[alfa] Re: milano charging (alternator) potential problem

["skippatnode" <skippatnode@xxxxxxx>]

Ethan,
    After you have the battery on charge overnight, put your DVM on it, start
the engine and see what the results are then.  You should show a minimum of
10vdc while cranking.
    If you still show the low (12.3vdc) you have an alternator going/gone
bad.
    If you show between 13.5 and 14.5vdc your alternator is OK and you have a
battery going/gone bad.
    Just as a side note:  If you can ever jumper a car and start it, the
starter is good.
Skip Patnode
67 Duetto
Norfolk, Va


Date: Thu, 16 Sep 2004 10:49:02 -0400
From: Ethan Schartman <ethans@domain.elided>
Subject: [alfa] milano charging (alternator) potential problem

digesters,

i had a bit of a problem with my milano's charging system yesterday. i
drove to work in the morning with no problems, and then in the late
afternoon drove down to the train station to pick a friend (started on
first crank). i shut down the engine, and listened to the radio (not
loud) for about 20 minutes. when i went to restart, the solenoid was
barely clicking. so i jumped it and drove home with no problems. there
was no battery light indicated (it does indicate at the normal times
when going to start). when i got home, i put a DVM on the terminals
which read 12.3V. when revving the engine, voltage rose to 12.38V . i
shutdown and could not restart (obviously, since it wasn't charging
properly). i checked the belt, and it felt dry, and as tight as when i
installed it (perhaps not tight as spec'd, but i haven't had any issue
with it in the past. belt is about 2 years old)  i put the battery on
a charger overnight. this morning i started it, and the reading was
13.2V (battery alone is reading 12.8V).  i ohmed out the ground wire
to engine block and it was good (0.1 Ohm).  i'm a bit puzzled. any
clues on what might have happened, or if i am heading for a failed
alternator?

thanks,
- -ethan schartman
- -87 milano gold
- -princeton, NJ
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