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alternator stops working randomly

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Old 07-15-2006, 07:34 AM
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i will call napa and see which alternator i got. the thing is i had it on the truck since january and no problems till recently.

txsilverado- it seems like the alternator still works or something because a battery light never comes on. and sometime i will drive it for like 3-10 miles with no volts.
Old 07-15-2006, 12:34 PM
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Originally Posted by TheLadiesMan
i will call napa and see which alternator i got. the thing is i had it on the truck since january and no problems till recently.

txsilverado- it seems like the alternator still works or something because a battery light never comes on. and sometime i will drive it for like 3-10 miles with no volts.

"no volts"?? as in - the guage doesn't even read 12?

If you pull the accessory belt and start the truck, your guage should still read 12 volts from the battery. If you are reading ZERO volts, as in, the guage isn't registering ANYTHING and your truck is still running, you have a problem in the cluster or the circuitry that measures the voltage. Your truck will NOT run on ZERO volts....


EDIT: my cluster will read 12 volts and throw up a message saying "battery not charging" or something to that effect, when I pull the alternator belt and start it.
Old 07-15-2006, 01:04 PM
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sorry yeah it does read 12 volts but thats it it doesn't show it is charging or anything
Old 07-15-2006, 03:10 PM
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ok i cam to the conclusion that something is getting wet or something because i washed the truck today and after that it screwed up.

Old 07-15-2006, 03:24 PM
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Maybe you need a new belt?
Old 03-19-2007, 04:55 AM
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I have noticed the same damn problem after I switched to a 6 speed. The only thing I can think of that I have not changed yet is the belt. It trans fluid on it and was slipping so I drenched it with brake fluid. But now I have changed to a 160A alternator and the problem is still there. I notice when I am driving my voltage goes from 14.8 to 12.6 and stays there. In the morning my lights flicker slightly and it is driving me crazy. Last night my friend suggested that the belt could be just done because of the trans fluid getting on it.
Old 03-19-2007, 09:44 AM
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battery topped off? . . . any rust around the battery tray?
Old 03-19-2007, 09:57 AM
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It is a 2006 truck with 6K miles on it. The belt is my next swap.
Old 03-19-2007, 09:19 PM
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Since it's an intermittent problem, I'd be leaning toward a wiring issue. You may have a wire that's broken inside the insulation and loosing contact. I'd trace the wires that go to the alternator and do either voltage drops or ohm readings while performing "wiggle" tests on the wires/harness.
Old 03-20-2007, 04:50 AM
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Much appreciated. I changed the belt and so far so good but, I will do the voltage test to mkae sure everything is testing properly


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