Too much voltage from Alternator

Hi, This is my first post. I have an '89 Civic Wagon DX that I recently acquired.

I was having charging problems (battery checked out ok, but the machine said battery charge is recommended when possible) so took my car to Autozone and had them put their battery/alternator meter on the car. The meter showed that I was only getting 12.75 volts while engine was running and the alt was only outputting 30 amps max.

I got a replacement alternator from them and installed it.

The snake it up through the heater hoses and speedo cable just to the left of the carb removal and replacement method worked great! I got the tip from here!

Seems to work best if you "tumble" the alt through the hoses. When I fired up the car with the new alt installed, I put a volt meter across the battery and it was reading 22-24 VDC. (Gasp!)

I took the alt back out and took it back to autozone and had them run it on their Alternator checking machine.

It passed. Hmmm..

Their machine doesn't display output voltage, just pass/fail. I told them I wanted another one anyway, 24volts is a bit too much for my tastes. (I can just smell that bubbling acid now).

Has anyone else run into this issue?

Thanks,
John

Comments

  • Nope, not me ... but this is one
    of the first steps to transform
    a wagon into a truck

    big airhorns, cb ...

    gl with the replacement

    : )
  • Got yet another new alternator and after installation it tested good. 14 volts, 38 amps under partial load. I am a happy camper again.
  • A bunch of years ago, I had the regulator in the alternator on my 89 Civic Si fail. I was on the way from my home in the country to the city, and suddenly the dash lights got very bright. I noticed the faint smell of battery acid and then things went to hell. I managed to get the car home without getting stranded, but all the outside light bulbs were blown, and the radio fuse blew, as well as some of the interior bulbs. Luckily the ECU wasn't damaged.
  • rti intracrti intrac Senior Wagonist
    Your regulator will be stuffed. When it is apart you might want to check the recifyer (diodes) It is a comon problem with the alts.
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