HOW - TO THE CHARGING SYSTEM
Contents
1. PARTS 4 PL US HOW TO THE CHARGING SYSTEM aim et ES Tool And Material Checklist O Belt Tension Gauge O Screwdriver L Aerosol Belt Dressing O Pry Bar O Hydrometer O Sandpaper O Voltmeter O Wrenches O Jumper Cables O Battery Terminal Puller O Tachometer O Safety glasses or googles ic ects pers ral overview of a vehicle repair procedure You should always refer to a service de ed for your vehi yi ee ee ta ed instructions Parts Plus assumes no liability Pa an The charging system performs two basic functions 1 Maintains the battery s state of charge 2 Provides power for all of the car s electrical systems while the engine is running It s a fairly simple system consisting of a battery alternator voltage regulator indicator gauge or warning light and the wiring that connects the components to each other and to the units they serve As you ll see in this booklet maintaining troubleshooting and repairing the charging system are all within the range of the do it yourselfer BELT MAINTENANCE It is very important to regularly check the alternator dive belt this can be done whenever the cooling system is serviced Check the belt tension using a belt tension gauge And while both new and old belt tension specifications are provided in your service manual keep in mind that a belt is considered old after just 10 minutes of use If you do not have a belt tension gauge press do2. alternator toward the fan and slip the drive belt of the pulley 4 Label and disconnect the wires attached to the alternator 5 Remove the mounting bolts and alternator 6 Reinstall the new or repaired alternator and the mounting bolts 7 Reconnect the wires in their proper locations 8 Slip the drive belt over the pulley Use a pry bar to pull the alternator away from the fan until the belt is tight 9 Tighten the mounting bolts 10 Check the drive belt for proper tension and make any necessary adjustments ALTERNATOR DRIVE BELT REPLACEMENT 1 Loosen the two alternator bolts and push the alternator toward the fan 2 Insome cases additional belts must be removed to gain access to the drive belt Take note of which belts ride in which grooves before removing them 3 Remove the drive belt 4 Install the new drive belt being careful not to stretch it Reinstall any other belts 5 Use a pry bar to tighten the belt then tighten the bolts Do not over tighten the belt it should be firm but flexible 6 Check and adjust the belt tension 7 Run the engine to make sure all belts are working properly Check the belt tension again after a few weeks Tightening the alternator drive belt SERPENTINE BELT REPLACEMENT Simply put a serpentine belt is one belt that takes the place of many To replace it proceed as follows 1 Position the pry bar in the tab on the spring canister 2 Pull down to raise the
3. is not as easy to diagnose is overcharging which occurs when the voltage regulator fails to limit alternator output This causes the alternator to overcharge the battery which in turn can ruin the components that use electricity Also the sulfuric acid battery fluid vaporizes at a faster rate when too much current is being supplied If the battery cells are allowed to empty the dry plates will d eteriorate and the battery will die It 1s even possible for an overcharged battery to explode For this reason the battery fluid level should be checked every few weeks If the level is frequently low the system is probably overcharging Also check the level immediately if you should smell rotten eggs which can be caused by vaporized sulfuric acid An overcharging condition can be detected with an ammeter though a voltmeter 1s much easier to use If the ammeter shows continuously high charge rates or if the battery voltage often exceeds 14 5 volts overcharging is the probable cause TROUBLESHOOTING The troubleshooting procedures that follow will help you head off charging system problems before they occur Be sure to do each procedure in its entirety do not skip any steps BATTERY CHECK 1 Connect the positive lead of the voltmeter to the positive terminal of the battery and the negative lead to the negative terminal NOTE Protect your eyes with safety glasses or goggles when doing this procedure 2 Remove the coil cable
4. e metal tab and the alternator housing the regulator 1s being bypassed Rear of Alternator Testing Hole Full field testing a GM model 1B Ford models Turn off the engine and remove the regulator connector Connect a jumper wire between the A and F terminals of the plug Full field testing a Ford model 1C Chrysler models Turn of the engine Locate the green wire connecting the alternator field terminal to the regulator disconnect this wire from the alternator Connect a jumper wire from the alternator field terminal to a good ground 2 Once the regulator has been bypassed repeat the load test 3 If the full field voltage exceeds the engine off voltage by 1 2 volt or more the regulator is defective and must be replaced 4 Ifthe increase in the voltage is less than 1 2 volt either the alternator or wiring is faulty 5 Inspect the wiring for signs of wear or heat damage 6 If the wiring looks good the alternator 1s probably the faulty component NOTE When performing the no load load and full field tests try to finish them within a total engine running time of 5 minutes If more time is needed to finish the tests wait 30 minutes before continuing This will allow the catalytic converter to cool thus preventing it from being damaged REGULATOR REPAIR Once it has been determined that the problem is with the regulator and not the alternator you can find out if the source is the regulator
