my battery light came on last night as well as my brake light, I havent seemed to have had any charging problems but I have not put a multi meter to it. THe belts are pretty much trash but it will have to wait a couple days before replacement. Could a slipping alternator belt cause the battery light to come on? This morning when I started the truck it fired right up and the light was not on. COuld some nasty oil soaked belts casue this problem?

3.0 v6 with v belts not serpentine

 

Yep..if the belt is slipping, the alt isn't turning..so that could be your problem. However, I'd test that alt..mine just died again. Bad Brushes.

 

any good places for an alternator rebuild kit?

 

The friendly folks at your local Toyota store.

 

i havent seen any how to's on a alternator build, know of any good threads or FAQ's?

 

I just replaced my brushes...usually thats the big thing that goes out. Phil (Strap22) hooked me up on a good deal for my brushes...and DONT get them from your local auto parts store...you actually have to solder the new brushes into the old plastic housing...whereas the toyota brushes are a one piece bolt up unit. http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/mainte...nator_brushes/
Forgot to add...my battery light and brake light along with A/T Oil Temp light came on when mine went out. But a screwed up belt can do it too...I'd get the belt first...then shortly get the $12 brushes just for good measure All in all...it only took maybe 15 minutes to get the alternator off...5 minutes to replace the brushes...and 15 minutes to bolt it back up.

 

I wrote that article at 4x4wire. The charge/brake light came on and I checked the voltage level and it was fine. Then all of the sudden a day later the truck started to die on me, luckily I was only a half mile away from home, aor I would have been stuck on the side of the road.

 

oh yeh...now i remember i read it in a thread before that you posted the link and said you did a write up on it....good thing coz you saved me about $130!! Good info man...

 

Remember, voltage and current are most assuredely not the same thing. You can check the voltage and be reading the battery voltage back through the system. The battery will read close to the same until it's almost dead. Then it'll start dropping. The measure of an alternator's function is the current it puts out. Get a good clamp-on ammeter (putting a regular meter in-line is a royal pain) and check the current at the battery positive lead. Right after starting, the current may be up to 15A or so, and then drop off as the battery charges. If you turn the lights on, every heavy load you can get, the current will be higher, and remain higher longer.