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Charging System Still Not Working
Topic Started: Feb 17 2015, 02:18 PM (2,306 Views)
myredvert
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myredvert

Quote:
 
I offer two points in my defense
1)I'm an idiot
2)the reason it fell out before is the previous owner had not used the right bolt.I used the right bolt and ran it all the way in so......
Did I mention I'm an idiot?
I would call thata successful defense, points well taken, and as far as I'm concerned bonus points for cowboying up and admitting it. :thumb

You're ok in my book, and not just for having a couple of things in common, like a good first name and the ability to occasionally lose our normally tremondous grasp of the obvious ;) :thumb

I'm guessing that there has been a lesson learned here, and not just one about the value of Locktite! :thumb
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Metromightymouse
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Powdercoat Wizard

MichaelSAlford
Feb 20 2015, 05:32 PM
I offer two points in my defense
1)I'm an idiot
2)the reason it fell out before is the previous owner had not used the right bolt.I used the right bolt and ran it all the way in so......

Did I mention I'm an idiot?
:rofl :rofl :rofl

Good argument!!

You win MMM's member of the day!!
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1DCGUY
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Don't be a "Richard"

Metromightymouse
Feb 20 2015, 05:49 PM
MichaelSAlford
Feb 20 2015, 05:32 PM
I offer two points in my defense
1)I'm an idiot
2)the reason it fell out before is the previous owner had not used the right bolt.I used the right bolt and ran it all the way in so......

Did I mention I'm an idiot?
:rofl :rofl :rofl

Good argument!!

You win MMM's member of the day!!
I agree!! ^o) ^o)

After my last post, the conversation could have went 2 ways, and I'm very happy it went the way it did.

My hats off to you MichaelSAlford, you made my day also!! :thumb :thumb
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nwgeo


Everyone can miss stuff... :thumb so was the alternator bolt loose again?
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MichaelSAlford
Advanced Member
[ *  *  *  * ]
Sigh...new bolt, new belt, tightened down the charging wire....no change
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nwgeo


Wholly molly, Good alternator and regulator by test in town, and belt and alignment and bolts tight and belt no slipping, then it has to be in the positive or ground circuit---there must be a intermittent open in one of those circuits. If you have checked and cleaned everything I would suspect the engine bay fuse block.... change it for a used one? Also, I think your battery was new but a possibility is a broken neg or pos post... allows charging and then not.

I have had battery connections that I thought were good but just not clean enough.

Does another geometro member live close to you and you could meet and another set of eyes may see or notice something amiss?
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sphenicie


if you get a new bolt for the alt, get one that is about 3/4" longer than the OEM. then use a nylock nut in addition. the aluminum threads in the alt wear much faster than the steel threads of the bolt, and they get 'loose'. this is usually caused by over tightening, even just one time.


you may be in a situation where rather than "intermittent not charging" you have an intermittent heavy draw, or 'short'. what do you have for gauges? I would start by installing BOTH an ammeter and volt meter. I would use alligator clips or other non permanent attachment to allow you to easily relocate them. start with the battery, alt, then fuse box, and try to isolate systems.
Edited by sphenicie, Feb 22 2015, 08:40 AM.
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TripleThreat


THANKS GMF!
Edited by TripleThreat, Mar 14 2015, 11:42 PM.
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Stubby79
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TripleThreat
Feb 22 2015, 08:32 AM
I wonder if the plug on the back of the alternator could use replacement... Sometimes those can get overheated then have issues like this. If you do replace this plug make sure you properly solder the new one on and shrink wrap the joints.
It should generate power once over 2000rpm, iirc, even if it isn't getting a signal/power through the connector to start it charging below that. If this wasn't the case, I might suspect the ecm not putting out power to get the alt to start generating.

I'd be running a (thickish) wire from the alt + directly to the battery +. With a 40+ amp fuse, if I was concerned...bypassing the fuse block, at least temporarily, so as to prove if it's at the fuse block/in the wire to the fuse block, or not. I might run a ground wire straight to a bolt near the alt too. I'd also have my multimeter hooked up to power, probably at the cigarette lighter, so I could watch the voltage and see if i could figure out if there's any pattern/circumstances under which it specifically is acting up.

I assume the OPs over-heating stopped once the alt/belt was tightened down? ie the water pump was slipping too?
Edited by Stubby79, Feb 22 2015, 11:43 AM.
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Hanuman
"The Almighty Grounds Cleaner"

engine running, put your dvom on the battery terminals. begin playing with all the wiring while keeping your eyes on the dvom out put. when it drops, you have your bad wire.

also, when your headlights flash....(i didnt catch this earlier) are you referring to your headlights flashing, or the day time running lights?...since you have a 1995 geo.
daytime running lights only operate when the system is charging....kinda makes a difference when trouble shooting.
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truckjohn


Tighten up the alternator belt tighter than you have it now....

That plagued me, ruined a battery and even lead to a replaced alternator....

Turns out that if the alternator belt isn't TIGHT - it won't charge at all...

So... Get out that prying screwdriver and pry that sucker tight... then tighten up ALL the bolts - top, bottom, bottom back, AND the 3 bracket to motor bolts

Thanks
Edited by truckjohn, Feb 22 2015, 08:40 PM.
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yiffzer
Forgot His Manpurse

truckjohn
Feb 22 2015, 08:38 PM
Tighten up the alternator belt tighter than you have it now....

That plagued me, ruined a battery and even lead to a replaced alternator....

Turns out that if the alternator belt isn't TIGHT - it won't charge at all...

So... Get out that prying screwdriver and pry that sucker tight... then tighten up ALL the bolts - top, bottom, bottom back, AND the 3 bracket to motor bolts

Thanks
I'm actually doing that right now... except I'm really afraid of damaging the bolts by overtightening or simply breaking it off.
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MichaelSAlford
Advanced Member
[ *  *  *  * ]
Tonight me and the previous owner will be crawling all over the Metro, rechecking everything with a fresh set of eyes. But as far as I can tell, everything is tight, clean, etc.
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MichaelSAlford
Advanced Member
[ *  *  *  * ]
Well, well well...I think we may have it. Last night we found that, on one side of the ignition switch ( with the car running) we have battery voltage, but on the other side we have nothing. According to the schematic, part of the ignition switch completes the charging circuit and should be hot on both sides. This is a definite lead, I think.
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MichaelSAlford
Advanced Member
[ *  *  *  * ]
Just in case anyone was morbidly curious, this problem went away for, I don't know, maybe a couple of months and then returned with a vengeance. I replaced the ignition switch, because that's what we suspected it was, and ...nothing.
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