Gen light on, alternator works intermittently, usually only at high RPM's - WTF?!
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New Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
From: Upstate New York (Country Boy)
Gen light on, alternator works intermittently, usually only at high RPM's - WTF?!
Ok, first of all... seems that many people are unaware of this - seems good 'ol Dodge put the REGULATOR in the ECU/ECM/PCM (whatever the heck you wanna call it), at least that's where it's at on my 8.0L V10 truck! (Apparently Chrysler has been doing this genious move for many, many years now.) Yeah, now there's some friggen genious engineering!
Anyhow, from what I've been learning and reading, it appears that many of the alternators themselves are short-life trash, and not the regulators being at fault.
But now, I don't know though. So far I've had good luck with most of my other Dodge trucks charging systems. However, now this crap "pops up" outta nowhere... My "baby" 1997 Dodge Ram 2500 4x4 V-10 with only 69,000 ORIGINAL miles is just now having "fits" with the charging system!
Out of nowhere the other day (it was in the 20's all day and -4 at night) the Gen "idiot" light came on and I noticed my headlights were slightly dimmer than usual. A quick glance at the voltmeter showed that my battery was at a lower than normal voltage. I thought... OH THIS IS JUST GREAT! So on my way home, I wound the truck up and got her going down the expressway. (She's a stick-shift rocketship...) When I got the R's up (RPM's) I noticed that the voltmeter gained, my lights got brighter, and the charging system seemed to be working again. I thought - huh... that's friggen wierd! The Gen light never shut off until I turned the ignition switch off, and then back on. I restarted the truck and all seemed well again. Well, we all know where this is going...
Next day... same damned problem. Now get this. Carbon-pile load tested the battery - it's perfectly fine. Tested the alternator - it "seems" to be fine.
Checked all connections. All are clean, tight, and rust/corrosion free. No issues there.
I think my next step is going to be that I'm going to take the alternator to my auto parts store, put it on their test bench and "whip the snot out of it" with test after test after test, both "cold" and "hot" and try to make it fail.
So at only 69K original miles on this V10 truck and the charging system is crapping out? Get real! What is this thing, a JUNK GM product?
Everyone knows that GM's EAT ALTERNATORS like women change moods - on a whim...
The only thing that's remotely "strenuous" on this charging system is a trailer that I haul every now and then, with the electric brake controller and full LED lights (very low amperage draw). So I know that's certainly NOT the cause of my problem. No plow, no aux lights or auxillary power draws...
Regardless, what it really comes down to is this:
Is it my friggen $200 externally regulated alternator that's defective?
OR, is it my $Bzillions of dollars V-10 computer (that has the charging system regulator "built-into" it)?
Heck if I know!
Either way, I know it's gonna be an expensive venture both in time and money - AARGH!
My Dodge trucks are really starting to really **** ME OFF. This is the millionth "stupid" thing that has gone wrong with my various 2500 series 2nd Gen trucks over the last few years. (I have (2) 1995 5.9L gassers, (1) 1999 & (1) 2000 5.9L 24V Cummins, and (1) 1997 8.0L V10.) Ya can't keep an auto tranny in a 5.9L gasser, not to mention that they all "suck" the intake gaskets and then burn oil and then run like total crap; the infamous Cummins "53" engine blocks that f'ing CRACK wide open and severely leak coolant (which neither Dodge NOR Cummins will warranty, even though it's THEIR proven fault!); and the V10 has had it's own stupid sh*t issues, like bad crank/rod bearings due to porous heads that seep coolant into the engine, and wipe out the bearings at only 48,000 miles! And now, this moronic charging system problem?! I could go on...
Anyhow, off my soap box... Sounds like a resounding "replace your alternator" is what I'm getting from various threads found in this forum. I'm just worried, in that I don't want to drop a lot of coin on an alternator, to only later find out that the "computer" is what is actually no good or vice-versa!
***Anybody with direct experience with an intermittent charging problem such as this... PLEASE HELP with any info you can give - Thanks!***
I ever get a "new" truck, it's very likely NOT going to be another Dodge. (Of course in this wonderful economy, and the insane price of new trucks, they are pretty safe from me changing brands right now.) I sure wish that Ford or GM would get their sh*t together and steal Cummins contract away from Dodge. Depsite the "dud 53" block 5.9L CTD fiasco, they are still the best pickup truck diesel powerplants on the market - bar none. I can tell ya, if Ford or GM ever get a production pickup with a Cummins, Chrysler Corp will likely lose me as a customer forever.
Anyhow, from what I've been learning and reading, it appears that many of the alternators themselves are short-life trash, and not the regulators being at fault.
But now, I don't know though. So far I've had good luck with most of my other Dodge trucks charging systems. However, now this crap "pops up" outta nowhere... My "baby" 1997 Dodge Ram 2500 4x4 V-10 with only 69,000 ORIGINAL miles is just now having "fits" with the charging system!
Out of nowhere the other day (it was in the 20's all day and -4 at night) the Gen "idiot" light came on and I noticed my headlights were slightly dimmer than usual. A quick glance at the voltmeter showed that my battery was at a lower than normal voltage. I thought... OH THIS IS JUST GREAT! So on my way home, I wound the truck up and got her going down the expressway. (She's a stick-shift rocketship...) When I got the R's up (RPM's) I noticed that the voltmeter gained, my lights got brighter, and the charging system seemed to be working again. I thought - huh... that's friggen wierd! The Gen light never shut off until I turned the ignition switch off, and then back on. I restarted the truck and all seemed well again. Well, we all know where this is going...
