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Alternator replacement

Tiny
SKULLS28
  • MEMBER
  • 2006 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO
  • V8
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 40,000 MILES
How to replace alternator?
Wednesday, February 25th, 2009 AT 8:08 PM

15 Replies

Tiny
BLUELIGHTNIN6
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,542 POSTS
Hello,

This guide will help walk you through the steps with instructions in the diagrams below to show you how on your car.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-replace-an-alternator

Check out the diagrams (Below). Please let us know if you need anything else to get the problem fixed.
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Wednesday, February 25th, 2009 AT 8:46 PM
Tiny
SHA1986
  • MEMBER
  • 10 POSTS
  • 2005 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 88,000 MILES
Hi, I recently installed a high output alternator in my 2005 monte carlo, A 200 amp.
This is my situation the voltage reading isnt as high as my stock alternator, what does this mean? I had a bosch 105 amp alternator before and at idle it would always give me readings like 14.3 and at 2000 rpm it would go up to 14.5 with ease. With the 200 amp it hardly even gets to 14.3 while driving. It idles around 13.8 -.9.
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Saturday, June 6th, 2020 AT 12:21 PM (Merged)
Tiny
MIKE H R
  • MECHANIC
  • 3,094 POSTS
Did you check the amp output? The voltage sounds right but what about the amp output. Its something like you can have a 110 volt as husehold current and use a 40 amp bulb or a 75 amp bulb. The voltage is the same but the amp is higher.
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Saturday, June 6th, 2020 AT 12:21 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SHA1986
  • MEMBER
  • 10 POSTS
Well at the alternator shop they had some type of voltage/amperage reader that they hooked up to the power wire of my alternator and told me to put my sound system up to see how much amps its putting out. It read up to 148 I believe. But my lights still dimm alot which was the whole reason why I upgraded. How do I get my voltage up and steady during stereo play?
Thanx for the help it is greatly appreciated
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Saturday, June 6th, 2020 AT 12:21 PM (Merged)
Tiny
MIKE H R
  • MECHANIC
  • 3,094 POSTS
You installed a 200 amp atinator and it is only putting out 148. The stereo system is using a lot of power. There is only a 30 amp difference in what you took out of the car and the new altinator. Check where you purchased the altinator and get specs to what the altinator is suppose to put out.
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Saturday, June 6th, 2020 AT 12:21 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SHA1986
  • MEMBER
  • 10 POSTS
When they bench tested my stock alt it was 105 amps and the new alt was 290 on their alternator tester.
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Saturday, June 6th, 2020 AT 12:21 PM (Merged)
Tiny
MIKE H R
  • MECHANIC
  • 3,094 POSTS
With that much amps you should be able to run just about anything. If your lights dim when you turn on your stereo, then check the connections on the stereo top make sure something is not grounding out. I have seen where someone put a amp in the trunk and it drew a lot of ampreage, he found he had pinched a wire under the carpet where he had run the wires
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Saturday, June 6th, 2020 AT 12:21 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SHA1986
  • MEMBER
  • 10 POSTS
I went back and they put a new regulator on the alt. Its voltage readings are way better, when im parked it reads 14.4. My question is, are all 200 amp alt created equal? Basically whats the difference between a performance 200 amp like a powermaster or stock 200 amp like a delphi? Thanks
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Saturday, June 6th, 2020 AT 12:21 PM (Merged)
Tiny
CHAD.JORGENSEN
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2003 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 43,000 MILES
I have a 2003 Chevy Monte Carlo with 43000 miles, this morning I attempted to start my car and just heard a click like the battery was dead. I then received a jump and the car started fine, so I drove it for about 10 minutes, then I went back home, and I came back out and to attempt to start it again, but the battery was dead again. Do you think this is just bad battery or do you think this would be an alternator issue?
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Saturday, June 6th, 2020 AT 12:21 PM (Merged)
Tiny
RENAUDTN
  • MECHANIC
  • 636 POSTS
What voltage do you have at the battery?
(a good battery has 12.6v).
How old is your battery? (Avg battery life: 4-5 years)
Also, if you recharge the battery, test it to see if it holds a charge.
Once you jump start the car and the engine is running, what's the voltage at the battery? If you have under 13.5v, there's somethig wrong in your charging system. Get your alternator bench tested at an autopart store.

You could have a parasitic drain on your battery but 10 minutes sounds short for the battery to die.
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Saturday, June 6th, 2020 AT 12:21 PM (Merged)
Tiny
MIKE H R
  • MECHANIC
  • 3,094 POSTS
The diference would be quality. Like buying a aftermarket product compared to a name brand. They both work, One is a better quality than the other.
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Saturday, June 6th, 2020 AT 12:21 PM (Merged)
Tiny
MR_RUGBURN
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2002 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 135,000 MILES
My car wouldn't start, so I tried to jump it. It jumped just fine but it it sounded a little "rough." Even after it jumped, the gauges and radio would not work.

I let it run for a few minutes then disconnected the jumper cables and the car immediately died.

My first thought is of course the alternator, but would this explain the gauges/radio not working? Someone suggested I might have a blown alternator fuse/fusible link/relay, but I'm having a hard time locating any info on this.

Any thoughts are appreciated!
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Saturday, June 6th, 2020 AT 12:21 PM (Merged)
Tiny
RHALL77
  • MECHANIC
  • 3,361 POSTS
Have your battery checked for a bad cell first. Then you need to test the alternator with a volt meter and see if it is charging 13.8-14.4 volts. Let me know what you find and ill see what I can do to help
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Saturday, June 6th, 2020 AT 12:22 PM (Merged)
Tiny
MWMARSHALL
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 2000 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 198,000 MILES
Seems as if my battery/car is not charging when idling or moving.

The other night my car died. I thought it may be the alternator so I took off the alternator and brought it in for testing, machine said it was good. SO I bought a new batter, placed the battery and the car started, about 30 minutes to an hour of driving my car died and needed to be towed.

I was able to get my car started again for a few minutes and ran a quick test, removed the positive battery cable and the car shutoff, showing that the alternator is not charging the system.

What is my option?
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Saturday, June 6th, 2020 AT 12:22 PM (Merged)
Tiny
MMPRINCE4000
  • MECHANIC
  • 8,548 POSTS
Use a digital volt meter to check voltage at battery with engine running, should be 13.5-14.5V.

If lower or above 15v, then alt. Is bad.

Just a note DO NOT disconnect a battery cable when engine is running.
This worked on the older cars, but a modern alt. Can be damaged doing this.
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Saturday, June 6th, 2020 AT 12:22 PM (Merged)

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