OnDaGround

etay89

heres the link.

etay89

https://chevroletforum.com/forum/members/etay89-27675-albums-98-cavalier-183/

OnDaGround

Oh hell no... That is definitely not factory. lol After talking with him he said to test the alternator right at that bolt (for your red wire) and see if it's putting out more than 14.2 volts. Average is 12.5-13.5 anything more and the diodes are fried. Try that, and let me know what's up. Try to keep load off of it. No lights, no fans, no a/c... nothing. Keep it at idle and read what it says. Voltmeters are cheap. Like $10.


From the numbers and everything written on the alternator, I would say it's from a junk yard. Good chance it's bad.

etay89

i have no clue on how to use a voltmeter. i was at autozone today and those bastards had one..but they were of no help

OnDaGround

http://www.2carpros.com/dia/how_to_use_a_voltmeter.htm

http://www.ehow.com/how_16767_voltmeter.html

Any bolt on the body should be grounded. Where the fender bolts to the chassis is grounded.

OnDaGround

That black plate in the picture where the alternator is, that should be grounded. The bolts to that plate are going to be grounded too.

OnDaGround

So basically, the red wire goes to the nut/cable on the alternator, and the black goes on something grounded. Which I already explained in the 2 posts above.

etay89

sorry for the delay but here's how it went.

with the car off, it put up 12.5 on the battery and alternator

with the car running idle, it put up 13.74 on the battery, and spiked up to 14.09 on the alternator

OnDaGround

I would pull off the alternator and take it to pep boys or something and have them test the diodes. Just so you know for sure what's going on. Sorry for the delayed response, I don't come on here during the weekends.