I managed to find some time today - tried what GRI suggested - running the external ground. It didnt make any difference (I didnt have a whole lot of expectations for that either). I installed the new alternator, with external ground (why the hell not?)... Everythings good now - and I didnt have to work in the cold

 

Once you take the back cover off.

This thing,looks like a set of brushes to me,but whatever they are they are what goes bad.

Here is a picture of the spot it comes out of.

This is it removed.


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Naw,watch Sponge Bob Squarepants.
I'm not pissed at all really,I just know what I know,just like I don't step to master GRI when it comes to front end parts,he knows his ****.
I know some things too though,maybe not as much,maybe alot less,but I do know that I have fixed a couple of alternators,even though the man at the automotive electrical place told me I was wasting my time....Boy did paying $150 less to keep my alternator going an extra 200k feel great.(twice)

 

I know you wernt pissed... Its all good. (Hell, you need a Sponge Bob avatar...)


I figure the truck is 11 years old - so $200 isnt too bad. The core charge was only $10 - so Ill keep the old alternator, change the brushes, clean it up and have a spare for cheap.

Thanks. Pics are always great.

 

Pics are my pleasure,needed to prove I was not totally full of sh*t.
New avatar installed.
I'd put the brushes in,then take it and have it tested,just to be sure,cause' even I could be wrong..

 

Bill is going to kick your *** though....

 

If being right gets my *** kicked,and saves people money,then I guess I look forward to it.

 

Maybe hes confused with the third gens?

 

thanks alot for the posts guys ,very helpful.

 

yes thats what I meant. I reread some articles I read when I had charging problems and they used ac motor and solid state in the same paragraph so I figured it was a brushless dc motor. but when I reread it it stated that it was solid state and still had brushes. So I bow down to you krabs.
Now. I guess 9 times out of ten is high, but I like to troubleshoot before I through parts at it. Now if the truck is less than 10 yeras old, a wiring issue isnt likely, but to rule it out it could be done quicly and cheap.
a common issue is when the ground to the engine block, motor mounts rust out and lose conductivity. So alot of times you can fix your problem with some simple wires.
doing the wire trick takes 15 min tops. I would rather spend the time and rule out wiring than spend $200 and still have the issue.
Also some alts use the case of the alt for the groung and sometimes by removing the bolts and making better contact with the case will fix an issue (so if you replace the alt, it would seem like that was the issue).
other things to keep in mind. aux power. if you have a booming system or a winch ect. yes you will test the capacity of the alternator. diesel motors will test the alt by themselves as well on start up.

I dont believe I said change the batteries. all I said was rule out wiring and then take the alt to the store and have it tested.

and my experience with brushes and motors (which I have a lot on). when a motor is loaded the brushes wear/burn much quicker. so having poor wiring could damage brushs as well as poor battery and auxillary electrics. So it is possible to have bad brushes and have the alt be "bad" but it might not be the cause.

 

No need for bowing bro,the ground wire thing is a good idea,I was a little more defensive than I should have been.
I just did not want my experience swept under the rug,sorry for being a little bit of a sh*t about it.