88 5ksq Charging Problem

[Henry A Harper III]

Have you checked the infamous positive cable splice in the passenger
footwell? Sometimes it has more resistance than a splice really should.
Details at http://members.aol.com/c1j1miller/electrical.html or in the
archives.

HTH
Henry Harper
http://www.henry-harper.com  hah at alumni.rice.edu
1991 200q, 115k, no wierd electrical problems yet other than those caused
by various broken hinge wires
1988 GTI 16v, 225k

On Saturday, March 02, 2002 8:31 AM, George Butler
[SMTP:gwbutler at net1plus.com] wrote:
> This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
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> Hello all,
>
> I have an 88 5ksq BTDT charging system question.  Here's the scenario:
>
> "Dad, the Battery Voltage Too High/Low light keeps lighting up, and my
lights flicker"
>
> 1. Tested voltage at battery with engine on  (3k rpm) ...whoa!16 volts!
>
> 2. Replaced voltage regulator, repeated step 1, voltage now at 15
volts... (still a bit high I thought)
>
> 3. Have alternator bench tested... assured by technician that, aside from
miniscule fluctuation after 10 minutes, Bosch alternator "could last
another five years".  Technician suggested that I check grounds.
>
> 4. Tested continuity of main ground between firewall and valve cover
stud,  looked pretty solid, but had that "powdery" deposit in a few
places...didn't ohm-out wonderfully either,...relpaced unit with brand-new
ground strap.
>
> 5. Tested voltage  (3k rpm) at battery again...still at 15 volts.
>
> 6. Took car for one-half hour test drive on highway.... no problems... I
thought... until perpetual "check front brake pad" indicator dimmed (pads
are almost new) when I turned the headlights on.
>
> 7. Gave car back to son...who drove it to work the following
morning...while the battery was dying as he was driving it down the Mass
Pike...where the car died.
>
> 8. Car back in yard, battery re-charged, re-started car with no problem.
>
> 9. Checked voltage off back of alternator, 14.7 volts....voltage at
battery...12.2 volts...obviously battery is not charging.
>
> 10. Checked continuity between main lug on alternator and positive
battery cable (disconnected)...solid short on 1K setting.  Checked for
short between battery ground cable and battery positive cable....nothing!
>
> 11.  Had battery tested (2-yr old Exide...) again everything looked fine.
>
> What am I missing?  I'm about to go outside and clean all the connection
points on the starter... I have to admit,  as straight-forward a process as
this should be...I'm stumped!
> HELP!  TIA
>
> Regards,
>
> George B.
> Massachusetts
>
>
>
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