alternator - charging help (posted pics and specs)

alternator - charging help (SOLVED)

We are at the end of our CJ5 build... finally got it running but it isn't charging. The alternator works fine but I think we have it hooked up incorrectly.

specs: 78 CJ5, 258, Mallory ignition, stock alternator (I believe)

Here is a pic before the tear down (when it worked fine)



Here is a pic of the mess we had recently...This is before we started wiring everything... THIS PIC IS JUST TO SHOW PARTS ... we did manage to get it running but it just won't charge... there is 14.4 at the battery.



Could someone take the above pic and photoshop in where the wires would go? or a detailed description... indicated wire gauge too (I think some might be too light)

thx for any help... we are so close now.

 

If there is 14.4V at the battery when it's running, then the alternator is charging.

If its not holding the charge, then your battery is suspect.

What are your specific symtoms?

 

The battery is new... we thought the battery was the problem too so we replaced it.. no change.

It starts up no problem... it will show 14.4 at the battery.

However, we go for a drive... maybe 10-15min and the battery is too weak to turn over... sounds like it is nearly dead.

I read somewhere that you can have 14.4 and still not be charging the battery... perhaps the wire gauge is too thin?

 

If it was me, I'd check the bat volts without the engine running then with it running. If it's around 12 with the engine off, then 14 with it running, it must be charging. Check it again running, not running, after ten minutes to see if it changed. If after the ten minutes it still shows 14 when running, check it with the engine off again. If the battery is 12 volts when not running and it will not turn over properly, then I would say you could have a starter or solenoid problem.
Whereabouts in Nova Scotia are you?

 

Hope you get it going.

 

haha... no not a caper. I am in Halifax. Yes the wires in the second picture are in no way hooked up properly... just wanted to show a picture of the parts. Not sure what we were doing when that pic was taken The battery is not even connected in that one

To answer your question... the battery does read 12v not running... then 14.4 when running... then after a little drive it will read less than 12v at the battery when turned off... it's like it is just running on the battery :\ which drains fairly quickly in that situation.

 

If the battery is charged and just running the ignition without any accessories, the bat should be able to operate for a lot longer than 10 to 15 minutes before crapping out. By the way, I took out my last post with the caper comment since I figured if my cousins on the island saw it they would be p****d!

 

Hi, I'm the co-worker on this build, just wanted to post a bit more info:

-Definitely getting 14.4 when running at the battery posts
-No idiot light or resistor in the system currently
-this jeep has bare-bones wiring. Just a simple 4-fuse panel in the passeneger kickwell for the starter switch, and a battery isolator switch for an ignition on switch. Very basic. Most wiring is 18 ga wire, with the exception of the starter power wires, ground wires and the charge wire from the alt to the + terminal, which are 10 gauge or so.

Jeep is known for starting, running, showing a charge, then dying after about 10-15 minutes of running. Will still turn over after this, but will not catch.

Usually 2 hours on the battery charger will get it to start again. interestingly enough, if we jump the battery from a running vehicle, this will not get it start either.

I'll be out at the shop again tomorow, i will grab some pictures of the current setup for more info.

 

Also a thought. this has a Mallory ignition (has a little control module installed in the distributor, and a mallory coil), which I know next to nothing about. This was previously hooked up wrong and the control module blew up. Could there also be something wrong with the coil causing this issue?

 

If it was the solenoid you would hear some sort of clicking or something. My guess is a wiring problem......is it possible the belt on the alternator isn't tight enough and not spinning properly at high rpms? I'm only guessing here.

 

I wonder if it might have something to do with the starter solenoid being mounted to the "fireglass" tub?

It should be properly grounded.
Couldn't hurt.

 

I believe in the current set up the solenoid is grounded to the frame... but I will verify.

Things to do today..
1.Take very detailed pictures... I will post them later today.
2.Test for spark before we start it... then after it dies.
3. Verify volts at battery before/during/after it dies.
4. Verify solenoid is properly grounded (not just to the glass).
5. Check tension on alternator belt.

Will post all results later... anything else to try today??

 

I don't remember on the 78 wiring if it had a special ignition resistant wire in the loom or not. I believe mallory requires a ballast resistor or resistant wire to protect the module. Might check the installation instructions on your particular model module/coil set-up.

 

Could you take another picture of your alternator? In the current picture, I see the wires for the GM connector, but I don't see a charge wire going from the BAT terminal to the battery.

 

And if that wire was 18 ga, it is not near big enough, even for a lowly 37 amp SI 10. The minimum should be 10 ga.

 

Ok... so I am going to answer the questions first... then post the pictures.

Started up today no problem... drove it for 15min or so... then it just died. It hesitates just before it stops...you can tell it is coming within seconds.

answer 2: Spark is weak right after it dies.
answer 3: Battery is still reading 12.65 after it dies.. and reads 14.4 while running.
answer 4: Solenoid is grounded to the negative terminal of the battery..which in turn is grounded to the frame
answer 5: Tension is fine and fan is spinning.

Pictures...
alternator


mallory coil... resister... solenoid




full view... not that great


fuse panel.. lol


The only thing we changed today was to run the 'white' wire from the alternator directly to the fuse panel.. you see it in the middle above... before this wire went no where... same result.

 

Here is a labeled diagram.. and yes once I confirm the wires are in the correct place it will be cleaned up..