Localmotionsc

I drive a 1989 Toyota Pickup, 4wd, 5 speed, 22re. Beginning about a year and a half ago I began experiencing a serious of (I'm assuming) related electrical issues.

Issue 1: On the way home from a snowboarding trip my lights began to dim, my radio cut out and my engine began to sputter. I made it to a gas station before my truck died and got a tow the rest of the way home. My first thought was that the alternator died, so I pulled it and got it tested at an auto parts place, they told me it was on the lower end of normal working condition, but still normal. I went ahead and changed the brushes on the alternator since I had already pulled it out but this didn't solve the problem. Next I replaced the alternator which seemed to solve the problem.

The truck ran well for about 9 months before I started experiencing some similar symptoms and some new ones.

Issue 2: Not only would the truck sputter and die while I was driving but the battery would be dead in the morning or after a long day at work. I was puzzled because these symptoms (with my limited knowledge) seemed to point to both the alternator and the battery as the problem. I asked for help on the forums and the consensus seemed to be that the battery was the culprit in this case. I went out and bought a new battery which seemed to solve the problem.

The truck ran strong for about 1 month which brings us up to date

Issue 3: This week I was commuting back from school and noticed my lights were dimming and the engine was losing power after about a mile I lost power and had to pull over. To me it sounds like the alternator again, since I lost power while driving, but the new alternator is only 1.5 yrs old with probably 8-10k miles on it.

A couple questions:
1. Do these problems seem to be symptoms/outcomes of a larger problem? or are they isolated issues?
2. Is there anything that could be causing charging system components to wear out so quickly? maybe a short, bad connection, or faulty part elsewhere in the system?
3. Does the last issue sound like the alternator is the problem?

Even you need any more info to give an informed opinion let me know. Thanks a lot everyone. I could really use some help here.

Terrys87

iTrader: (1)

I would check all of my ground connections. Electrical isnt a strong point of mine.

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116...-guide-194413/ Grounds Link

wyoming9

iTrader: (1)

Might be a good time to invest in a Multimeter so you can see just what is going on.

The alternator light never stays on while vehicle is running??

Clean and tighten battery terminals or replace if broken.

I would check the belt is tight.

Look and perhaps upgrade the ground cables .

The wire coming off the B terminal of the alternator is known for getting burnt and brittle with age .

Also it doesn`t hurt to look at the positive cable going to the starter.

RedResistance

Sounds like excessive resistance to me, check the wire that comes from the relay box to the battery and the wire that goes to the back of the alternator. Check all your grounds and basically do what wyoming9 said.
If you get yours hands on volt meter, check the voltage with the engine running at the battery, and it should read 13.5 to less than 15 volts. If your reading doesnt fall into that area, disconnect the battery with the engine still running and see if you get into that area. If you get a good reading with the battery disconnected, your battery is bad. Watch the voltage coming out of the alternator that it doesn't jump way high or go way low also for short periods. If your voltage is all over the place with the battery disconnected, the voltage regulator inside the alternator is bad. If you get low voltage with and without the battery disconnected the alternator is bad. Make sure you do all the things wyoming9 said before you start replacing things again. Hope that's helpful. If you need help or better instructions, post here and I'll help you out.

GuitarMike

All of the above, but my money is on VOLTAGE REGULATOR above all else.
You have every symptom of a bad regulator. It can only help things to clean up all your connections and check them, as well, but I'd focus right in on the reg.

Had something like that happen once in an old Impala...damn near killed me, figuring it out! Lights would go bright for 10 seconds, then normal, bright, normal...randomly. Eventually, it would kill the battery (overvoltage). After 3 used batteries, and old geezer clued me in. Changed it and not another problem. Of course, it was inside the alternator, and it was winter, so I had 2 things there to contend with, ha ha.

Get a cheap digital multimeter at the hardware store (or a nice one, for like $60!). Check the voltage on the battery terminals with engine running, and not, as RedResistance describes. Trouble is, it's often a random occurrence, not predictable (and will happen when you really need the wheels, he he).

I'd change the regulator just on principle, given those symptoms!

PS - Hey Red - won't running with no battery connected cause an over-voltage situation?? The battery acts like a resistance for the alternator - removing it could cause a voltage spike, no? Someone clarify that for the OP, please! If I'm wrong, sorry...

Localmotionsc

Thanks guys, I do own a cheap mulitmeter so i'll start looking into some of these issues.

ToyotaViejo

Guitar Mike,

I think, and I stress THINK, you're right - the battery should not be disconnected while the vehicle is running at the pain of killing the voltage regulator (even though it's probably dead already).

Please correct me if I'm wrong.

GuitarMike

Better safe than sorry, says I! The voltage coming out of the alternator (measurable at the + and - or any ground) is the 'normal' voltage, anyway. Who knows what the 'no load' voltage might be? Probably not a very useful measurement to have cuz of that - I've never seen a chart or anything with that info on it.

Battery in place, it should be 14.something running (accessories off), and 12.something with vehicle off, I'd expect.
Small differences = no problem. Radical difference when running points to the regulator for sure.