some help, please....

[jake the snake]

i shut my x off earlier, and everything was fine. i came out of my buddy's house and fire it up, and i've got a problem with electronics.

here's what does work (that i noticed)
headlights and taillights, power windows, dash lights, dome light and door lights.

here's what doesn't:
power windows, fan/blower motor, a/c, radio, blinkers and brake lights, my abs light was on (normally isn't), and the battery was reading a little lower than normal.

i checked the fuse panel, i pulled the radio one, it was fine
i pulled the brake lights one, it was fine.

i went to the power dist. box, and pulled a few from there, they were fine too.

does anybody know what is wrong or where to look next?

 

[jake the snake]

ah-hem,

pardon me, to clarify, the power locks WORK and the power windows DO NOT.

thanks for reading. and.....


help!! i have to fix this tomorrow. no a/c OR windows in louisiana is going to kill me.

 

[udmsvt]

i would say batt low, probably as a result of alternator going or serpentine belt.

 

[sunbum]

How are your guages responding? I 2nd udmsvt's response. I lost my alternator at 99k+ miles... RIP.
Could be the beginning of the end for your alternator but I hope not.

 

[jake the snake]

i'll get the alternator tested tomorrow.
anybody know ballpark figure for remanufactured alternator for 1st gen?

could it be anything else?

 

[udmsvt]

...could just be the serp belt though too....or could be batt, but i doubt it.

check the belt.

if belt checks out, jump it and drive it around the block for a while with EVERYTHING on and see what happens. if its the alt, it will start to loose stuff.

if its the batt, it probably wont take a jump or will die shortly thereafter.

unfortunately, this time of day, thats the best i can give ya. tuesday you could actually have the parts tseted though to be sure.

i think i looked at liek 150ish....tell ya this much, get the 130amp, NOT the 95 amp....the 130 is actually cheaper...you may have to tell them yours is a limited. if you have the time to, a local shop builds ones that are 200amp

 

[sunbum]

Mine was around $300 installed I think. I didn't have time to shop around either... it happened about the worst time, worst spot... but fortunately I saw something happening and got to the far right lane to coast into the emergency lane when it died. :|

 

[udmsvt]

Originally posted by sunbum
Mine was around $300 installed I think.

this is why i carry my tools.

 

[jake the snake]

if it was the belt... does that mean its slipping?

if one belt runs everything and power steering was okay, does that mean anything?

i just went out to see if it would start and it did, no problem.

i am not trying to pester, just provide full info for proper diagnosis.

thanks

 

[jake the snake]

another quick question....

after browsing around, there are two alternators for this year?

one is listed as "std" 95 amps

other is listed as "opt" 130 amps.

which goes in my truck? how do i tell?

thanks dudes

 

[sunbum]

Originally posted by udmsvt This is why I carry my tools

That's well and good if you:
a) have the expertise to install one

b) have the time/room to work on it (I broke down in wall to wall traffic entering the TappanZee bridge) and knew absolutely no one in the area to even think of taking me to a local auto parts store

c) aren't in the middle of a long trip north and have a timeframe to get things done

... so I had to get towed by a wrecker the cop called (he wasnt going to let me stay there and fix anything in traffic inches away), hauled to a place I didn't know, and prob got screwed accordingly. :frustrate

 

[udmsvt]

yes, there are 2 alternators and they are swappable. the 130 was used in tow package and limited versions for the extra electronics. most people find that the 130 is actually better than the 95, and besides its better. get the 130.

if the belt slips, you will start to lose stuff but it wont be like that. check to make sure that its still there and in tact...we had one snap on our 91 on the highway and when i popped the hood, there were just a few threads left. it started twice and had enough juice in the battery to get it up onto a trailer, then off the trailer into the garage, but thats about it.

as the belt turns, it turns the alt which charges the battery.
bad alt=not charging battery.
bad belt=alt not turning=not charging battery
the batt may not be holding a charge, but that is the least likely. it may also be more complicated, but thats the best i can do given the info.

 

[udmsvt]

re: sunbum

chill, i wasnt trying to knock ya. installing an alt is cake, IF you have seen it done before. i too have been cought, without enough knowledge, tools, and in a jam. i had a water pump break at like 11pm on my way home one night and i had class the next day. luckily, there is a auto repair place around that is open to midnight.

 

[jake the snake]

udmsvt, thank you

wow, its cool to see i'm not the only one with open diffs. there are other fellas that are good at digging holes (ha ha!!)

 

[udmsvt]

problem solved?

 

[jake the snake]

ok, here's the deal.


i went out to get it tested this morning. everything worked fine, all the stuff that was inoperable last night was up and running.
anyways, hooked up, the alternator read 25 (volts, i think) and it should have read 50. the battery was a little low, but i'll chalk that up to weak alternator, and low water level. i got the 130 amp lifetime alternator for 110 plus tax and core. the damn core was 50 bucks. i got home and swapped it out in less than 15 minutes. the battery gauge now reads further to the right than it has ever before, and with EVERYTHING on, still looks pretty good.

thanks for the help once again, umdsvt. you "hooked a brotha up"

-jake

 

[udmsvt]

give it a day or 2 to see how the new alt does before you take your old one in and get the core back.

it may be to late, but as long as you are replacing the alt, migjht i recommend replacing the serpentine belt with a gatorback.

 

[jake the snake]

all is good. i kinda already took the old one back. i needed the loot. ok, so this gatorback, it is a brand of belts i take it?

 

[udmsvt]

yeah, gatorback is a serpentine belt...i think goodyear makes it. it will be inder 25 bucks and have a lifetime warranty.....instead of just having the regular ribs, it has a cross=hatch pattern in the rib so if water gets on it, it directs it out (kinda like an aquatread tire!)...i got one when on my last car because every time i went through a puddle, my belt would slip and i would start losing accessories...steering first. when i replaced the belt, it stopped and never came back.