rgs80074

Hello everyone

Recently I had some work done on my jeep to get it back up and running. other than the crankshaft position sensor everything else was minor things such as fuel filter, new rings for the oil adapter etc.

after the work was done when i started it the alternator gauge on the dash was very low maybe 12volts or so when before it hovered around 14 (same with my old jeep), then it went to zero and would only budge a little when i revved up then stopped at all.

so i thought ok the alternator is bad, possibly from sitting for a couple of months.

just had more work done today alternator, belt, some bulbs etc.

when a new alternator i expected it to be back to normal.

the gauge does not move, could my gauge be bad?

i don't like the idea of driving it to the auto store and testing out the alternator in the vehicle just in case its not working don't want the battery to die and leave me stranded.

any idea on what might be the issue, seems like i recalled on my old jeep there being some stuff connected to the alternator that this one don't have (i'll have to look better tomorrow) but it seems like portion of it with the little nuts and such had stuff connected to it.

i guess i could take the old alternator and have it tested see if its good or bad.

but till then any idea's would be helpful.

thanks

ryan

1996 grand cherokee limited
4.0l engine
2wd

dave1123

Put a voltmeter directly on the battery post while it's running. if it's charging, it should show around 13.75 to 14 volts. Check the smaller of the 2 red wires that come out of the battery cable clamp for corrosion or bad connection. The PCM is the regulator, but if it's not getting a good voltage supply, it won't tell the alternator to charge.

rgs80074

Hello,

I think i found out the issue with the alternator. when checking to make sure it was all connected i noticed the person didn't reconnect the red wire it was just dangling there so i reconnected it. does the alternator work? I don't know the dash isn't showing it working (more on that below) and my meter was left on and the battery was dead so i couldn't test it at the battery/alternator area to make sure it was working right, will get a battery and test tomorrow. the guy did a lot of work cheap but i think this time he tried to rush as he had a friend as well, besides forgetting to hook up the red wire to the alternator he also tighten the one wheel/pulley to where it wouldn't move not sure how he thought that was right to have a belt be forced over it, i loosened it but (and you can hear in the video) its either too lose or not loose enough or the belt needs to be tightened etc (trial and error there)

but I have some pictures and video i'd love you to take a look at. when poking around I noticed another wire not connected to anything. it plugs into the ground wire harness i believe and ends in a crimped in and i can only find one place it might attach within its reach (on the ac compressor). see the first three pictures for those. I am thinking thats it but if so that means i need to find a new crimping in i think to redo it.


onto the dash board, i had problems with it every so often maybe once every three months or so where everything would work just fine then just turn off for maybe 30-90 seconds then come back on, might do that for a day or two then no problems for months. everyone said it was the light switch going bad, so had the guy replace it, i rechecked the light switch making sure it was plugged in all the way, same with the dash making sure it was seated fully into its little connection.

as you can see from the video
when you first turn the key all the lights come on and the vehicle starts what it don't show you is once in a while the gauges will work or a couple will for the first few seconds and once the lights go off (oil, engine, etc) they would stop as well. there's also a weird noise at the end of the video that its making that might be related or point me in the right direction.

perhaps all is becasue of issues with the alternator not being reconnected right, belt too tight etc and it just hasn't reset but anything i can look at would be helpful.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/pobuswx4ov...22425.mp4?dl=0

rgs80074

also dave and people

not sure this matters or not but i think i mentioned he was to replace the dash bulbs with some new ones i purchased (color green).

but instead of replacing the dash lights (i gave him instructions in both english and spanish but he left them at home) he replaced the turning signal ones and such instead. not sure if thats a problem or not, they work just fine and really look nice for the turning signals (fronts not backs).

ryan

rgs80074

still no real update.

going to replace the all the replaced bulbs with the old ones again.

hope to test the alternator yesterday got the battery recharged fully today.

however i was able to start it with a jumpstarter yesterday and let it run for about 5 mins or so, i think if it was running only off the battery it would have died pretty quick given it needed to be jump started.

working on my van tomorrow might get to start the jeep but not sure, then will work on it little by little. i miss my green beauty.