New Alternator, no charge (pics)
CF Veteran
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 47,923
Likes: 38
From: Broward County Fl.
Year: 1989 xj sport 2dr
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 12 hole bosch Injectors
i just read a post on 4x4 .com guy had same problem your having he cleand the wires on the oval starter relay up but the batter it fixed his problem you showed a pic of it earlier in this post
Last edited by freegdr; Oct 21, 2010 at 07:17 PM.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 167
Likes: 0
From: San Antonio, Texas
Year: 1987
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L (Renix)
Lost my alternator, middle of nowhere, ran another 35 minutes on battery and bad alternator, battery was only about one year old and a good one, 825cca, I killed the battery too. New replacement alternator was bad too. What the heck is with that, it seems way too common, are they all coming from off shore now? Junk, got another new altenator, junk too, putting out 16 to 18 V, Got a third new alternator, finally works. Tested the battery, remember only one year old, battery was toast, Got a new battery (also big cranking amps, Canadian Winters eh?). Working for last 160000km. I understand your frustration! Take your battery in to a knowledgable shop with the equipment available to do a load test, if 80% or less you need to be thinking about a replacement. Best of luck.
CF Veteran
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 47,923
Likes: 38
From: Broward County Fl.
Year: 1989 xj sport 2dr
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 12 hole bosch Injectors
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 167
Likes: 0
From: San Antonio, Texas
Year: 1987
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L (Renix)
I guess if the ALT cant successfully push power back up to the BATTERY from those cables/that junction/relay, it could be a likely culprit. I mean I did get everything pretty muddy..and probably wet at one point.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 167
Likes: 0
From: San Antonio, Texas
Year: 1987
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L (Renix)
yup..thats what Im going to do now 
Thanks for finding that article, Ive searched arounda nd never saw that forum. That pic is a good pic too...
Ill keep you guys posted on if this works. May not finish it tonight, gotta make dinner cause Im starving and then Family Guy will be on

Thanks for finding that article, Ive searched arounda nd never saw that forum. That pic is a good pic too...
Ill keep you guys posted on if this works. May not finish it tonight, gotta make dinner cause Im starving and then Family Guy will be on
Member
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 125
Likes: 0
From: Millbury,MA
Year: 1993
Model: Grand Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
buy one from like an online store or something. i went thru 9 fuel pumps in my trans am from advance auto parts, autozone and napa. they were all brand new. they would quit once you installed them. bought a walbro 255 pump off summit finally and never had a problem again.
ive had that problem once also and it ended up being a wire i never was able to trace hanging on the exhaust and it would grounding out and killing the volts.
just an idea
ive had that problem once also and it ended up being a wire i never was able to trace hanging on the exhaust and it would grounding out and killing the volts.
just an idea
Seasoned Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 454
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From: East Texas
Year: 1997
Model: Grand Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
You need to test the alternator output at the alternator to see if it is working. Set your voltmeter to the 20V scale. Connect the red positive lead to the alternator feed cable terminal. It should be that red cable in one of your pictures. Then connect the black meter lead to a good engine ground. Start engine and if the alternator is charging you will read 13-15 volts.
If it is not charging you could have a voltage regulator problem. Since the alternator tests good at the auto shop, I would think the problem is either the voltage regulator or the wiring/fuse link
Your wiring is a bit different from what I have seen. The alternator feed cable has a fuse link. This cable connects to the engine starter relay. From the engine starter relay a cable goes to the battery for charging. If the fuse link is bad it will not allow any voltage to flow.
If the alternator is charging then the problem is the fuse link cable. You can do a continuity test to make sure the fuse link is good.
I don't have good knowledge of you model Jeep. I am just looking at a wiring diagram.
If it is not charging you could have a voltage regulator problem. Since the alternator tests good at the auto shop, I would think the problem is either the voltage regulator or the wiring/fuse link
Your wiring is a bit different from what I have seen. The alternator feed cable has a fuse link. This cable connects to the engine starter relay. From the engine starter relay a cable goes to the battery for charging. If the fuse link is bad it will not allow any voltage to flow.
If the alternator is charging then the problem is the fuse link cable. You can do a continuity test to make sure the fuse link is good.
I don't have good knowledge of you model Jeep. I am just looking at a wiring diagram.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 167
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From: San Antonio, Texas
Year: 1987
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L (Renix)
Alright, i did it anyways cause I like working on the vehicle..and I had time before Family Guy which is now on 
the pics are of the Starter Solenoid coming off, being sanded down on all the connections, including the bolt itself, and nut. I then put it all back on.
I noticed the same thing when i started up the rig, it sat at 11.88V for quite a while with headlights on, and would take small amounts for the radio, brakes, fog lights, etc. Turned everything off but the interior lights and headlights. It didnt budge for quite a while, then it started to die again as usual.
No fix. I still didnt clean both grounds yet though. (by throttle body and one somewhere by Oil filter?)



