Alternator Problems

[charlo]

I replaced the original Suzuki G16A   31400 -60A10 alternator with a G16B  31400-60A20 Alternator in my 89 kick. Was Working ok.then one day drove for about one mile to the gas station. Switched off to fill up. When I tried to switch on after filling up, no swing. battery discharged to about 10.1 volts. Got a jump start and went back home. tested alternator diodes. Got a reading of 0.891.  Heard that the reading should be in the range of 0.500 to 800.  Do you think that 891 is above the limit?

[fixkick]

I replaced the original Suzuki G16A   31400 -60A10 alternator with a G16B  31400-60A20 Alternator in my 89 kick. Was Working ok.then one day drove for about one mile to the gas station. Switched off to fill up. When I tried to switch on after filling up, no swing. battery discharged to about 10.1 volts. Got a jump start and went back home. tested alternator diodes. Got a reading of 0.891.  Heard that the reading should be in the range of 0.500 to 800.  Do you think that 891 is above the limit?

first test the battery
those diode are silicone diodes, and that .8  barrier region forward bios voltage drop very by temperature.

any good parts store can test the alternator for you for free,  on there spin load tester,
but first are:
1: fuses in the big fender fuse box,,  if changing out any alternator with battery neg lug connected, you will blow up those huge fuses. 1 of them.
2: battery tested load tested, good/ bad, 10.0 is bad,  tell me one cell is  shorted, test the battery. (first charge a battery fully using a charger, then test it , it must be 12v to 12.6v, never 10v;. (unless 100% discharged) the 12.6v reading is a charged fully battery, (normal temps not Alaska)
3; and Alternator is last if all battery cables, good and no corroded ends x4, and not loose ends x 4.


good luck !

[fixkick]

I replaced the original Suzuki G16A   31400 -60A10 alternator with a G16B  31400-60A20 Alternator in my 89 kick. Was Working ok.then one day drove for about one mile to the gas station. Switched off to fill up. When I tried to switch on after filling up, no swing. battery discharged to about 10.1 volts. Got a jump start and went back home. tested alternator diodes. Got a reading of 0.891.  Heard that the reading should be in the range of 0.500 to 800.  Do you think that 891 is above the limit?

first test the battery
those diode are silicone diodes, and that .8  barrier region forward bios voltage drop very by temperature.

any good parts store can test the alternator for you for free,  on there spin load tester,
but first are:
1: fuses in the big fender fuse box,,  if changing out any alternator with battery neg lug connected, you will blow up those huge fuses. 1 of them.
2: battery tested load tested, good/ bad, 10.0 is bad,  tell me one cell is  shorted, test the battery. (first charge a battery fully using a charger, then test it , it must be 12v to 12.6v, never 10v;. (unless 100% discharged) the 12.6v reading  is a charged fully battery, (normal temps not Alaska)
3; and Alternator is last if all battery cables, good and no corroded ends x4, and not loose ends x 4.


good luck !

that A20 alt. wires up the same way and works the same but I guess is higher amp rated for 4door. sidekicks. (I will look it up later)
testing the diodes is not easy , unless dead open or dead shorted diode.
using meter with DIODE test mode, that use higher voltage to test the diode,  this allows the meter to measure the forward, biased , voltage drop, minus lead to cathode.
in the reverse it will read infinity (no conduction)  (6 ,3phase diodes and a set of three to safe power it self.)
some alternator brands will fail if the cluster lamp is dead.(burned out) some use the lamp to boot up, self excitation for sure with dead battery.  Best is a working dash charge lamp for sure.