Charging issues

[Crawls]

Hey guys, I am in the middle of fixing my NA 90 and the three lights are on for the alternator. Check at the battery and it's 12.4v, check at the fuse box in engine bay and it's 12.4v. if I rev car up by hand (no idea what rpm) it goes to around 14-14.5v. I have replaced the alternator belt and made no difference. I have noticed the voltmeter on dash sits at a whopping 4v but I know it's shot. I want to know two things, 1 is voltmeter tied into charging system and 2, does anyone have any ideas.

[Crawls]

I have to add, car is deregistered so hasn't been on road for a long time. And I have checked all fuses etc.

[GDII]

Normally 3 lights means a bad alternator. The voltage in the system drops below the allowable level for the 3 systems to work properly.
But with the 14.7V measured means it's working.

Yes the volt meter is tied to the system. Everything is tied to the system.

[Crawls]

So if the three lights are on, and i can get 14v does that mean there is an issue within the alternator? ie regulator?

[Crawls]

Is there anything i can do to get the voltmeter going? or just ignore it haha

[GDII]

I can't give a definite answer to that one. If it's reading the correct voltage, which it should also do at idle then it's odd you have these lights. Normally the 3 lights only come on with a dodgy alternator. Maybe a bad battery however I have a bad battery right now that won't charge or hold charge and when I jump start the car everything works fine.

The volt meter doesn't really tell you much. It's either sitting horizontal when not charging or half way between there and 18V when working properly. If you are having issues the 3 lights will go on anyway.

[simonaszakra]

My money is on earthing issue/bad wire somewhere causing a voltage drop/at low currents just not really pushing the power through well.

I had a similar issue in not a toyota recently all i did was check and fiddle with every connection to the alt battery etc and problem solved.

[Crawls]

Well i spoke to an auto electrician today, he said it appears i popped a diode. Now to get the damn thing out of the car and off to the shop.

[GDII]

You can probably pull it out the top if it's a manual car. I have a write up I have been putting together that I can send you. I just haven't got a round to posting it up with photos.

[Crawls]

How on earth does the alternator come out? The adjustment bracket is bloody long on here.

Anyone have any ideas?

[GDII]

Auto or manual car?

[tw2]

You can get it out by undoing alternator, it will sit on the crossmember, then take the huge bracket off and it will come out the top. I replaced the bracket with a racerX one so I wouldn't have this problem ever again.

[GDII]

You can get it out by undoing alternator, it will sit on the crossmember, then take the huge bracket off and it will come out the top. I replaced the bracket with a racerX one so I wouldn't have this problem ever again.

If your car is turbo, good luck getting the bracket off without taking the axle out of the gearbox. Not that this car is turbo but it is auto with a big alternator.

Dropping the subframe is easier than trying to take off the bracket.

[Benckj]

Having just done this myself I disagree. Bracket removal isn't that hard and often alternator will then come out from top. Depending on your exhaust configuration & rear sway bar removal the lower subframe can be quite difficult.

[GDII]

Having just done this myself I disagree. Bracket removal isn't that hard and often alternator will then come out from top. Depending on your exhaust configuration & rear sway bar removal the lower subframe can be quite difficult.

I tried to remove the bracket on an engine outside the car with the axle still in place. Was not able to access a bolt behind the carrier bearing bracket.
Maybe I have bad memory but it was on the weekend of Nationals.

Removing the subframe is 9 bolts. Enough to get it to drop down. 2 more bolts and 2 nuts to get the swaybar to come loose so the exhaust isn't clamped by it.