mission mike Posted February 26, 2015 Share Posted February 26, 2015 Started out yesterday on what was going to be a three week trip down to California from British Columbia, made it about 12 miles, had just crossed into the USA when our alternator failed, alternator and brake light lit up, and a hot plastic smell under the hood, turned around and made it home OK, although the somethings not right hot smell was worse! Pulled the alternator this morning and got a free replacement (Bosch) our son having installed that one only 6 months ago. now the new unit is back in it doesn't show any charge at the battery only reading 12.3V, and the alternator light on the dash does not light up when starting, my son has taken readings here there and everywhere, showing continuity in the wires OK and no blown fuses. Apart from pulling this alternator out again and having it bench tested, any ideas out there what else we could check? Having read several of the other post on alternators, have to agree with Linda they are a pain to re and re on the trucks with the auto trans, no easy way to twist and and turn the unit to pull it out, we managed to get this one out through the top. Thanks Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted February 26, 2015 Share Posted February 26, 2015 A fusible-link connects the battery to the alternator. 55 amp alternator uses a 60 amp link and a 60 amp alternator uses an 80 amp link. Have you checked the link? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mission mike Posted February 27, 2015 Author Share Posted February 27, 2015 Thanks for the reply JD, we had checked the 80 amp fuse, so nothing for it but to remove the alternator again, which I did yesterday morning, a neighbour told me about a guy who works out of his dads farm, he repairs farm and industrial equipment and only about a 20min drive from where we live. So I went down to see him and explained what was happening, he removed the cover off the back of the alternator and found a broken screw that fastens the regulator to the body, an important screw too! it was for ground, after replacing that he reassembled everything and gave the unit a bench test, now it was charging. I have it back in and reading 14.3v at the battery, I took the truck for a short run last night but I am still not happy, the regulator is running hot and I cant hold my hand on the casing, so what to do now? I'm not sure I want to trust the Alternator on a long drive like we were planning, nor do I want to replace it with another "Bosch"! I checked out Bosch and they are a remanufacturing outfit in Ontario, says "all new" and factory tested on my unit, obviously not! Sorry for rambling on Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maineah Posted February 27, 2015 Share Posted February 27, 2015 Try the regulator touch test after the battery has had some time to recharge it was probably working overtime to recharge the battery. They will get warm normally but not hot. Your charging voltage is all right slightly high but that is most likely because the battery charge was low from the non working alt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mission mike Posted February 27, 2015 Author Share Posted February 27, 2015 Thanks Maineah I'll keep that in mind, this morning I took the Toyota for a longer run, before setting off I disconnected the wire to the coach battery, after driving for an hour the alternator was still hot but not too hot that you couldn't keep your hand on it, also talked with the guy who worked on it yesterday for me and he recommended I get a new truck battery, although the one I have now is only 6 months old he didn't like where I had bought it or the make. you live and learn! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted February 27, 2015 Share Posted February 27, 2015 Just wondering where you bought it. If it was Walmart, I just changed mine for the first time. It was 11 years old. They have really good batteries Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mission mike Posted February 28, 2015 Author Share Posted February 28, 2015 Thanks Linda s No it wasn't a Walmart battery, it was from a local BC parts dealer, the one which was in there was a replacement for a battery that only lasted just over a year before it failed, bought a new one yesterday and will see how that goes. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maineah Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Thanks Maineah I'll keep that in mind, this morning I took the Toyota for a longer run, before setting off I disconnected the wire to the coach battery, after driving for an hour the alternator was still hot but not too hot that you couldn't keep your hand on it, also talked with the guy who worked on it yesterday for me and he recommended I get a new truck battery, although the one I have now is only 6 months old he didn't like where I had bought it or the make. you live and learn! Mike Well Mike there are only about 3 battery manufactures in the US so chances are it's one of them! There are lots of names but few people making them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Johnson Controls, East Penn/Deka, and Exide are the "big three" for US made auto and industrial engine-cranking-batteries. Exide is the only one that's had major quality control issues these past 5-6 years. That's why NAPA dropped them. So did Sears Die Hard. Johnson Controls has been growing like crazy.They make batteries for Walmart, Sears Die Hard, Advance Auto, Optima, Bosch, GM, Delphi, Varta, Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Isuzu, Ford, Subaru, Chrysler, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5Toyota Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 Out here in the west the 500 stores of les schaub dropped them also and had an an apoligetc add on tv a few years ago Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totem Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 This is exactly why I wont leave the parts store without a bench test of the "new" alternator. Had exact same thing happen to me 3 times in a row. And now I can change a 22re alternator in 15 mins. Funny, my wife just had our new jetta TDI lose alternator last night while driving down for university orientation for her MSN degree. She went to parts desk today and i told her to make the guy bench test it in front of her on the cell phone BEFORE she went across the street to the conveniently located mech. It failed bench right out of the box.... so apparently its not just the toy home duralasts that can be bad out of the box. Second one the guy tried worked fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mission mike Posted March 3, 2015 Author Share Posted March 3, 2015 I'm on the road now and are staying at an RV site in Westport Washington state, alternator ran fine with the new battery, not getting too hot to touch! Toyota ran fine as well driving down I-5 before we turned off and headed to the coast, a nice RV site (Pacific Motel and RV) nice big grassy area to park your mohome, and temps in the 50f plus range if you folks back East want to know!! Had a brief rain shower last night after we arrived and had a water drip from the center hatch, I borrowed a ladder from the owner this morning and got on the roof and think I found it and fixed it. BTW the battery I bought is an "Energy Power" not sure who makes that. Mike PS not sure whether this should be in trip report heading or not? but it is battery and alternator related! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5Toyota Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 enjoy Westport WASH I love the place have not been in a while Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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