5. from the distributor cap 3 Ground the coil cable to the engine block by connecting a jumper cable between the two This will prevent dangerous arcing of the high voltage spark To disable the HEI ignition on some GM cars just disconnect the small lead attached to the BAT terminal on the distributor Alternator Voltage Battery Regulator Voltmeter Making a battery check 4 While cranking the engine observe the voltage reading It should be above 9 6 volts for conventional batteries and above 10 volts for maintenance free batteries NOTE A hydrometer can be used in place of this voltmeter test to check battery capacity Be sure the hydrometer is clean inside and out to ensure an accurate reading NO LOAD TEST This test will determine whether or not the system is charging the battery and if not whether the alternator or regulator is at fault It requires a voltmeter capable of measuring at least 16 volts down to tenths of a volt If the charging system on your car has an externally mounted regulator warm up the engine before performing the following test 1 Turn off the engine lights and all other accessories 2 Attach an engine tachometer according to the manufacturer s instructions 3 Connect the voltmeter to the battery by attaching the positive lead to the positive terminal and the negative lead to the negative terminal 4 Note the voltmeter reading If itis less than 12 volts charge the batte
6. itself or its wiring or ground 1 Check the wiring between the regulator and alternator for heat damage or wear The regulator is usually mounted on the firewall or on the finder under the hood 2 Remove the bolts from the voltage regulator 3 Use sandpaper to clean off the area around the bolts and the spot where the voltage regulator mounts on the car This will assure a good ground 4 Clean reinstall and tighten the bolts 5 Perform all of the troubleshooting procedures again to see if the problem still exists 6 If so the problem is either in the wiring or the regulator itself If you have already inspected the wiring try replacing the regulator Examples of regulators 7 Most voltage regulators are housed inside the alternator and should be replaced by a professional The externally mounted type can be replaced easily enough just be sure to label any wires that have to be disconnected Caution The battery ground cable should be disconnected before replacing the voltage regulator ALTERNATOR REPAIR Typical regulator location If the alternator 1s found to be malfunctioning you can either replace it or have it repaired To replace an alternator proceed as follows 1 Disconnect the battery ground cable using a battery terminal puller if necessary 2 Loosen the alternator bolts There are usually two one adjustment bolt at the top and one connecting the alternator to the engine block 3 Push the
7. ry Then note the voltage reading again and record it 5 Start the engine and slowly increase the speed to 1 500 rpm 6 Note the voltmeter reading again If it exceeds the engine off voltage by more than 2 volts the system has a faulty regulator a poor regulator ground or a short circuit in the wiring between the alternator and regulator 7 If this voltage reading exceeds the engine off voltage by less than 2 volts perform a load test LOAD TEST 1 Keep the tachometer and voltmeter connected as they were for no load test 2 Note and record the voltage reading 3 Start the engine and turn on the heater or air conditioner at high speed Turn on all lights and accessories 4 Increase the engine speed to 3 000 rpm and note the voltmeter reading 5 If this reading exceeds the engine off voltage by 1 2 volt or more the charging system is functioning properly 6 If his reading exceeds the engine off voltage by less than 1 2 volt perform a full field test FULL FIELD TEST When the regulator s control function is bypassed the alternator runs full field The method of bypassing the regulator differs depending on the type of vehicle For this reason Step 1 of the full field test changes from car to car while the remaining steps are the same for all models 1 GM models Insert a screwdriver blade no more than 3 4 inch into the D shaped testing hole in the alternator end frame When the screwdriver contacts both th
8. tensioning pulley 3 Remove the serpentine belt from the other pulleys and replace it with a new one Replacing the serpentine belt
9. wn on the belt with your thumb midway between tow pulleys Ifit deflects more than 1 2 it is too loose The belt should also be inspected for signs of wear Check for oil grease or hard glaze on the underside of the belt any of these can cause it to slip on its pulleys resulting in reduced output from the alternator Another sign of a worn belt is squealing noise This sound can also mean that the alternator 1s developing a bearing problem To find the source of the squeal apply aerosol belt dressing to the belt If the squealing stops or changes pitch the belt is the source of the noise If the noise continues as before remove the belt and run the engine If the noise is gone the problem is inside the Broken Undercore Glazed Signs of alternator drive belt wear alternator otherwise the source of the noise is outside the charging system NOTE A good rule of thumb 1s to replace the alternator drive belt every three years regardless of its appearance Instructions for this procedure are included later in this booklet PROBLEM DIAGNOSIS Typical ammeter It s usually easy to know when the charging system is not generating enough power just look at the warning light or gauge If the light or gauge is not working the battery will discharge to alert you of a potential problem The charging system should also be checked if the engine cranks slowly or if dim headlights brighten upon acceleration A problem that
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