frying out the voltage regulator

[bruceahlgren]

The letters are usually marked on the regulator.

I will have to look at it tomorrow after I get home from work and I will let you know. How do I find out which one I'm supposed to have?

 

[2000StreetRod]

Central Junction Box Fuse 15

In my Model Year 2000 Owner's Guide Fuse 15 is associated with the Instrument Cluster under the column Passenger Compartment Fuse Panel Description. That agrees with my 2000 wiring diagrams and the one I previously posted. There should be battery voltage to Fuse 15 when the ignition switch is in Start and Run. I think the Charge Indicator is an LED that illuminates when the voltage across the lamp increases enough in one direction. I don't know the actual value or even the direction of flow. I assume that the "very little if any voltage" measured was between the "I" terminal and ground with the ignition in Run but the engine not running. Did you check if there was battery voltage at the B+ terminal (BLK/ORG wire)?

 

[2000StreetRod]

I & a

My stock voltage regulator has an "I" and "A" on the back near the connector.

You can make them out in the lower right of the photo in the gray section.

 

[2000StreetRod]

Stock or not?

I didn't see a response to these questions:
"Is your engine electrical system stock?
Or do you have dual batteries or a high power light or audio system?"

 

[bruceahlgren]

In my Model Year 2000 Owner's Guide Fuse 15 is associated with the Instrument Cluster under the column Passenger Compartment Fuse Panel Description. That agrees with my 2000 wiring diagrams and the one I previously posted. There should be battery voltage to Fuse 15 when the ignition switch is in Start and Run. I think the Charge Indicator is an LED that illuminates when the voltage across the lamp increases enough in one direction. I don't know the actual value or even the direction of flow. I assume that the "very little if any voltage" measured was between the "I" terminal and ground with the ignition in Run but the engine not running. Did you check if there was battery voltage at the B+ terminal (BLK/ORG wire)?

Yes it was between the I and ground. I don't know if mine has letters on it or not but it is the smaller of the 2 lI ghat green red stripe. And I do have batt voltage at the black orange wire before and after I replaced it. I didn't know if it was shorting out so I just put a new wire on still same results

 

[bruceahlgren]

I didn't see a response to these questions:
"Is your engine electrical system stock?
Or do you have dual batteries or a high power light or audio system?"

Sorry it's stock single battery no high power lights or radio. Just straight stock xlt.

 

[bruceahlgren]

Sorry it's stock single battery no high power lights or radio. Just straight stock xlt.

My alternator has no letters on the plug socket so I don't know which type I have

 

[2000StreetRod]

Alternator specifics?

If you post the brand, model number and other specifics we might be able to determine if it is suitable for your vehicle. Also look for a 4 digit number starting with 7 known as a Lester number that identifies the configuration.

 

[SoNic67]

This is what I used in my V8 5.0L, it has a circle on one side:

 

[bruceahlgren]

This is what I used in my V8 5.0L, it has a circle on one side:

This one looks more like mine. I'm at work so I won't be able to look for the other numbers till I get home between 1 and 2 pm central time

 

[bruceahlgren]

This one looks more like mine. I'm at work so I won't be able to look for the other numbers till I get home between 1 and 2 pm central time

I have pictures of my alternator but don't know how to post them. But the only numbers I could find are on stickers and none begins with a 7. And the Grey receptacle for the regulator has put on it. And it's an Ultima select dist by O'Reilly auto parts

 

[SoNic67]

This forum requires a fee to post pictures here, but, for non-paying users, you can also use another picture storage provider.

 

[bruceahlgren]

If you post the brand, model number and other specifics we might be able to determine if it is suitable for your vehicle. Also look for a 4 digit number starting with 7 known as a Lester number that identifies the configuration.

It is a ultima select 3246164 these numbers are underneath those 83313001
And it has a bar code 45 10 308 01 and underneath those 924 002
I cannot find the 4 digit number that starts with 7 anywhere

 

[bruceahlgren]

This forum requires a fee to post pictures here, but, for non-paying users, you can also use another picture storage provider.

