Charging Issues

allanwms · **Joined:** Sat Sep 03, 2011 3:13 pm **Posts:** 3

All

I have searched and read many posts but could not find a post exactly matching what I'm experiencing. Please help...

Part 1:
My wife was driving our 2006 CRD Limited (81,000 miles on the odometer) and she noticed the Throttle control light, then the ABS, then the Batt...lights come on. She immediately pulled into a parking lot and shut it down. She called me and I told to restart it to see if the lights were still present. The CRD cranked slowly and would not start. She then tried again and only got clicking. We let the CRD sit over night and I went back the next day...after searching and reading many posts about bad Red Tops (dying without notice), bad switches, ... etc. I took my Batt load tester with me and sure enough the Batt was sitting at 11.5 volts. Load tested it and it pulled down to about 8-9 volts and failed the load test. So we went to Advanced Auto Parts and bought a new Red Top ($170). I put the Red Top in and it cranked right up and we drove it home...no lights, no issues.

Part 2:
That night (last night) the kids wanted Pizza so we took the CRD and drove the 5 miles into town...No issues. On the way back, the Throttle control light came on...then the Batt light came on...WTF! We made it home and I shut it down...and tried to restart...click! So now I'm thinking bad alternator. I called around and found one at Pep Boys ($158 + 70 core). I will be in tomorrow (Labor Day). But now I'm thinking...if the alternator was bad...wouldn't the Batt light have come on? Or, does the Batt light only come on after the battery reaching a low voltage point...rather than a no charge present from the alternator?

My questions:
Am I'm throwing money in the wrong directions in terms of the alternator? I plan to pay the core charge and keep the original alternator until the new one solves the issue. I may keep my original and send it off to a rebuilder in case the Pep Boys unit dies...(I know that Pep boys unit will have a lifetime warranty but I'll have a hot swappable unit)

Do you think Advance will take the Red Top back? (I paid the core and still have the original Red Top). I think I'd rather have a wet cell battery...at least it won't just die out of the blue. Walmart actually lists a battery for the CRD...its a 34N in their MAX Start line. I would definitely go with a Costco Battery instead...

Help...

Turbo Tim · **Posted:** Sun Sep 04, 2011 11:27 pm

I would jump-start the Jeep and then, using a digital Voltmeter, see what voltage is on the battery. Before starting, a good battery should read about 12.6 Volts. After starting, you should see about 13.8 to 14.4 Volts. (Then turn lights on, AC on, etc. and watch voltage. Should stay above 13 Volts). If it is 12 or less, time for a new alternator.
(Have them check the old AND the new BEFORE you pay and leave the store).
Also note that only a real alternator shop can correctly "Load Test" an alternator. Local auto-part store tests are really a go - no-go test.

How old is your original red top? More than 3 years old, stick with the new one.

allanwms · **Joined:** Sat Sep 03, 2011 3:13 pm **Posts:** 3

Yes the old Red Top is dated Jan 08...the new one is dated May 11...

painemann · **Joined:** Sat Dec 20, 2008 7:02 pm **Posts:** 607

I did the whole call around to my local part stores when my last pulley went out (125,000 miles on alternator) looking for an alternator and no one could get one. They said the could until I showed up at the store and they tried to order it, not available. I ended up just buying an OEM one from an online part store. If you can wait, I would try and go OEM for around $360 or so but thats only if you can let it sit. I guess the down side to that is that you still don't know if the alternator is your problem!

Good luck

allanwms · **Joined:** Sat Sep 03, 2011 3:13 pm **Posts:** 3

I can't wait...this was my daily driver. I bought a Challenger now...it's my Wife's daily driver. The part is in at the Pep Boys...its an hour away from me. They were able to get it same day...just that they called my at 5:40pm and they close at 6:00pm.

I will pick up the alternator tomorrow and perform tests with a volt meter before replacing and have a baseline. I will then perform the same test with the replacement alternator after I install it. I hope that the Red Top re-couped on its own. The posts that I read about charging the Rep Top is that it needs 15-16 volts to be properly charge. I think my charger is 12v with 2, 10 and 55 amp settings...all at 12v. I don't want to damage the Red Top by charging it incorrectly.

Ajamant · **Posted:** Mon Sep 05, 2011 12:56 am

Hhhhmmmm.... Something isnt right. You should be able to run a red top for days without charging. I personally ran a yellow top on wrangler for 4 days with a shot alternator. My brother ran his focus for 2 weeks on a red top with a fried alternator.

At minimum cash in on warranty for battery.

When ever people start asking electrical questions first thing I always want checked: how is your ground. Crazy weird things happen with poor ground.

Billwill · **Posted:** Mon Sep 05, 2011 5:12 am

Do exactly what turbo Tim said ie. check the charging voltage across the battery while the engine is running.

If you do not get about 13.5 volts then report back here...there are some things to look at before fitting a new alternator

geordi · **Posted:** Mon Sep 05, 2011 7:23 am

Certainly your original Red Top had bitten the big one after 3 years in service, but I think you became aware of the problem with that (It might have still been OK for a few months more) b/c of the alternator failure. I agree with Turbo Tim about testing the voltage across the battery with the engine running, but I'm about 90% certain that your alternator is toast.

There isn't any real difference between the "OEM" and the parts-store units, other than the price. Either they function, or they don't. The voltage regulation is handled by the engine computer, NOT part of the alternator on our motors... Which means that what you have is a big electromagnet. The "OEM" version is likely built in the same plant (probably in Mexico) that the parts store unit is, Mopar just reaches deeper into your wallet because they can.

As for the idiot light on the dashboard... That will usually not alert you to a problem until it has become critical. If the Titanic had used these lights to determine it's fate... The light wouldn't have come on until the water was washing over the bow. Even the tiniest trickle of power from a dying alternator is usually enough to keep that light off, while your engine is feeding on the only source of ACTUAL power it has - Your battery. I drove my VW TDI for more than 40 miles with no alternator at one point, and the battery still had enough power to start that engine after I fixed it. Diesels don't need much power to live, so a weak alternator could be dying for a while before you really notice it.

I'm sure, you change that alternator out, and your problem will evaporate. These aren't complex designs, but when the brushes inside that housing fail... You get no more power.
What is inside a "remanufactured" alternator? all new components, they really only reuse the casing, and maybe the fixed coils of non-moving copper wire unless that is damaged by a failed bearing. New bearings, new brushes, new rotating electromagnet assembly. Built just like the OEM - by the lowest bidder. I'll take a lifetime warranty for 1/2 the price over an "OEM" sticker and no warranty any day.

Charging Issues

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