Next day... same damned problem. Now get this. Carbon-pile load tested the battery - it's perfectly fine. Tested the alternator - it "seems" to be fine.
Checked all connections. All are clean, tight, and rust/corrosion free. No issues there.
I think my next step is going to be that I'm going to take the alternator to my auto parts store, put it on their test bench and "whip the snot out of it" with test after test after test, both "cold" and "hot" and try to make it fail.
So at only 69K original miles on this V10 truck and the charging system is crapping out? Get real! What is this thing, a JUNK GM product?
Everyone knows that GM's EAT ALTERNATORS like women change moods - on a whim...
The only thing that's remotely "strenuous" on this charging system is a trailer that I haul every now and then, with the electric brake controller and full LED lights (very low amperage draw). So I know that's certainly NOT the cause of my problem. No plow, no aux lights or auxillary power draws...
Regardless, what it really comes down to is this:
Is it my friggen $200 externally regulated alternator that's defective?
OR, is it my $Bzillions of dollars V-10 computer (that has the charging system regulator "built-into" it)?
Heck if I know!
Either way, I know it's gonna be an expensive venture both in time and money - AARGH!
My Dodge trucks are really starting to really **** ME OFF. This is the millionth "stupid" thing that has gone wrong with my various 2500 series 2nd Gen trucks over the last few years. (I have (2) 1995 5.9L gassers, (1) 1999 & (1) 2000 5.9L 24V Cummins, and (1) 1997 8.0L V10.) Ya can't keep an auto tranny in a 5.9L gasser, not to mention that they all "suck" the intake gaskets and then burn oil and then run like total crap; the infamous Cummins "53" engine blocks that f'ing CRACK wide open and severely leak coolant (which neither Dodge NOR Cummins will warranty, even though it's THEIR proven fault!); and the V10 has had it's own stupid sh*t issues, like bad crank/rod bearings due to porous heads that seep coolant into the engine, and wipe out the bearings at only 48,000 miles! And now, this moronic charging system problem?! I could go on...
Anyhow, off my soap box... Sounds like a resounding "replace your alternator" is what I'm getting from various threads found in this forum. I'm just worried, in that I don't want to drop a lot of coin on an alternator, to only later find out that the "computer" is what is actually no good or vice-versa!
***Anybody with direct experience with an intermittent charging problem such as this... PLEASE HELP with any info you can give - Thanks!***
I ever get a "new" truck, it's very likely NOT going to be another Dodge. (Of course in this wonderful economy, and the insane price of new trucks, they are pretty safe from me changing brands right now.) I sure wish that Ford or GM would get their sh*t together and steal Cummins contract away from Dodge. Depsite the "dud 53" block 5.9L CTD fiasco, they are still the best pickup truck diesel powerplants on the market - bar none. I can tell ya, if Ford or GM ever get a production pickup with a Cummins, Chrysler Corp will likely lose me as a customer forever.
Well, first calm down. If you hate your Chrysler product so much, why did you make the mistake of having 5 of them?
That is aucually great engineering. By incorporationg all vehicle functions in one computer, they can work together much better than a truck that has 10 diffferent computers controlling 10 different functions. GM, Ford, Toyota, etc... All use this same idea.
Anyways, isnt the regulator the black box off the alternator?
Ok, first of all... seems that many people are unaware of this - seems good 'ol Dodge
put the REGULATOR in the ECU/ECM/PCM (whatever the heck you wanna call it), at least that's where it's at on my 8.0L V10 truck! (Apparently Chrysler has been doing this genious move for many, many years now.) Yeah, now there's some friggen genious engineering
put the REGULATOR in the ECU/ECM/PCM (whatever the heck you wanna call it), at least that's where it's at on my 8.0L V10 truck! (Apparently Chrysler has been doing this genious move for many, many years now.) Yeah, now there's some friggen genious engineering
Anyways, isnt the regulator the black box off the alternator?
Rookie
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 88
Likes: 1
From: Ft. Pierce, FL
Recently had no charging on my 5.2. Bench tested the alternator and checked/cleaned/tightened all connections. Alt was good on the bench, but as soon as it went in the truck - nothing.
I started to research putting in an external regulator as you mentioned the PCM contains our volt reg.
On a whim I tried disconnecting the battery, turned the ignition switch for a few seconds, disconnected the PCM to check contacts (looked good) and then hooked it all back up. Fluke or not, it has corrected my problem. Getting full charge.
Something to try and good luck!
I started to research putting in an external regulator as you mentioned the PCM contains our volt reg.
On a whim I tried disconnecting the battery, turned the ignition switch for a few seconds, disconnected the PCM to check contacts (looked good) and then hooked it all back up. Fluke or not, it has corrected my problem. Getting full charge.
Something to try and good luck!
Rookie
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 90
Likes: 0
From: Florida
It could be a diode that controls the low idle circuit. Otherwise it allows some voltage to charge the battery at a low idle. It may be bad. Whereas the diode for the higher rpms is still working but alone it might not keep up.
