've been told by an ASE Master Tech -
On rare occasions and alternator can go bad in such a way as to put a short in the chassis electric and begin to drain the battery. Something about a diode fusing... I think... I'd have to take an alt apart to be sure what he was talking about.
 
DrMoab said:
Sounds like a bad Alt.
Click to expand...

I'm not convinced. He could be low on wiper fluid or the mirrors might just be out of adjustment. It's best practice to eliminate the easiest possibilities first before you spend money on potentially unnecessary parts.
 
Sizzler said:
I'm not convinced. He could be low on wiper fluid or the mirrors might just be out of adjustment. It's best practice to eliminate the easiest possibilities first before you spend money on potentially unnecessary parts.
Click to expand...

I guess you're right-- there really is no reason to test anything or try to rule out other possible causes. I think the smart thing to do would be to take the word of people I've never met and.... aah nevermind-- I still think its prolly tha alternator, but I'd verify first.
 
Sizzler said:
I'm not convinced. He could be low on wiper fluid or the mirrors might just be out of adjustment. It's best practice to eliminate the easiest possibilities first before you spend money on potentially unnecessary parts.
Click to expand...
learn to read ALL of peoples posts before you respond to one little part.

I told him he should go get it tested first.
 
i guess sarcasm really doesnt work on the computer. i was joking because it so clearly sounds like the alternator. how would wiper fluid or mirrors ever effect the battery charge? sorry for the confusion!
 
Sizzler said:
i guess sarcasm really doesnt work on the computer. i was joking because it so clearly sounds like the alternator. how would wiper fluid or mirrors ever effect the battery charge? sorry for the confusion!
Click to expand...

your original comment (IMHO) leads one to believe that because it "clearly sounds like the alternator" the O.P. should change it and be done. The addition of irrelovent options only furthers your argument that looking any farther is a farce and a waste of time.

no ill-will ment on my side and hopefully I just misunderstood your point:peace:

--Shorty
 
Thanks to everyone for your replies. I've got it fixed. The altinator was bad. I replaced it with 136 amp ZJ altinator. It didn't go in as easy as I thought. I had to get the grinder out and do some clearanceing to make it fit.

If my previous posts were read it would have been noticed that I already knew where the drain was. It was from leaving the door open for most of the weekend while doing other mods.

Thanks once again.
 
Glad you got it fixed.

I too had to get the grinder out a while back when replacing my OE Alternator w/a 136amp one on my '96XJ. Funny thing is everyone told me it was a direct swap/bolt in. I think looking back I'd be better served to have replaced it w/a new one and also replace my OE batter cables w/some nice upgrades... but that's still left for another time.
 
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