Is the one from a RRC the same as a D1?

 

ok I have a few questions, probably wont lead to much but worth looking into. I am guessing that if you have already returned a few of these they are testing them for the warranty? then they must be going bad (at least that would be my thought) so you are right to ask why are they going bad, what battery are you running in your truck? the reason I ask this is because I would imagine if the battery is not a good match for the alternator you could be over/under charging it, which could cause damage to the alternator. another thought, are you running any "extra" non-stock electronics in the truck? I would imagine if the auto parts store has a replacement alternator that has a lower than stock current output and you are trying to pull more than stock current this can hurt an alternator pretty quick (really tough to say how quickly that would hurt them). As for a short if you were to use a multimeter and test the wire on the back of the alternator for ground this will let you know if there is a short, this wire should go directly to the positive battery terminal (through a large fuse), what I would do is put the meter on resistance (the ohm symbol) disconnect the positive lead from the battery and test between the positive lead and the chassis. If there is a short or a power draw you will get a reading, the lower the number the bigger the short or power draw (0 is a direct short, but that would probably cause the fuse to blow)

just my thoughts hope it helps

 

Ok, I will try to answer everyones questions before I go to work.
The battery is brand new, Duralast Gold 1000CCA, 900 reserve amps.
I am not running any extra electrical stuff.
It is a 100amp alt.
No the alt from a RRC will not fit.
No I have not looked into the voltage regulator.
No they are not testing them when I return them, they just take it back, punch stuff into the compter and hand me a new one.
Advance Auto sells a Denso brand new alt for my truck for $345, I would buy it and then return the reman one but it will take at least a week for it to come in.
And thats if UPS does not loose it, they already lost the part for my wifes car.
Ordered a coolant temp sensor a week ago, factory direct, still is not in, was supposed to be there last Mon.
I dont have a omh meter but this is a good excuse to get one huh?

 

cheap meters from walmart start at around $20, but as for troubleshooting electric problems they are worth there weight in gold. In my line of work I would say that is my most commonly used tool (I use a Fluke true RMS meter that cost me almost $200, as I use it for many different reasons). This will not test the alternator, you need another tool to do that.

I am shocked that they are not testing these alternators! I would actually ask them just so you can use that to rule other things out

 

Spike ? are you there...?
I have the original alt. off of my '98DI, ( Magneti Marelli )it was ok when I took it off to do my cyl heads this summer, I replaced it then because it was a little noisey....but otherwise working. If it would help , you can have it REAL cheap and use or rebuild it as you see fit. I'm at my shop more than home. 315-938-5210
Rod.

 

Well I have good news and bad news.
The good news is it is the bearings that went out on the alt.
The bad news is that my new one was supposed to be in today, and its not, they had to order it from the warehouse, so it will be in on Mon.
So...I just put my bad alt back into the truck so that I can drive it to work on Mon, and then drive back home, take it back out and then put the new one back in.
Now add to that the fact that I ordered new tires for my wifes car last week and they are supposed to get installed Mon, as well as the windshield for the truck, and the alt, and work...as we have 6" of snow and there has not been a single snow plow on the road and work it taking twice as long because the roads are sheets of ice.
The traction control in my van threw a fault today because it was working so hard.
I have been home less than a hour and I still need to shower and eat dinner, it's almost 9pm.

 

drink more beer.

 

I dont drink.

 

Talk to Advance Auto and see if you can get your money back since you have been through so many, and buy a new Bosch for $250.

 

the parasitic draw i had in this 97 D1 i was working on turned out to be the alternator. BAD Diode....