Electrical gremlins - non hbody but GM related

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Electrical gremlins - non hbody but GM related

Postby 92turbogtz » Wed Feb 17, 2010 12:17 am

I have a 2003 GMC Safari (4.3L) and a 2003 Chevy Cavalier (2.2L Eco) with almost identical electrical issues relating to the battery/charging system... I think.

The problem is, neither vehicle can keep a charge on their batteries. One of the batteries is less than a year old so I find it difficult to believe BOTH batteries are causing the issue. I started both vehicles and disconnected the battery to see if the charging system works. Both vehicles run without batteries. I stuck a voltmeter on the ends of the cables and it read a constant 19 volts from the alternator.

Suggestions?
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Re: Electrical gremlins - non hbody but GM related

Postby 73astregt » Wed Feb 17, 2010 1:01 am

my old boss had a problem with his astro van that sounds similar would not hold a charge dealer checked it out nothing wrong ended up one evening after work i happened to walk by the van and saw a small light inside, the door of the storage compartment on the doghouse was hanging open just enough to make the light inside stay on and drain the battery. closed it up and he was carefull with it after and had no further problems. sometimes its the stupid little things lol! :bang:
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Re: Electrical gremlins - non hbody but GM related

Postby 72 SS PNL » Wed Feb 17, 2010 3:21 am

hope you didnt ZORk the computers , its a BIG BIG NO NO !!!! to disconnect the batt while a computer controlled car is running

use a amp meter , and put it between the batt and neg cable , and pull fuses tell you find the draw
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Re: Electrical gremlins - non hbody but GM related

Postby Racin Jason » Wed Feb 17, 2010 10:56 am

I had a 85 s-10 that you could disconnect battery while running, but when i tried it on a 2002 s-10 it died immediatey.
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Re: Electrical gremlins - non hbody but GM related

Postby 92turbogtz » Thu Feb 18, 2010 9:46 pm

After much troubleshooting I figured it's the alternator, so I took them down to a mechanic specializing in auto electronics. It turns out the alternator's toast on BOTH vehicles... I can kiss about $400 goodbye for two rebuilt alts. :censored:
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Re: Electrical gremlins - non hbody but GM related

Postby monza75tc » Thu Mar 18, 2010 10:46 pm

I don.t know if you have any AutoZone stores up North, but if you do, they have the duralast gold new alt for around $150.00. But that is down here in Alabama, it is a 100 amp alt.

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Re: Electrical gremlins - non hbody but GM related

Postby 92turbogtz » Fri Mar 19, 2010 12:33 am

I forgot to updaet this. I ended up replacing both alternators with rebuilts from a local company specializing in auto electronics. The Safari alt was $150 and the Cavalier was $200 and it was the cheapest price I could find by $100 per alternator.
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Re: Electrical gremlins - non hbody but GM related

Postby ColinOpseth » Thu Mar 25, 2010 1:30 am

I just want to add that a bad diode trio can cause this exact problem. Glad you got it sorted out. Odd that both alternators were shot at the same time, though.
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Re: Electrical gremlins - non hbody but GM related

Postby 92turbogtz » Thu Mar 25, 2010 1:57 am

ColinOpseth wrote:Odd that both alternators were shot at the same time, though.


Yeah, but both vehicles are 2003's with over 110,000km each.
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