[V8] the dreaded blue wire debacle

[dsaad at icehouse.net]

If you replaced the alternator, more than likely the regulator was replaced too.
It is built into the alternator. I hope the mechanic did not swap your old one
back on the new alternator.

Your battery ABSOLUTLY HAS to have a cover over the POSITIVE post, and the
battery has to have a vent hose. There is a very specific battery that must be
used (sorry - I don't have the type handy) or you WILL have at least two very
nasty problems:

1. Explosive and corrosive HYDROGEN GAS is constantly being generated by the
battery when the car is running.

2. If (or more likely when) someone sits on the rear seat over the exposed
battery post, and causes a short to ground, you will have an instant fire,
possible battery explosion, and probable injury to everyone in the car.

Make sure you have the correct battery type and that it is properly VENTED
through the tube in the floor.
On some batteries, you connect the vent hose to one vent nipple on the battery
and then make sure to PLUG THE OTHER ONE or you will still release hydrogen
under the seat.

Your symptoms still sound like a bad alternator. If you have been in deep water
you could have caused some sort of corrosion problem in the alternator.
It could have just failed for no good reason too. It happens.

(SORRY ABOUT THE YELLING BUT THIS IS IMPORTANT STUFF :-)

Dave

Quoting Steve Kramer <skramer at mac.com>:

> I did have the alternator replaced last year but not the voltage regulator.
> What do you use to clean the battery posts - ground locations.
>
> Dumb question -  Also could the battery short out if the posts touch the
> metal on the rear bench.
>
> Steve Kramer
> 1990 v8
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Buchholz, Steven" <Steven.Buchholz at kla-tencor.com>
> To: <v8 at audifans.com>
> Sent: Thursday, January 27, 2005 12:59 PM
> Subject: RE: [V8] the dreaded blue wire debacle
>
>
> ... by any chance has this crack mechanic pulled the regulator module
> off the alternator to see if the brushes are getting to the end of their
> life?  To be honest I've forgotten the details of the journey that got
> us to this point, but I remember a similar chain in my younger days ...
> I think it was on the old '78 Fox ... I went up and down the charging
> system ... and all it took was getting the alternator rebuilt!  Think
> about it ... most all of the other bits do not tend to wear or get moved
> about ...
>
> Other items that can lead to charging system issues are the ground braid
> from the engine block to the frame, and on some models there are poorly
> crimped high current cables that can develop high resistance ... but I
> don't think this applies to the V8 ... and even if it did would not
> likely result in the ALT light coming on ...
>
> Steve B
> San Jose, CA (USA)
> >
> > Well, it's happened again.  One week after having the cluster
> > taken out and
> > the blue wire fixed  I thought I was through with the blue wire thing.
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