Time for a new Alternator

[s10010001]

Hey guys, I have been poking around here for some time but mainly active on CF. I have been wanting to get more active here, so here we go! I have been getting TC lockup issues for 3-4 days now and its getting worse. I pulled out my meter and sure enough, she's blowing .045-.052, she's toast. So I am willing to spend a little more on an alternator and hoping to not play roulette with china crap form local box stores.

 

Where should I order from? Im hoping to keep my core since its a OEM original unit. I could possibly rebuild it for later. Im leaning on the Denso Hairpin 180 from Nations.However, I was reading somewhere about a better one from the dodge dealer that was around $220? 

https://www.nationsstarteralternator.com/180-Amp-HP-High-Output-Alternator-for-2000-Dodge-p/13874-180-hp.htm

 

Im open to other suggestions, but I was a drop in, I don't want to be messing with pulleys and cable ends.  

 

 

and btw... with they alternator, I have not hit 100% of the common soar spots on our 2nd gens whats my prize?

 

 

[Mopar1973Man]

I can tell you this much so far there is nothing wrong with the part store alternators. That past with good 30mV AC typically. What I'm finding is the loads are causing the diodes to over heat and fail. Now this being said the only load that is capable of doing this is the grid heaters. I'm currently studying for a solution that is permanent and resolve this once and for all. 

 

Just so you know I've got replacement diodes on hand here on the site.

 

[IBMobile]

                                HERE'S HOW TO REPLACE IT  

 

   

 

[s10010001]

Is the OEM a Denso? I know mine has a old faded Chrysler sticker on it. It was a 1 owner truck before me, he kept papers on everything and there was no evidence of it being replaced. Also it only has 52k so I doubt it was. 

 

So would that be your move? Just replace the diode pack and call it a day? It would defiantly save some cash  

 

Whats with the parts store alternators? I should stick with a Denso if I go that route? I was going to delete my grid heater... its been making some funny noises when running haha and im in so-cal heat. At a minimum unhook it from the computer and have it controlled manually as a "just in case". So that sounds like it would help out the new alternator.

Edited February 21, 2018 by s10010001

[Mopar1973Man]

14 minutes ago, s10010001 said:

Is the OEM a Denso?

 

Could be either a Denso or Bosch. Denso are easy to replace. Bosch you have to do solder work to install new diodes.

16 minutes ago, s10010001 said:

Whats with the parts store alternators?

 

Nothing they are built with the same diodes just that most could have use diodes that still pass but fail shortly afterwards. Make you think my 1996 Dodge Ram 1500 has a 22 year old Denso alternator and never failed yet with 170k miles. Now my 2002 Dodge Ram lasted 10 years then alternators continued to fail within 4 months to a year. Now I'm testing and I bet the grid heater are the cause.

 

19 minutes ago, s10010001 said:

I was going to delete my grid heater...

Just unhook the power lead from the battery so you don't trip CEL.

[IBMobile]

All most all part store alternators are Chinese rebuilds.  The Chinese rebuilders get the cores from where ever, clean them up, replace only what is bad, paint them and ship tem back to the States.   They hope it will last till either the warranty is up, you lose the receipt, get rid of the vehicle or just go away.   They don't care because it's a numbers game.  They have your good money and you have there junk.     

Edited February 21, 2018 by JAG1

[s10010001]

2 hours ago, Mopar1973Man said:

Just unhook the power lead from the battery so you don't trip CEL.

Sorry I lost you there. My goal is to leave the grid heats plugged into the relay/battery and just removed the 12v trigger from the relay and manually control it with a momentary. I haven't really looked into it, I just assumed it would work like that. I don't was a light on my dash thats for sure haha. or just delete it all together.. especially if I'm saving money on a Alternator here

 

2 hours ago, Mopar1973Man said:

Could be either a Denso or Bosch. Denso are easy to replace. Bosch you have to do solder work to install new diodes.

I checked again, found the sticker underneath and its a Denso - 56027 - 221AB from TN. So I guess i'm good to give your 

diodes pack a go.

 

2 hours ago, IBMobile said:

All most all part store alternators are Chinese rebuilds.  The Chinese rebuilders get the cores from where ever, clean them up, replace only what is bad, paint them and ship tem back to the States.   They hope it will last till either the warranty is up, you lose the receipt, get rid of the vehicle or just go away.   They don't care because it's a numbers game.  They have your good money and you have there junk.    

Sorta why I was wanting to get the one from Nations. It seems like a good one. But if I have a good one now that just needs a new pack, I might try that first. 

Edited February 21, 2018 by JAG1

[Dieselfuture]

At 52k diodes is all you should need. I would definitely not get rid of yours as a core, and nations would be a good choice if you ever got one.

I would also make sure all your wiring is in good shape.

[JAG1]

Just now, Dieselfuture said:

At 52k diodes is all you should need. I would definitely not get rid of yours as a core, and nations would be a good choice if you ever got one.

I would also make sure all your wiring is in good shape.

Make sure its grounded properly thru the bracket mount and bolt. Often found to have resistance on the OHM meter, you have to clean off the bracket mount surface and bolting hardware. Good grounding reduces AC ripple. Thanks to W-T for sharing this one

[Marcus2000monster]

9 hours ago, s10010001 said:

Sorry I lost you there. My goal is to leave the grid heats plugged into the relay/battery and just removed the 12v trigger from the relay and manually control it with a momentary. I haven't really looked into it, I just assumed it would work like that. I don't was a light on my dash thats for sure haha. or just delete it all together.. especially if I'm saving money on a Alternator here

 

I too am curious about this. 

