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Alternators
An alternator is an old term for electric generator that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy producing alternating current. Alternators are mainly used for recharging batteries and to power electrical loads of vehicles.
4,629 Questions
How do you know if it is the alternator that needs to be replaced?
Check the voltage at the battery with engine running. It should read 13.5 to 15.5 volts. Any less and the alternator is suspect.
Hey Ginger==It is very simple.The alternator has 3 connections. One big one for the hot wire from the battery whivh is hot all of the time. The F terminal needs a wire that has voltage when the ignition is turned on and the L terminal goes to the light on the dash. These three wires are at the regulator and just need a little of checking out to find out which one goes where. GoodluckJoe THE EASIEST WAY IS TO INSTALL WHAT'S CALLED A SELF-EXCITING OR ONE-WIRE ALTERNATOR. THE ARE AVAILABLE AT AUTO PARTS STORES AND ON THE INTERNET THROUGH RETAILERS AND E-BAY. YOU WILL PROBABLY NEED TO PURCHASE A MOUNTING BRACKET KIT IN ORDER TO ADAPT YOUR NEW ALTERNATOR AS WELL. THE BEAUTY OF THE ONE WIRE IS THAT IT ELIMINATES THE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHICH WIRES GO WHERE. ALL YOU SIMPLY HAVE TO DO IS RUN A CABLE FROM THE B+ STUD TERMINAL ON THE BACK OF THE ALTERNATOR TO THE BATTERY. THAT'S IT, NO FUSS. ERICK When you convert from the external regulator alternator, you no longer need the regulator that is mounted on the radiator support. You also don't need some of the wiring that is present in the loom. The diagram below shows the original connection at the old regulator. (I'm sorry, but the wire that is colored yellow, is really white)
The next diagram shows how you modify the loom at this location. Notice that the blue wire is jumpered to the brown wire. The white wire and the orange wire are just capped off so that they will not short out to anything. This next diagram shows what you have to do at the new alternator. The wire that goes from the "BATT" terminal to the #2 terminal is a new wire that you will have to add. You can use a 14 gauge wire. The white wire (shown yellow) just gets capped off. You will need a new connector to fit the new alternator and they can be purchased at almost any auto parts shop. Due to my being bothered by the "extra" wire being in the loom, I totally removed the dead white and orange wires. I also wired the brown wire to the alternator directly. It just gets rid of some extra length of wire. The prior paragraph has caused me a lot of e-mail feed back and hopefully the following information will clear it up. In my final wiring configuration, the "brown wire" comes from the alternator indicator light, through the firewall connector, and directly to the alternator. The result is electrically the same as the diagram at the top of the sheet, just cleaner. The diagram above would have the brown wire coming out of the connector at the firewall, going toward where the regulator was, connecting to the blue wire, then the blue wire goes to the alternator. As I said, I cleaned up the wiring (and in the process, dirtied up the wording). In order to ensure good connections, I recommend that you always solder the connections and then use heat shrink tubing to seal it.
How do you replace the alternator belt on a 1994 Honda Passport?
I have a 1995 Honda Passport, 3.2L. Look under the truck and find the alt. There is a slack adjuster under the alt. Loosen the bolt next to adjuster, then back off the bolt on the adjuster. Take off the bolt on the bottom of alt. Loosen the top bolt to the alt. You should be able to move the alt. to get the belt off.
How is alternating current produced in a generator?
In an AC generator an armature is rotated in a magnetic field. This induces an electric current in the armature.
if you want more look on the bottom.
As the crank turns the armature rotates in the magnetic field. One side of the armature moves up, and the other side moves down. The up and down motion induces a current in the wire. The current is in opposite directions on two sides of the armature. After the armature turns halfway, each side of it reverses direction in the magnetic field. The side that moved up moves down, vice versa. The current is induced. As the Armature turns, slip rings turn with it. They are attached to the ends of the armature. As they turn, they make contact with the brushes. The brushes can be connected to the rest of the circuit. In this way, a generator becomes energy source.
Your battery keeps going dead after a new battery and a new alternator?
something is drawing power all of the time. things to check include glovebox, trunk, and dome lights
What year and vehicle are we talking about. 2001 and above convertibles have the voltage regulator in the main body pcm. The alternator and battery can both be good, but the system will not recharge properly if the pcm is bad. Practically all cars have some drain on the battery after the key is turned off to keep the clock settings, radio settings and bcm data. Also, phone chargers, mp3 players and other accessories plugged into the cigarette lighter put a large drain on your battery. How long of period does it take to run down the battery.
I had this problem on my 2000 durango - turned out to be the rear wiper had not returned to its resting position & was continually drawing elec.