It asked me for my picture's URL I'm doing this from my phone I don't have a computer the pictures are on my phone but the picture that you posted looks like mine but it's the one that I got from the part store not the one I took off they kept it core charge

 

[2000StreetRod]

Your alternator

Checking O'Reilly's website I assume this is your alternator:

Note that it is for vehicles up to 7/24/00 and has a 63mm pulley. Part number 392520 is for vehicles from 7/24/00. In comparing the rebuilt ones I noticed that the one up to 7/24/00 has a 57mm pulley and the one from 7/24/00 has a 53mm pulley. Do you know the build date of your vehicle and the stock pulley size? A smaller pulley will provide a greater voltage at lower speeds that a larger pulley. I would want the correct pulley size. However, I doubt the pulley size is contributing to your voltage regulator failures.

All of the above are shown with the I-D-A terminal configuration which seems appropriate to me.

My stock alternator has 3 contacts even though the middle one is not externally connected.

It appears that the V8 and the SOHC V6 alternators are interchangeable. The OHV V6 alternator is different.

I suspect there is something I'm overlooking that's causing your failures. Did you charge your battery with an external charger before starting the engine? If so, did you measure the voltage across the battery terminals to confirm it was actually charged?

 

[bruceahlgren]

Checking O'Reilly's website I assume this is your alternator:
View attachment 82650
Note that it is for vehicles up to 7/24/00 and has a 63mm pulley. Part number 392520 is for vehicles from 7/24/00. In comparing the rebuilt ones I noticed that the one up to 7/24/00 has a 57mm pulley and the one from 7/24/00 has a 53mm pulley. Do you know the build date of your vehicle and the stock pulley size? A smaller pulley will provide a greater voltage at lower speeds that a larger pulley. I would want the correct pulley size. However, I doubt the pulley size is contributing to your voltage regulator failures.

All of the above are shown with the I-D-A terminal configuration which seems appropriate to me.
View attachment 82651
My stock alternator has 3 contacts even though the middle one is not externally connected.
View attachment 82652
It appears that the V8 and the SOHC V6 alternators are interchangeable. The OHV V6 alternator is different.

I suspect there is something I'm overlooking that's causing your failures. Did you charge your battery with an external charger before starting the engine? If so, did you measure the voltage across the battery terminals to confirm it was actually charged?

The build date is 9/99 I do not know what the original size of the pull was but 53 pops up in my head.and yes I charged the battery fully before I put the new alternators on it was 12.98v

 

[2000StreetRod]

Charging indicator?

Does the charging indicator (looks like a little battery) illuminate when the ignition is on but the engine is not running?

 

[bruceahlgren]

Does the charging indicator (looks like a little battery) illuminate when the ignition is on but the engine is not running?

No and the bulb is good and I'm getting voltage at the 7.5 amp fuse and the 30 amp in engine compartment

 

[2000StreetRod]

Voltage check

I think the arrow below identifies the charging indicator.

Yours may not light because the voltage regulator has failed. Did you notice if it was an LED when you swapped the light?

Tomorrow I'll confirm mine illuminates when the key is on but the engine isn't running. Hopefully, I'll have time to disconnect the connector to the voltage regulator and then measure the voltage from the "I" connector socket to ground with the ignition on but the engine not running. I should get battery voltage via the 470 ohm resistor. I think you posted that your voltage was near zero but that may have been with the connector connected to the regulator. However, if that were the case the indicator should have been illuminated since all of the battery voltage would have been dropped across the lamp/resistor.

 

[bruceahlgren]

I think the arrow below identifies the charging indicator.
View attachment 82653
Yours may not light because the voltage regulator has failed. Did you notice if it was an LED when you swapped the light?

Tomorrow I'll confirm mine illuminates when the key is on but the engine isn't running. Hopefully, I'll have time to disconnect the connector to the voltage regulator and then measure the voltage from the "I" connector socket to ground with the ignition on but the engine not running. I should get battery voltage via the 470 ohm resistor. I think you posted that your voltage was near zero but that may have been with the connector connected to the regulator. However, if that were the case the indicator should have been illuminated since all of the battery voltage would have been dropped across the lamp/resistor.

The arrow in the picture is correct. It is a bulb not a led and I will go and check my voltage again tomorrow on the light green with red because I can't remember what it was I think I had a different reading each time I checked it may be why I can't remember