wtf is up with alternator

Ok first part of the story is about 14 days ago my running voltage was low (12.x) and every day it gradually got worse until it hit day 5, day 5 was the worst low 11's running and would nearly die with headlights/brake lights on so it wasnt safe to drive at night.

But for about 5 days after THAT (day 10) it was gradually getting better, I know I should have fixed it, but if youve changed an alternator on a 3g before you know how it can be pushed off. So on Day 10 it was good, it made it throught the night and didnt get so dim it almost died. During this time iv seen the charging light flicker a little (even when it almost dies, it would barely flicker)

Day 12 (thursday night) the lights were brighter than ive ever seen at night, had good viewing range and everything seemed to be working great

Day 13 I worked a 10 hour shift at night and the car ran like a champ

Now last night I go to leave this party about 2am, car cranks perfectly fine and fires right up. Turn the headlights on and start to drive away and the charging light comes on, and stays on. This was kinda outta no where but didnt go away at al. It was also revving high like 2k constantly when the idle was set at a nice 700rpm. It wouldnt kick down at high rpms too. I didnt have a chance to look at it last night (way too drunk, gf was driving) and she worked at 9am where I just got up now at 12:30 so I have to wait for the car to come back to check it out.

Any ideas?

change the damn thing to the legend alt...it pumps out 110watts our stock one just pumps out like 65. and its basicaly a basic install....Cke has the details.

I know about the swap, and its Amps not watts. But its still the fact of changing it being a bitch to do, also why does it rev so high?

The Choke heater coil is tied into the alternator circuit (which can sometimes trigger the idiot light on the dash for charging system). So, perhaps it is your choke heater that is failing and not the alternator (can happen :)). This would also explain your issue with the no-kick down for idle.

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Originally Posted by FyreDaug

I know about the swap, and its Amps not watts. But its still the fact of changing it being a bitch to do, also why does it rev so high?

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sorry i was thinking about my amp...so i said watts....yeah it is a bitch to take it out...but you might as well change it for the more output....also your carb needs some cleaning...i put some carb cleaner and one of my vacumm lines was cracking...so i changed some ...and it semi fixed it

if youve recently changed it, it shouldnt be as hard to do again, but its still a bitch, my pivot bolt was so rounded, but once i got that off the alt was still stuck in there stiff as hell, i got the hammer out and hammered it out, but it was still in the engine bay, so had to pull it out from top, and pulled it and put a nice hole in my hand thanks to some random screw sticking outta the firewall. anyways, i dont think its your alt, just your voltage regulator. just loosen the pivot bolt, undo the adjusting one, swing the alt down and try swap it there. i dont know what its like to change the alt on your LHD cars, but bboth ways, its still a bitch :(

Quote:

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Originally Posted by '89AccordLX(Rus)

The Choke heater coil is tied into the alternator circuit (which can sometimes trigger the idiot light on the dash for charging system). So, perhaps it is your choke heater that is failing and not the alternator (can happen :)). This would also explain your issue with the no-kick down for idle.

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Well there are 3 "sets" of wires going to the carb. 1 of them is a single wire that looks like its for a sensor that goes near the choke. About a 20awg wire. Then there are 2 other wires with a pluggable socket thing (to seperate the connection) that goes into the back of the carb. And then there are 2 thicker wires in another pluggable thing that goes to the driver side of the carb.

The 20awg wire is disconnected, tried that first. No difference.
The 2 thicker wires dont seem to do anything connected or not
And the 2 wires going into the back of the carb if they are disconnected the idle goes erratic. Idle is 800rpm, itll dip to about 500 almost stall then go higher (1200 or so) and keep fluctuating. Plugging it back in, instantly solves this.

Im sure the charging light that is on right now is alternator related, because ive got a battery charger on my car right now, and the battery is only at about 65% capacity. With absolutely nothing running except engine/signals and brake lights now and then it shouldnt be just at 65%.

I also tried disconnecting the plug on the back of the alternator to possibly make the light go away. Itll still "charge" with the thicker guarge wire on top, but iirc the plug just monitors the voltage, turns the light on when needed and send extra power to keep the choke from opening all the way? Maybe not, but I think disconnecting it will make the light go away and put the idle back to normal, but I cant get the fucker off. So I just jammed the choke open from behind the carb and the idle is fine again. I godda drive it 10 hours tomorrow night (off and on) so it better last.