Where is the voltage regulator located in a 1994 Dodge 250 RAM VAN It is not inside the alternator.?
i have a 91 dodge ram 250 van and the voltage regulator went out on it. My Va was located in the computer. a new computer will run about $230. i got mine from a junk yard for 30 bucks and it works fine. the computer is on the fire wall in a black box. i have a 91 dodge ram 250 van and the voltage regulator went out on it. My Va was located in the computer. a new computer will run about $230. i got mine from a junk yard for 30 bucks and it works fine. the computer is on the fire wall in a black box.
How do you replace the alternator on a 1985 GMC truck?
it is recommended that inexperienced people consult a mechanic when performing any type of vehicle maintenance.
to replace an alternator you will need
-replacement alternator
-sockets and wrenches
-patience
once you have everything, you can begin. whenever working on any electrical car component, it is important to disconnect the battery. You do not need to disconnect the positive terminal, only the negative. the reason for this is that the entire engine is connected to the negative side, allowing components such as spark plugs to have only a positive wire connecting to them.
after the battery is safely disconnected, removal of the alternator is a simple matter of removing 2 bolts, 2 wires, and pulling it out. after that, simply reverse the process to install the new alternator.
it may be necessary to remove other hoses or components in order to create a space large enough to get the alternator through. if this is the case, just be sure to replace the removed parts.
How would you know if your car battery has a dead cell?
If the battery will not hold a charge it more than likely has a dead cell. If the battery is over 4 years old, replace it.
How do you replace the alternator on a 1997 Dodge Neon?
Changing the alternator on a 1996 Dodge Neon? First buy a repair book like a Haynes or Chiltons it will be worth the expense. Next brush up on your four letter words because this is not an easy job. Make sure there are no small children within earshot. Raise the vehicle so you can get under it. Remove the battery hook ups. Under the car remove the plastic splash guard (3 bolts, 1 plastic snap clip). Spray all bolts with a penetrant and let soak in. Remove the two electrical hook ups from the alternator. Loosen the adjustment bolt (back side top) of the alternator and remove the belt. Remove the lower and upper mounting bolts. Remove the 3 pivot mounting bracket bolts and the mounting bracket. You may have to tug and shimmy the alternator loose. It is very hard to see where some of the bolts are and even harder to get a wrench on some of them.
Remove the neg. battery cable then the wires from the altermator. Then remove the belt and the mounting bolts and then the altermator.
Take the passenger side wheel off and do your work from under the car,make sure you jack it up high and use jackstands for safety,it only took me 30 minutes and no four letter words...jeffbone
How do you replace the alternator on a 1998 Ford F-150?
Remove the neg battery cab;e then the wires on the alternator.. Disengage the belt and take the mounting bolts out of the alternator. There should be a routing schematic for the belt on the fan shroud.
How do you change the alternator on a 2001 Santa Fe?
Please Read at bottom...
It seems kind confusing your answer. Why remove the AC pump if it is on the front area of the engine and the alternator is on the back?
The problem on removing the alternator on this vehicle is on the bracket that seems to lock the CV Axle in place. This bracket is behind the alternator and seems like it has to be removed so the lower bolt holding the alternator can be removed as well. I have my vehicle up and the alternator hanging by it's lower bolt because it can not be removed as it hits the bracket behind the alternator.
I am just getting a technical manual to figure out the proceeds in to remove the bracket behind the alternator and have room to remove the lower bolt holding the alternator. What a better response??? Avoid buying such a difficult car to work with; even changing spark plugs is a hassle on this vehicle, unless you want to have a +- $900.00 spark plug service on a $3000.00 vehicle.
