Details here
https://dodgeforum.com/forum/2nd-gen...lternator.html

Started a new thread cause I need to get this fixed.

Long story short, my alternator fried, replaced with a new one.
GEN light still comes on, and a test instrument registers 0 output.
All connections tight & clean, this rebuilt ALT is the exact same as the old one, and there is no way I screwed up on this simple install.
The way the wires are anyhow, you couldn't screw up the wiring if you tried.

Replaced 120 amp fuse, no joy.
Is getting power to the ALT + input.
Truck starts and runs, but I don't want to risk damage to the battery or anything else by running it any length of time.

I'm guessing it must be a fusible link, any other ideas, and where is this link ?
Only other possibility I can think of is I got a dud rebuild, which is possible.

 

take the alternator and the battery to a parts store to get them both tested. i learned a while back to get alternators tested before leaving the store.

i also learned that a bad alt can fry a good battery and a bad battery can fry a good alt.
on the t bird my alt died so i replaced it. then my battery died so i replaced it. then the new battery started spewing acid after i started it and i called the parts store and was told about that they can kill eachother if one is bad. so it was back to walmart for a new battery and advance for a new alt and it was all good after that.

 

Sound advice, I'd rather do the testing in place myself though, don't look forward to ripping it out again, but I just might have to.
Batts still good, its a nearly new Diehard gold under full warranty.
Still starts the truck, I'm gonna charge it later on today just to be on the safe side.

Was looking in my Chiltons, says theres a fusible link between the Alt & starter, going to give that a look, don't know what else to do with it.

 

check all your grounds, i just got done an electrical problem where wires chaffed and were touching the grounds (made 3 wires melt). and i lost my blinkers, tail lights, reverse lights, hazards, and brake lights. (thank god i fixed it) and yes there are fusable links between the two, but get a little 3 dollar power tester and check them

 

Well, I know alot of screwy things are possible but I don't see how a ground could be an issue here.
The old ALT was working fine since 1996, finally took a dump, and was replaced with an identical unit, exactly how it was taken out, including the ground connection.
Obviously, it is bolted to the block, a good ground right there, and I did nothing else that could have upset any ground connections.

I got power testers/continuity testers/multimeters galore, and am basically looking for a point of reference on how to test an alternator.
I can say that power is going through the fuse, power is getting to the + side of the alt.
To measure its output, and the path it takes to the battery, is what I need to get into.
Somewhere along that path, the charge is not getting through, unless it is a dud - In which case, there is no charge in the 1st place.

So how do they test them in stores, do they have something that spins them up, then a volt meter is put on it or something ?

 

Just put the meter on the positive cable going to the battery and a ground, it should be putting out around 14 volts.

 

or while its running, take the positive off the terminal, and that will tell you if the alternator is charging or not....(stops=bad keeps running=good)

 

That will work too, but put the meter on the cable if it stays running and see what the alternator is actually putting out.

 

I'll try my multimeter later when I get a chance.
I got one of those cheapo testers that just tell you if output is high, low, normal or none at all.
It doesn't register a thing while running, I tried it on another vehicle and it registers normal for that, so its a pretty safe bet the multimeter would also come back with no output.

 

It should atleast be at 12 volts or whatever the battery is charged to. You are putting it on the main cable to the battery correct?