Altenator issue found

[Smokey]

I was typing up this long lengthy post about how great y'all are and how I've fixed all my issues on my 1998.5 24v. Blah blah then I lost it some how. Y'all are great! Thank you for all the content.

 

Long story long I had shifting issues. I did the W-T wiring, rebuilt PCM and ECM from Auto Computer Specialist (recommended), and had altenator rebuilt, timbo apps. Day two of the great fix my 150amp breaker tripped and left me with dead batteries. I followed the How to Test Your Altenator post and while testing the blue and green wire i noticed my green wire test lite lit up on both sides of battery terminal...hum short maybe, i continued the test and notice continuity on both wire on both pins at the PCM..hum short or bad PCM. I then took the wires off the altenator and re-pinned the PCM, no crossing of continuity....OK short must be at the altenator. I took the altenator off and found that the thin metal housing that covers the diodes was bent and actually touching two of the diodes. I took the back cover off altenator and bent back straight then re-installed.

 

Bet the AC voltage was high. ( I hadn't got that far in the test.)

So anyways, if your altenator or voltages seem weird, maybe breaker keeps tripping, check the back of the altenator. Mine may have been bent all this time I did have 4 bad diodes before rebuild. In pics you can see some of the metal vent ribs touching and shorting out and some discoloration. Had it not been for the breaker i would not have noticed and would have been buying another altenator or pcm. 

[IBMobile]

Thank for the heads up.  Good find!