IN ORDER TO CHANGE THE ALTERNATOR YOU WILL NEED TO; DISCONNECT THE BATTERY, REMOVE THE SKID PAN FROM THE UNDERCARIAGE, UNBOLT THE AIR CONDITIONING PUMP FROM ITS BRACKET(FROM UNDER THE CAR) (CAREFULL ITS PROBABLY CHARGED WITH FREON). LET IT HANG. GO TO THE TOPSIDE, UNDER THE HOOD, AND UNBOLT THE THREE NUTS ON THE ALTERNATOR. RMOVE THE STUDS FROM THE BACK SIDE. REMOVE YOUR FREEON HIGH PRESSURE HOSES FORM THE AIRCONDITIONING PUMP.( BE CAREFUL, BECAUSE IT WILL BLOW FREON EVERYWHERE, NOT GOOD FOR THE OZONE, BUT I HAVE NOT MASTERED THE ART OF CATCHING HIGH PRESSURE VAPORS) GO BACK TO THE UNDERCARRIAGE AND REMOVE THE AIR CONDITIONING PUMP. UNBOLT THE BRACKET THAT IT WAS MOUNTED TO BOLTED TO THE ENGINE NEXT TO THE OIL FILTER. NOW YOU CAN DISCONNECT THE FAST CONNECTOR FROM THE ALTRERNATOR, (EASIEST FROM THE TOP SIDE) THE GO BACK TO THE BOTTOM AND UNBOLT THE POWER CABLE FORM THE ALTERNATOR.(ENSURE YOU HAVE ALREADY DISCCONECTED THE BATTERY) GO TO THE PASSENGERS SIDE REACH OVER THE FENDER AND REMOVE THE SERPENTINE BELT. GET UNDER THE CAR REACH UP AND PULL OUT THE ALTERNATOR. IT MAY REQUIRE A LITTLE LEVERAGE DUE TO HOW TIGHT IT FITS IN THE BRACKET. AFTER REASSYMBLY YOU WILL NEED TO GET YOUR AIR CONDITIOINING RECHARGED WITH FREON. ITS R-34 AND YOU CAN PURCHASE THE PRESSURIZED CANS AT MOST AUTOMOTIVE STORES FOR ABOUT THIRTEEN DOLLARS A BOTTLE. GOOD LUCK
There is a much simpler way to replace your alternator. Jackup and brace front passenger side. Remove front passenger tire and the small plastic inner fender panel (4 bolts 10 mm). The alternator is right there. Remove belt and inspect now is the time to replace it if needed. its easiest two remove the two bolts the hold the tensioner on once you have the belt off the tensioner. Your factory tensioner will require pushing on it from the top, an aftermarket one(about 70 bucks) will have the 3/8 fitting for a socket handle. Removing the tensioner is done to feed the belt through easier onto the upper pulley as there isn't much room to push it through attached. With belt removed there are two bolts to remove. remove the upper bolt the take the nut off the lower bolt its easier to loosen the bracket for the upper bolt as well (for reassemble) once you have the upper bolt out and the lower bolt off the bracket molded into the block is slotted gently pry up and wiggle alternator and itll come off with bolt in place. put bolt in the new alternator. you can now rotate the alternator to remove the battery terminsl and the plug. remove alternator and reverse the procedure. remember to tighten the alternator bracket after you have the alternator in place and the top bolt started. its not 100% necesarry to loosen the bracket but it makes lining up the bolt hole on the alternator easier. Absolutely no reason to do anything with the ac pump or any other component.
Ok Having now done this myself I can say that what is directly above is correct.
Honestly this job is not all that difficult. By the way mine is a 2003 with a 2.7L. I am assuming that this is the same for all models from 2001 thru 2006 I believe?
I recommend several other things than above. Move the tensioner, and slide the belt off of the idler pulley. Don't take off the tensioner... Move the tensioner again and remove the belt from the alternator. Then just push the belt up out of the way of the alternator. Much easier for reassembly.
Now there are two key items that no one seems to elaborate on. The back or rear bracket hole in the alternator is slightly larger then the front bracket hole. In the rear bracket hole is a hard plastic grommet that is slotted. This allows the alternator to slop when the nut has been removed. The other really key piece of info is that the bracket itself is completely slotted front to back. This is how the whole thing comes easily apart. Yes some one really did think about this... As soon as you apply some downward pressure at the other bracket, (That's the one that is single and threaded), the entire alternator will almost pop out of the slotted bracket. Once you have it out you can then pivot around some to get a socket on the nut for the charging wire. Assume you know how to get the interlock plug out.
Reassembly is really much easier if you loosen the two bolts in the bracket that the bolt goes through to screw into to the single threaded hole. Alignment is really difficult almost impossible if you don't.
Also have to get my dig in. Shame on you Haynes Manuals for taking the easy out approach and saying, "Space is limited in this area and other parts must be removed to replace the alternator."
How do you replace the alternator on a 1990 Acura Integra?
Correction: to remove the alternator,first you have to remove the master cylinder, and take off the wheel guard by the wheel well(maybe 3 plug in screws) so that you can get at the alternator bolt. Once you get the upper and lower bolts off, use something to pry it out with (2x4 works well), then carefully slide it out, tight squeeze but can be done, and there you go. At the most, maybe 2-3 hrs.
Correct correction, don't remove the master cylinder, you have to bleed the brakes and getting to the mounting hardware and removing the brake lines can be disaster. I have been a mechanic for over 30 years. Do this instead;
remove the left wheel-remove the upper ball joint cover, two 10mm nuts cover the castle nut, remove the castle nut. Remove the strut assembly bolt from the lower control arm, that will give you the necessary travel to remove the driveshaft, that's what is really you need to do to remove and drop the alternator out. Now remove the lower mounting bolt from the wishbone from the lower control arm, this will allow more travel to remove the driveshaft. Remove the upper control arm ball joint nut. You have to release the tension of the upper ball joint to the upper control arm, one way is to use an expensive removal tool or thread the castle nut back on the ball joint stud just enough to protect the threads from being damaged. The object here is to pop the ball joint stud out of the control arm, this is when you have to be careful-I used a lead faced hammer or you can use a brass faced hammer, remember the idea here is to protect the threads. It will take a couple of brave licks to free the balljoint stud from the spindle. I also removed the brake hose securing attachment to allow more freedom for the brake hose. Remove the castle nut from the end of the driveshaft, it's gonna take a big socket, be careful to use a punch to get the locking face of the nut away from the groove of the shaft, take your time and move with small hits on the punch.When that is done remove the driveshaft. I will take some prying from the inner half shaft, be careful not to damage any of the soft rubber boots surrounding the CV joints. The left side of the drive shaft is in two pieces, the inner shaft stays put. Swing the spindle assembly toward the rear of the car and that will give you enough clearance to remove the shaft and finagle the alternator out.Remember to get some cotter pins, if you can save the old ones, good. Don't forget to relearn the computer idle speed calibration, I did the first time and had to disconnect the battery and relearn the computer.