I still need to go do what ET JEEP said.
For the wire going from the Alternator to the Starter Relay, I poked the line before and after the Fusable Link and it was reading full Volatage (matched the battery voltage). The wire from the Starter Relay to the Battery doesnt have a fusable link, just from the Alternator to the Starter Relay.
is that Voltage Regulator you are talking about inside the ALT, or somewhere else?

the pics are of the Starter Solenoid coming off, being sanded down on all the connections, including the bolt itself, and nut. I then put it all back on.
I noticed the same thing when i started up the rig, it sat at 11.88V for quite a while with headlights on, and would take small amounts for the radio, brakes, fog lights, etc. Turned everything off but the interior lights and headlights. It didnt budge for quite a while, then it started to die again as usual.
No fix. I still didnt clean both grounds yet though. (by throttle body and one somewhere by Oil filter?)



I still need to go do what ET JEEP said.
For the wire going from the Alternator to the Starter Relay, I poked the line before and after the Fusable Link and it was reading full Volatage (matched the battery voltage). The wire from the Starter Relay to the Battery doesnt have a fusable link, just from the Alternator to the Starter Relay.
is that Voltage Regulator you are talking about inside the ALT, or somewhere else?
CF Veteran
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 47,923
Likes: 38
From: Broward County Fl.
Year: 1989 xj sport 2dr
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 12 hole bosch Injectors
all modern alt have internal voltage regulators did you ever check to see if the alt was gettimg a good ground with meter
Seasoned Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 454
Likes: 0
From: East Texas
Year: 1997
Model: Grand Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
It looks like you fuse link cable is good. With the engine off, do a voltage test at the end of the cable where it attaches to the alternator. You should read battery voltage. If you do, that cable is good, provided it is not corroded inside and creating high resistance.
Then start engine and test for voltage from the alternator. You should read 13-15 volts. If you do not, you have a voltage regulator problem if the alternator is good. I am not sure if you have an internal regulator or an external one. If it is internal it would seem this problem would have shown up when testing at the auto shop.
Then start engine and test for voltage from the alternator. You should read 13-15 volts. If you do not, you have a voltage regulator problem if the alternator is good. I am not sure if you have an internal regulator or an external one. If it is internal it would seem this problem would have shown up when testing at the auto shop.
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 718
Likes: 0
From: Miami,Fl
Year: 1998
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 L6 Srt
Hey guys ive read through here and have become confused on whats being said.. But heres an article i found that might help you out..
http://jeep.zerok.ru/index.php?page=39
I just finished up my alternator last week and from what i remember the eye hole cable goes to positive side of the battery..As for the first alternator the was "BAD" i think was shorted out.. And i think some alternators have internal grounds.. Its there to recharge/ give power to the vehicle.. I had my positive cable from alt(eye hole) .. going to the + battery then switched it back over to the fuse block in the engine area.. The others came from the harness and was attched to a lil black box that connects to the back of the alt..
http://jeep.zerok.ru/index.php?page=39
I just finished up my alternator last week and from what i remember the eye hole cable goes to positive side of the battery..As for the first alternator the was "BAD" i think was shorted out.. And i think some alternators have internal grounds.. Its there to recharge/ give power to the vehicle.. I had my positive cable from alt(eye hole) .. going to the + battery then switched it back over to the fuse block in the engine area.. The others came from the harness and was attched to a lil black box that connects to the back of the alt..
Last edited by 98jeepsrt6; Oct 22, 2010 at 08:13 AM.


