My 91 civic LX Alternator electrical

[S.Brewer]

Ok, as u all know i have been through 3 alternators so far on my sedan. Well tonight i noticed my cluster lights and clock looking dim. Then my tach started dropping to 0 when i pressed the brake, used the blinker (any kind of power draw) I believe its the alternator. Car is not charging as well.
But, Is there any leads to why this keeps happening to me? Please help. Thanks Stephen

[Schroeder]

Ok, as u all know i have been through 3 alternators so far on my sedan. Well tonight i noticed my cluster lights and clock looking dim. Then my tach started dropping to 0 when i pressed the brake, used the blinker (any kind of power draw) I believe its the alternator. Car is not charging as well.
But, Is there any leads to why this keeps happening to me? Please help. Thanks Stephen



Are you running a big stereo system or something that uses up alot of amperage? Is there anything "Shrouding" the alternator i.e. not allowing the correct amount of air flow over the alternator to cool it down? Is your belt slipping and heating up the input shaft of the alternator? An easy way to tell is if there is alot of surface rust on the pulley if its steel and the alternator shaft. I had an older F-150 that had a slightly mis-aligned pulley and it was causing the belt to slip and cause friction on the pulley which in turn overheated the alternator.

On my car I'm running an elec fuel pump, and a cooling fan which eats up ALOT of amperage, (130 amps on fan initial startup). Therefore I kept smoking the stock 75 amp alternators and ended up having to swap in a 130 amp alternator just to keep up with everything that I am running on the car.

[Tech5]

you getting POS used alternators?

[S.Brewer]

No system, i have nothing drawing high amps. Its all stock mainly.

I had a rebuilt one i fried, then an advance auto, now my remanufactured honda one... I dont wanna spend $$$ on a New honda alternator when i can still swap out my advance one. Im also running an advance reman on my 85 chevy. been on about a year. Has 2 viair 480cc air compressors, 2 massive 10's with high amp draws. It seems to be doing fine. Has power windowsm and alot of power drays. Of course its a bigger alternator.

I just wonder y im frying? And its lined up and tensioned perfect and its a new belt.

[Schroeder]

No system, i have nothing drawing high amps. Its all stock mainly.

I had a rebuilt one i fried, then an advance auto, now my remanufactured honda one... I dont wanna spend $$$ on a New honda alternator when i can still swap out my advance one. Im also running an advance reman on my 85 chevy. been on about a year. Has 2 viair 480cc air compressors, 2 massive 10's with high amp draws. It seems to be doing fine. Has power windowsm and alot of power drays. Of course its a bigger alternator.

I just wonder y im frying? And its lined up and tensioned perfect and its a new belt.


I assuming you've looked at all of the wiring and no corrosion and have enough quality grounds?

[Black4DrEK]

Burnt fuse?

[S.Brewer]

I assuming you've looked at all of the wiring and no corrosion and have enough quality grounds?

Yezzir. Its killing me

[S.Brewer]

Burnt fuse?

Nah

[Schroeder]

I guess it could be a weak battery causing the Alternator to constantly make up for the power draw which in turn overheats the alternator. When's the last time you changed your battery?

[D3UC3S]

change the battery...switch the terminal ends to the lead ones and ditch the crappy thin metal ones. You should see a big improvement in electrical output.

[S.Brewer]

Its a damn good interstate. Its not even a year old. Its a great battery.

[Schroeder]

Its a damn good interstate. Its not even a year old. Its a great battery.


If nothing else take it up and get it load tested to find out for sure.

[D3UC3S]

Do you still have the thin metal crappy terminal connectors? I had the same dimming problem and low idle deal. I switched the alternator and then the car wouldn't wanna start sometimes...so i switched the connectors out b/c they were old and worn out, didn't get super tight. After that i never had a problem.

[S.Brewer]

Do you still have the thin metal crappy terminal connectors? I had the same dimming problem and low idle deal. I switched the alternator and then the car wouldn't wanna start sometimes...so i switched the connectors out b/c they were old and worn out, didn't get super tight. After that i never had a problem.


I have done a load test last time. It passed successfully. And the terminals have 0 corosion. i keep my connectors and terminals clean with the wire brush and battery cleaner if i ever need it. they get tight as PHUCK!!!

[BITCHING]

did it do all this with out the baggs or after the baggs

[D3UC3S]

He doesn't have bags.....:doh:

[S.Brewer]

^ Thanks for some common sense lol. I jk. The car is static dropped. I was talking about my chevy... Its bagged. Look in my sig. click the link. lol.

[BITCHING]

ok then i had to look again my bad shit i dont know what to tell you to do ??????

[S.Brewer]

Nah its cool. Im fuckin with ya. I gues for sure imma go to advance and swap it out... AGAIN tomorrow and then see what happens. I know its a good battery, grounded good. Plugs are good, Idk. I might throw some dielectric grease on the terminals on the round plug on the alt. then just see what happens down the road. I seriously appreciate it tho guys. If u figure anything out LMK. O how do i give people reps and all?

[D3UC3S]

click the scale lookin thing in top right of the post

then click I APPROVE:D

[Barefoot]

is oil leaking onto the alt

[Tech5]

How about your battery IF YOU HAVE A BAD BATTERY IT WILL KILL EVERY NEW ALTERNATOR YOU PUT ON THIS CAR...just sayin

[S.Brewer]

no i had it all tested today after i replaced the alt. they caid the starter had low cranking amps and that the alt was not pushing suffecent voltage. That was at advance. Then took it to honda and my buddy tested it and said tyhe same thing, another tech said something about not having enough ground wires or having bad wires or locations. I grabbed 2 ground straps and put em on and had it clean looking and it seems to be doing fine if not better. My starter sounds stronger, and its running good so far. :)

[snowflake09]

That car seems to have been a wiring nightmare since you got it. Lol

[Schroeder]

no i had it all tested today after i replaced the alt. they caid the starter had low cranking amps and that the alt was not pushing suffecent voltage. That was at advance. Then took it to honda and my buddy tested it and said tyhe same thing, another tech said something about not having enough ground wires or having bad wires or locations. I grabbed 2 ground straps and put em on and had it clean looking and it seems to be doing fine if not better. My starter sounds stronger, and its running good so far. :)



You can never have enough grounds! :goodjob:

[S.Brewer]

^ i have heard that more and more now that i incountered the alt prob. I just dont wanna look tacky as shit with like 20 grounds in the bay...