Need help checking alternator

[infotechplus]

My 1GGZE is causing me a problem. Specifically, I bought a new BOSCH Gold battery Saturday arvo but by Sunday morning it was dead. This was to replace my old battery that I had to continually charge.

Something is draining the power - that is obvious. I've just ripped out the old alarm and central locking as it was a pain anyway. I might get a new system later. I'm charging the new battery now so will check tomorrow for further leaks.

I checked the alternator/battery by putting a multimeter over the battery terminals and it read 12.5V. When I started the Lux and revved it to about 2K RPM there was no increase in volts at the battery - in fact it dropped slightly. Shouldn't a good alternator charge the battery at revs?

I know when I was swapping batteries a couple of weeks ago I accidentally shorted the terminals by placing them the wrong way 'round. I melted the shielding on the cable between the alternator and the battery so I had to replace that cable. Did I damage the alternator? It was a silly mistake but I'd incorrectly put the red cap on the neg. terminal of the swapped battery - that's why I made the mistake.

This morning I charged the battery for an hour but after 20 minutes driving it was dead.

Is there a quick check to verify the alternator as bad/good? If I need another alternator, where might I get a 1GGZE alternator? Are the 1GGTE/1GGE the same?

Cheers,

Peter

[oldcorollas]

the quick check is to see if it is producing voltage above 12.5 at any revs

you might have shorted one of the fusibe links, that are sometimes contained within the wiring.

check the major cables (alt etc) for continuity, and all fuses.

next, when you connect the battery up, check for any current flow when everything is off.

i tmight be slow drain, but fromt he sounds of it, the alternator is doing nothing... so first check the wires to the alternator, then pull the brushes and check the alt itself

[deeps]

14.4v with car on and no extra revs from memory... But make sure lights etc. are off

[74leeka]

i accidently did the same thing in my ta22 and no fuse on the alternator line. stuffed the diodes in the alternator just got it reco and good as new

[infotechplus]

i accidently did the same thing in my ta22 and no fuse on the alternator line. stuffed the diodes in the alternator just got it reco and good as new

At any auto electrician? Or somewhere more specific.

I think what you've said is probably my problem.

I fully charged the battery, and checked it at 13.5. I connected it up and 10 minutes later it's dropped to 13.2.

Also, I think removing the old alarm has now caused me to have no ignition at all, even with a charged battery. Hitting the key sends the voltmeter needle to Zero until I let go.

[Severe cursing now in progress ]

I'm going to have to pull the dash out now and trace everything.

Cheers,

Peter

[TA-022]

you might have missed the imobiliser relay? ... removing alarms can be painfull.

[74leeka]

At any auto electrician? Or somewhere more specific.

yeh it was a autoelectrician out in fawkner only took bout 2 hours for him to do and gives a year warranty, cant remember the name of the place
cheers

[infotechplus]

I'm not electrically minded so I can't really explain everything that has gone on but removing the alarm system and the central locking (which was integrated into it) has solved my battery problem as far as I can see.

This is the mass of wires and parts removed:



Here you can see the small red kill switch, the power wires (blue and red fused wires) and the central locking mechanisms from each door, and the control relay to the right:



As I said before the car wouldn't start. This was obviously due to me removing the alarm module, which is powered by the ignition and creates an earth loop throught that plug with the two black wires:



I plugged that module back in and the Lux started fine. In fact it really sprang into life unlike I have noticed previously. The battery was really strong - no two or three turns of the key. I also noticed idle was up at 2K RPM, unlike before when it idled so rough I had to use the pedal to keep it going for a minute or so. It eventually settled around 1K and I turned it off.

So I got a fused wire and shorted the plug under the dash. Again the Lux started first go.

So far so good.

I then checked the battery with the ignition off. I'd left the battery connected all day so under previous circumstances it should have been all but flat. The multimeter showed 12.75 V across the terminals.

Even better.

I started the engine and held the revs at about 2K RPM and the multimeter showed a strong 14.4 V across the terminals so this usually indicates the alternator is charging the battery (from what I read on the Net). The Volt gauge inside the Lux also showed a strong 14 V.

So hopefully everything is OK now.

Woot!

Cheers,

Peter

[Jorrs]

i was having the exact same problems as you have described, pulled the alarm and all, new battery,
have now traced the problem to a power loss from the alternator, so will need to remove it to see whether its the actual alternator or the plugs running from it.

[TA-022]

wow ... dodgy alarm then hey ... easy fix