Charging system help..

[TollKeeper]

Ongoing problem I have been trying to figure out for some time..

Seems to be a common problem, but not really seeing a solution for it..

Generator Battery Control Module anyone??

The last few weeks I've been having to jump start the Tahoe almost daily..there doesn't seem to be a rhyme or reason as to what helps not kill my battery overnight. Along with this issue, my charging system gauge jumps from below 14 to above and my lights dim like the system is surging. My dad...

www.tahoeyukonforum.com

So hears my story...

5 weeks ago, I went to a buddies house to fix his coolant leak on his Equinox. Went to my truck to leave when done, would not crank, but had full power. I cycled the ignition 5 or so times, and it started.

Next day, I go out to the garage, and my truck is dead as a door nail.

Get it started, and head to my local parts warehouse, and we diagnose it as a dead short on a diode.

Replaced the alternator, and all was good.. for 4 hours. And the new alternator died! Error message on the DIC for "Charging System Failure"

Ordered new alternator, got it installed the next morning..

Now its doing some weird stuff, Monday thru Friday, no issues, starts, runs, charges, etc.. Saturday or Sunday, for the past 4 weeks, I will go into the garage, and its dead. 3 times on Saturday, once on a Sunday.

The Dash lights also kinda surge when the engine is running.

Suggestions? Help?

 

[Tonyrodz]

Ongoing problem I have been trying to figure out for some time..

Seems to be a common problem, but not really seeing a solution for it..

Generator Battery Control Module anyone??

The last few weeks I've been having to jump start the Tahoe almost daily..there doesn't seem to be a rhyme or reason as to what helps not kill my battery overnight. Along with this issue, my charging system gauge jumps from below 14 to above and my lights dim like the system is surging. My dad...

www.tahoeyukonforum.com

So hears my story...

5 weeks ago, I went to a buddies house to fix his coolant leak on his Equinox. Went to my truck to leave when done, would not crank, but had full power. I cycled the ignition 5 or so times, and it started.

Next day, I go out to the garage, and my truck is dead as a door nail.

Get it started, and head to my local parts warehouse, and we diagnose it as a dead short on a diode.

Replaced the alternator, and all was good.. for 4 hours. And the new alternator died! Error message on the DIC for "Charging System Failure"

Ordered new alternator, got it installed the next morning..

Now its doing some weird stuff, Monday thru Friday, no issues, starts, runs, charges, etc.. Saturday or Sunday, for the past 4 weeks, I will go into the garage, and its dead. 3 times on Saturday, once on a Sunday.

The Dash lights also kinda surge when the engine is running.

Suggestions? Help?

Looks like it's charging according to the gauge.

 

[TollKeeper]

Its charging, but the pulsing guage, and the lights pulsing in that video or from the alternator..

 

[exp500]

Your parts store recycling returns? AZ here has been doing it at warehouse level. I don't know if it is an incompatible tester or outright fraud. Usually the store brand.

 

[Noggles]

I remember reading about the larger 140amp truck alternators being a better unit from the start and are easier to rebuild with quality parts than the smaller units are. Many suggest finding a 140amp pullout from a junkyard and having a local specialty shop rebuild it. There are a LOT of crap "new" units at the parts stores these days and it shows with things like this.

 

[TollKeeper]

Mine has the 160amp alternator. And I know of no shops that rebuild around me.

 

[swathdiver]

Time for a brand new GM OE alternator. How old is the battery?

 

[Tonyrodz]

Mine has the 160amp alternator. And I know of no shops that rebuild around me.

I don't think there's many shops left that actually rebuilds anything anymore. We live in a throw away society.

 

[TollKeeper]

Time for a brand new GM OE alternator. How old is the battery?

Battery is 2 years, but tested out good, MANY TIMES!

 

[TollKeeper]

Mine has the 160amp alternator. And I know of no shops that rebuild around me.

Not to mention, I would need my original alternator for the rebuild, as the aftermarkets have different bearing bosses

 

[Fless]

Anyone used an online "kit" for rebuilding? I see them for starters and alternators and have always wondered if they were worth it.

 

[TollKeeper]

It may have been the battery after all.. Will find out next weekend.

Went out to the Esky yesterday, and it was dead as a door nail. Pulled the battery out of my Envoy (78 series, thats 4 months old). And dropped her in.

Took the old battery to a local shop for a charge and test. There machine showed it only had 226 CCA. Way to low, but will have to see if the new battery holds up next weekend.

Still odd how this ONLY happens on the weekends.

 

[Fless]

Could be that it sits just a bit too long over the weekend for the weak battery, or it has a parasitic draw that pushes it over the edge faster.

 

[TollKeeper]

That's the odd thing. It gets driven 7 days a week, so extended didn't apply. It's never more than 24 hours. Usually about 16.

 

[Fless]

There goes my theory....

 

[Tonyrodz]

That's the odd thing. It gets driven 7 days a week, so extended didn't apply. It's never more than 24 hours. Usually about 16.

Maybe it doesn't do weekends?

 

[rockola1971]

I watched the OP's video and after hearing about the death of the replacement alternator I would first check amp draw with vehicle off and while running. If that voltmeter is accurate in the dash and its always doing that then it would fit the symptom of an intermittent short in the electrical system. Could be some wiring rubbed up against ground somewhere, could be a problem within the mechanical ignition switch, could very well be the battery getting ready to have one or more shorted cells. First thing I would do is check that battery voltage while running and make sure the dash gauge isnt lying then find your short! Could simply be another bad alternator.

If you want to rebuild it yourself, be prepared to put alot of heat to the 3 stator solder joints. They use silver solder on those. Regular solder will melt during summer use of the alternator combined with engine heat.

 

[TollKeeper]

2 weekend ago, I replaced the battery, and this weekend just past, I did not have to jump start. So maybe it was a bad battery all along.

Even thou it tested good.. Its still doing the pulsing thing on the guage, but its not nearly as pronounced as it was before.