GoHot229
05-15-2009, 08:54 AM
Well the Van's not charging..... so I take it down to Advanced auto where my Daughter works and in the parking lot, take out the alternator to have them check it. Well it checks out good, pumping out something like 14 volts, anyway its a good alternator. So while I'm there I get a new voltage regulator, save a trip back getting parts, and its only $14 so it's cheap enough, what the heak. Had to also get the 5" pivot bolt for the alternator because it was broke right at the bracket, great...... so I put the voltage regulator on, pull the bracket..6 bolts, but 2 SOB bolts the others easy. Got the bracket out and the old was too long and it snaped at the threads and shank of the 6" bolt, shoulda been a 5" bolt, anyway I luck out, theres part of the bolt coming out the backside of the bracket, cool, get the vice grips and unscrew it out. Go to 'Tractor Supply' and get a grade 5* 5" bolt for a buck and change, cheap enough. Come back home and install it, so now the alternators all good to go......wait it's still not charging Grrrrr! So now I go to each terminal that the battery terminal wires go to, un-do them and wirebrush all the rust or corrosian and re-install them. Ok lets see if that did it. Start the Van and pull the groung terminal, it dies, ok.....lets see.......ok I take the terminal off, its one of the replacement jobs and has 2 wires going to it, the main ground and another going to a firewall terminal, so I undo it, clean the terminal, get the cutters and cut the exposed wires down to virgin wire and strip a half inch and put the aftermarket terminal and wires (now all cleaned) back togather. Ok lets see if it works...... start the Van fine, the volt meter is not really reading anything in the dash, but it's always seemed to be that way and the battery has a full charge anyway, so I cant really count on that, but instead pull off the negative terminal, AAAaaaaaa it stays running........ well after all that it turns out to be the groung terminal after all, just needing cleaning. But I needed to address the bolt anyway so it now is to the point where I feel safe enough to head cross country again if need be. Sometimes it's the simplest stuff that gives the biggest headaches, but without testing equiptment I had to go the long route.