1989 Pontiac Sunbird not charging

1989 PONTIAC SUNBIRD
143,000 MILES
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SHYDALON
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  • 2 POSTS
I just replaced the battery and alternatorand it's still not holding a charge.It ran fine until I had to use the lights. What could be causing this to happen? How do I test the alternator to make sure I didn't get a bad one?
Jul 8, 2013 at 2:40 PM
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SEANGRANT00
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If you didn't correctly hook up the alternator, it will not charge the system. What size engine do you have?

I would first check to make sure everything is hooked up correctly. This actually happens a lot, I would double check everything and then if it still is not correct, most part stores will do it for free. You can also use a volt meter to see if there is any output.

Sean
Jul 8, 2013 at 3:15 PM
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SHYDALON
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2.0 is the engine size. We have checked to make sure it was hooked up correct. When we hook up a voltage meter to the battery it puts out the right voltage but when we start the car the voltage goes down to 11 volts. Please help I am puzzled. Thanks.
Jul 8, 2013 at 3:24 PM
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SEANGRANT00
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It sounds like the alternator. There should be a four-way connector to the alternator. This is what tells the system to charge or not. (Regulator) I would check to see if any wires are exposed or disconnected from the connector. Also make sure all the terminals on the battery and alternator are tight and clean.


Sean
Jul 8, 2013 at 3:41 PM