Loves302Chevy
"One test is worth a thousand expert opinions."
HELP Brian,
I realize you are in the middle of getting your Suburban running again for your new job on Monday.
2 months ago, I replaced my CS-144 alternator in my truck when the battery indicator dash light came on. The alternator had NO output. This is the one that had the "lifetime guarantee" from NAPA that they did not honor. I needed the truck running, so I bought a new REMAN. The battery went a week later, but it was past its time, so no big deal. Bought another NAPA battery. Both problems were unrelated.
2 weeks ago, I replaced the gauge cluster because my oil gauge died years ago, and I've been using a mechanical gauge since. The replacement cluster was from a manual trans truck, so I removed the "shift" bulb and tested the rest. The only difference is that the replacement cluster does not have the P R N OD 3 2 1 indicator. I cleaned the connector and gave it a smear of dielectric grease also. No problems since.
In the last week or so, I noticed that the alternator voltage has been wandering around, and holding mostly around 13 volts, instead of the 14.5 - 14.8 I should see on the digital gauge plugged into my lighter socket.
In the last couple of days when I started the truck, both the cluster battery gauge and my digital gauge read battery voltage only (12.3) after starting the engine. It took a couple of minutes for the alternator to start charging.
I got a replacement REMAN alternator from NAPA and swapped it tonight. It read a solid 14.5 volts. I went down the hill and stopped at a friends house. Before I left, I showed him the new alternator. I started the truck to leave and battery voltage only - and it would not come up. All cables are good and connections are tight. I came back to my house and got my hand-held DMM out. I wiggled the field (idiot light) wire and started the engine again. It was charging at 13.89 volts, but there was a groaning noise, and the alternator case was hotter than any other metal under the hood. It was cooking. When I revved the engine, the battery indicator light would come on at about 2500 rpm, and would flash randomly at rpms above that.
It started to rain, so I unplugged the field wire, and shut the hood for the night.
I called my friend Dwayne (GM master mechanic) and he believes it is the new alternator. He said NAPA has changed vendors about 5 times over the years (why I got screwed out of my lifetime guarantee) and his local NAPA will not sell any REMAN alternators because of this - ONLY NEW. He said that they are only replacing what went bad and cleaning them up. So if the regulator went bad, it gets replaced, but not the bearings, etc. Dwawne said to take it back and pay the extra for a NEW one.
SO what do you think..... 2 bad REMAN NAPA alternators, or is it something with the truck?
I realize you are in the middle of getting your Suburban running again for your new job on Monday.
2 months ago, I replaced my CS-144 alternator in my truck when the battery indicator dash light came on. The alternator had NO output. This is the one that had the "lifetime guarantee" from NAPA that they did not honor. I needed the truck running, so I bought a new REMAN. The battery went a week later, but it was past its time, so no big deal. Bought another NAPA battery. Both problems were unrelated.
2 weeks ago, I replaced the gauge cluster because my oil gauge died years ago, and I've been using a mechanical gauge since. The replacement cluster was from a manual trans truck, so I removed the "shift" bulb and tested the rest. The only difference is that the replacement cluster does not have the P R N OD 3 2 1 indicator. I cleaned the connector and gave it a smear of dielectric grease also. No problems since.
In the last week or so, I noticed that the alternator voltage has been wandering around, and holding mostly around 13 volts, instead of the 14.5 - 14.8 I should see on the digital gauge plugged into my lighter socket.
In the last couple of days when I started the truck, both the cluster battery gauge and my digital gauge read battery voltage only (12.3) after starting the engine. It took a couple of minutes for the alternator to start charging.
I got a replacement REMAN alternator from NAPA and swapped it tonight. It read a solid 14.5 volts. I went down the hill and stopped at a friends house. Before I left, I showed him the new alternator. I started the truck to leave and battery voltage only - and it would not come up. All cables are good and connections are tight. I came back to my house and got my hand-held DMM out. I wiggled the field (idiot light) wire and started the engine again. It was charging at 13.89 volts, but there was a groaning noise, and the alternator case was hotter than any other metal under the hood. It was cooking. When I revved the engine, the battery indicator light would come on at about 2500 rpm, and would flash randomly at rpms above that.
It started to rain, so I unplugged the field wire, and shut the hood for the night.
I called my friend Dwayne (GM master mechanic) and he believes it is the new alternator. He said NAPA has changed vendors about 5 times over the years (why I got screwed out of my lifetime guarantee) and his local NAPA will not sell any REMAN alternators because of this - ONLY NEW. He said that they are only replacing what went bad and cleaning them up. So if the regulator went bad, it gets replaced, but not the bearings, etc. Dwawne said to take it back and pay the extra for a NEW one.
SO what do you think..... 2 bad REMAN NAPA alternators, or is it something with the truck?