[Mopar1973Man]

3 minutes ago, Marcus2000monster said:

My goal is to leave the grid heats plugged into the relay/battery and just removed the 12v trigger from the relay and manually control it with a momentary

 

Can't do that. Trips the CEL light and P0380 and P0382 codes. The trigger lines must be left alone and hooked up. If there is a short or break in those wires these codes and CEL typically come with it. 

 

The only solution is to pull the main power lead... 

 

Being the OP is in California he can't have a CEL on. It will fail Smog checks.

Edited February 21, 2018 by Mopar1973Man

[s10010001]

Cool, thanks for the info. I will kill it that way and just have the needed wrench handy if I need the grids one day while out on an adventure... 

 

As for my Alternator, I have been reading ton on here, mainly that other really long thread I found currently running about this stuff. Im still on the rocks, but im leaning on the new pack from you. 

[s10010001]

Got my grids disabled, no codes, thanks for the info on that MM. 

 

I did some more testing this morning, cold idle I'm sitting right at .029-.031, it kinda jumps around. at 2k rpm exactly, its .038-.05. Im gonna go warm it up and test again at lunch. 

 

Im leaning on the Nations 13874-180HP. A little more power can't be a bad thing and I could fix my original alternator up as a spare, or just sell it cheap here. I guess a OEM dodge one might be worth a little change around here and could help someone out. 

 

[dave110]

.03 is pretty darn good. My new Bosch is at .04.  Did you have all power sources on? Lights, heater blower, etc. FWIW, disabling the relay trigger wires will NOT give a CEL. I've been running that way for awhile now. I put the grounds on a switch. You will get codes though which is no problem for me but I can see you would have an issue in Commiefornia.

[s10010001]

9 minutes ago, dave110 said:

.03 is pretty darn good. My new Bosch is at .04.  Did you have all power sources on? Lights, heater blower, etc.

 

I have always followed the practice of No accessories when doing the test, so were all on the same baseline to a loose extent. I am getting the lockup issues that seem spot on with AC noise. It is currently "intermittent" and seems to be the case when she is plenty warmed up. I have checked my grounds and my cables are all like new. I was gonna pull the alternator and check the mounting point (grounds there) but its so clean I doubt thats a problem. I have yet to have my meter on me in the TC is acting up, but I'm storing it in the truck right now and its happening more regulary every time I drive it. My guess is the noise is much higher when the lockup issue is present.

 

I have a lot of trips coming up this year as far as 10 hour drives so I don't mind spending $289 on an alternator I trust is gonna be good right now. 

 

So these are the figures from Mopar1973Man 

0.00 VAC is PREFECT DC power. This would be with the truck not running at all.
0.01 VAC Excellent (Rare to see)
0.02 VAC Still really good
0.03 VAC Good
0.04 VAC Good
0.05 VAC OK but marginal
0.10 VAC Failed.

 

15 minutes ago, dave110 said:

FWIW, disabling the relay trigger wires will NOT give a CEL. I've been running that way for awhile now. I put the grounds on a switch. You will get codes though which is no problem for me but I can see you would have an issue in Commiefornia.

 

I tested this and it does not give a CEL but it does put a code in the system, just like my missing fuel pump does, so I will fail smog for it. There are sometimes I am in really cold weather so I think it will be better to just unplug the main power from the driver side battery. its easy to hook them up if I know im gonna be in really cold climate. So unhooking the main worked perfectly for me. 

[Marcus2000monster]

26 minutes ago, dave110 said:

.03 is pretty darn good. My new Bosch is at .04.  Did you have all power sources on? Lights, heater blower, etc. FWIW, disabling the relay trigger wires will NOT give a CEL. I've been running that way for awhile now. I put the grounds on a switch. You will get codes though which is no problem for me but I can see you would have an issue in Commiefornia.

You need to test with everything OFF! 

[s10010001]

Yea I just went out and checked again, I just had driven across town and back with no lockup issues. I was bouncing between .030 and .039. 3-4 months ago Checked and .029 was the highest I saw.  

 

That does "seem" good, but like I said ill need to wait and check it when I'm having lockup issues. I wonder is unplugging the grids helped me out haha . 

[dave110]

Absolutely it did. My AC noise goes from .04 to .09 when the grids cycle.

 

Someone clear me up on this. I always test with all loads ON. The more loads ON the higher the AC noise will be, and I want to see what it is at the highest point, not the lowest. 

[s10010001]

I think the idea is, we can't have a static set of numbers to base "good" or "bad" on if everyone has a different set of accessories. The various accessories will alter the noise levels coming off the AC. But if we all run accessories off then our trucks are pretty much the same (electrically) and we can say, .03 is good and .09 is bad. 

 

When were driving down the road 99% of the time, weren't to running all our accessories anyways right? winches, extra, lights, compressors, fans are not ON most of the time. So it those items cause excessive ac noise from time to time I don't think thats a big deal. 

 

correct me if I'm wrong here. 

[Marcus2000monster]

6 minutes ago, dave110 said:

Absolutely it did. My AC noise goes from .04 to .09 when the grids cycle.

 

Someone clear me up on this. I always test with all loads ON. The more loads ON the higher the AC noise will be, and I want to see what it is at the highest point, not the lowest. 

 

18 minutes ago, s10010001 said:

ave always followed the practice of No accessories when doing the test, so were all on the same baseline to a loose extent. I am getting the lockup issues that seem spot on with AC noise.