Where is the alternator in a 2006 mercury mariner?
The alternator is located behind the inner fender well on the passenger side. Must remove tire and splash guard to see it.
This might sound too simple.....but on my Z...I found out that the power mirror control was getting stuck, and making the mirror move all night long. It would drain the power little by little. After a week or so the battery would be drained. Just a thought
I would suspect that something is drawing current from the battery while the car is sitting. Dome, trunk, glove box, under hood, courtesy lights are possible culprits. In rare instances a power window switch stuck in the up position can cause this. At night when it is dark, remove the negative battery cable. If when you touch the negative post, you see a spark, then something is on.
Answerbad grounding maybeHow do you change an alternator on a 1991 Corvette?
Remove clip-on and red wire from back Remove belt by releasing pressure on the auto-pressure arm on passenger side of motor at front, near center at bottom. I used a 2-foot jack lever to push down while a second person removes belt with screwdriver remove 2 bolts holding down the reservoir in front of the lowest bolt on the alternator Remove 3 bolts Reassemble. 2nd' person needed to re-attach belt while i hold down pressure arm. Saved me 400 bucks
How do you change the alternator on a 1995 Honda Civic Dx?
It is located on the firewall side of the engine. This is not a step by step, but more of a rough guide. Remove the positive off of the battery. Jack up the driver side front of the car and secure it on jackstands. Remove driver side front tire. Reaching down from the top, remove the bolt (10mm) holding the power wire on the top of the alternator, and the plug from the back of the alternator. The alternator has 2 bolts holding it on, and both need to be removed. The bottom one is a 14mm and the top one is a 12mm. Remove these bolts, and remove the belt. Removing the alternator out of the engine bay is kinda tricky, just rotate it around and drop it out of the bottom of the car. Installation is reverse of this. To tighten the belt, take a pry bar or long screwdriver and put it down in the alternator and pull towards the front of the car, then tighten the bolts. That should be all of it. Just remember to tighten all the bolts.
Probably have a 'parasitic load'. This is something causing an abnormal battery drain while the car is off.
How do you replace the alternator on a 2000 Chevy Blazer?
There is a pulley directly underneath your alternator that has a nut on the back of it. You'll need a wrench to put on it and push down to get slack on the belt. After removing the belt there are three bolts (two in the front and one on the back) that need to be removed. Then disconnect the wire harness and you may need something to pry the alternator out of the bracket and that's it.
What are the symptoms of a failed alternator in a 96 Honda civic?
low charge, rough idle, dimmed lights. With the vehicle running and headlights on or wipers on the alternator should be charging around 15v 15.5v
Why did a lighting symbol showing on your dash an now ma battery drains what could it be?
Defective alternator.
What fundamental quantity underlies the concepts of voltages and currents?
Voltage is a measurement of the difference in "levels" and current is a measure of "rate of flow"
Let's use heat as an analogy. You may have a large cup of water at room temperature. If you add a teaspoon of boiling water to the cup, heat will be transferred from the 1 teaspoonful of boiling water to the water in the large cup at room temperature. Heat flows from a body at a higher level of temperature to one that is at a lower level of temperature. The quantity of water in the cup which is larger than the quantity in the teaspoon does not dictate the direction in which the temperature flows. Voltage is similar, current always flows from a body at a higher voltage to one that is at a lower voltage.
Another analogy. When you pump gasoline from a gas station, into your car tank, you control the rate of flow by pressing lightly or strongly on the lever at the end of the tube. Initially you press it hard to get the tank filled up, but towards the end you ease on the lever to reduce the rate of flow so that (if you are like me) you can reach a round amount like $40.00 or $45.00 and current is like that, the rate of flow.
Voltage and current are related. Current through a material depends on the diameter of the wire and its resistance.
How do you change alternator on a 1995 Grand Am?
Disconnect your battery first. Then remove the belt you can buy or borrow a tool for the tension pulley or use a long bar just be careful where you rest it. Remove the nut on the back of the alternator holding the power wire then remove the to bolts holding the alternator.
