low battery after 6 month repair wait. Topic is solved

[jonesg]

Ok thanks, it looks like this alt might come out if I can get everything else undone.
first a cup of coffee....then back to breaking stuff.

[jonesg]

alt bolts were partly damaged from a previous attempt, I gave up going that way.
Drained coolant and pulled the cooling fan for better access.
I believe its possible to reach the screws from the other side of the intake manifold with a long screwdriver.
Unfortunately mine is flatheaded, not philips.
So if necessary I'll weld one up with some 3/8 steel rod. But first I'll try with the stubby screwdriver from below.

I did notice the small wire blade connecter to the rear of the alt has the green gremlins.
What if that was the source of all the no charge problem. Would that do it?

[abscate]

Yep!

[jonesg]

Yep!

well I'll be. !
At least I have an exit strategy now. I can put the plasma cutter away.

[jonesg]

one silly little wire.

[oragex]

I believe that small connector is for the dash 'battery' light
Do you mean the screws on the regulator are not philips ? Could it be security screws with a male torx head ? I've seen one of these, either it's an aftermarket alternator, either Volvo has replaced with security screws https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3285143 ... 4c4d9gc2Ca

[jonesg]

I believe that small connector is for the dash 'battery' light
Do you mean the screws on the regulator are not philips ? Could it be security screws with a male torx head ? I've seen one of these, either it's an aftermarket alternator, either Volvo has replaced with security screws https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3285143 ... 4c4d9gc2Ca

From what I've been reading the small wire is the ECM signal to energize the alt charge winding ( field wires?), it also affects the red warning light if the serpentine belt breaks, but my alt isn't getting the ecm signal to charge so it doesn't detect no charge....hence I don't get the red warning light when I run the engine without the serpentine belt.

The regulator screws are philips, I just don't have a very long philips screwdriver to reach from the other side of the engine bay.
I might just weld my own but its raining hard now, I use a 240v heavy extension from the house to the garage, can't do that in the rain.
I'll try just cleaning the spade connecter first, if that works I'll declare victory and start reinstalling everything.

at some point in the future the alternator will need to be extracted when it finally dies.
I considered welding a bigger nut over the damaged bolt heads to get a bigger wrench on it but I suspect the bolts will just break.
it will be a project better left to when I do the PCV and have better access.

[jonesg]

I cleaned the small wire plug, went to reinstall and the plug fell off the wire. It corroded off, cut the wire back a bit to find good copper.
Found some good marine plugs that are the same size and crimped one of those on the signal wire.
For now I'm gonna reinstall everything needed to test idle the alternator and see if it puts out voltage.
If it fails, I have a new regulator arriving monday.

It will have to be installed with alt in place, I made a philips socket adapter for my elec ratchet.
This should make it easier to extract the screws.

[oragex]

I would try removing the reg screws gently by hand with good down pressure while turning slowly so it doesn't strip the head. I had a bit of trouble with these because the rust and get stuck in there for a small screw and the philips head strips pretty easily.

[jonesg]

I would try removing the reg screws gently by hand with good down pressure while turning slowly so it doesn't strip the head. I had a bit of trouble with these because the rust and get stuck in there for a small screw and the philips head strips pretty easily.

Agree, it wasn't something I was looking forward to doing.

In the meantime I put a new plug on the small signal wire and gave it a quick test run without coolant.

12.16 engine off, headlights on.
14.3v engine on with headlights and A/C running.

I'm declaring victory and leaving it alone.