Alternator and electrical junctions

[td873]

My new alternator is still charging low. It's going in for a checkup next week, but I figured I'd spend a few minutes with some DIY diagnosis. I checked a few easy to reach electrical junctions, and cleaned the various connection spots, but one has eluded me. In the post below, someone mentioned a junction in the trans tunnel. Does anyone have a pic of where this is?

-td

FEW things u can check

check the power lead on the pass side of the engine compartment under the lil flip door make sure its clean and tight

theres another junction in the trans tunnel under another lil flip cover if they get coroded u will see low output i have seen it especially on northern cars

lastly

u need to check the excite wire on the back of the alternaotr should have 12v with the key on if you dont have battery voltae there the alt will not have output

u also could have a bad alternator....new ones have been bad before it wouldnt be the first

[PTEC]

The 996 doesnt have a connection there like the 997 does. What connections have you checked so far? What voltage are you seeing at the battery with the car running?

[td873]

The 996 doesnt have a connection there like the 997 does. What connections have you checked so far? What voltage are you seeing at the battery with the car running?

The original quote related to the 996. When I look at the PET, there is a sub-connection somewhere between the engine bay and the battery (number 18 in the picture attached).

In any event, I have well under 13 volts after startup (idling) with nothing running (12.5v). With the lights on I have about 12.25. If I have the lights and AC on, I am around 12.1, but sometimes drops below 12 (11.9v). When I turn things on and off, I can get a voltage "spike" up to 13v, but only for a few seconds, then it drops back down to 12.5-12.6. This is checked using durametric realtime monitoring.

I know it sounds like the alternator, but when I had this one installed, it seemed to charge properly for about a month, but now it's back to FUBAR.

-td

Edited April 5, 2009 by td873