Faulty alternator or charge relay?

[geeves]

when they fail the light doesnt come on and a volt meter shows 12 not 14. The circuit suggests it should only affect the light but Im not convinced

[PaulB]

HI, I was hoping to get some advice from you guys.

I have a 1992 2 door manual v6 petrol Jackaroo. Last night towards the end of a 800km drive I noticed a quick orange flicker of light from around the steering column and then my petrol, brake and battery lights came on. In addition my battery metre which normally runs around the 13-14 volt mark dropped to about 10. Being 3am and where I was, I had little choice than to finish the last 120km of my journey. After arriving the battery had lost most its power and the car couldn't be started without a push start.

From reading most the posts here I am assuming it is the alternator or controller? Does anyone have a suggestion where to start looking at the problem before ripping out the alternator. I live on an island and replacing an alternator or even getting one due to my location would be a great problem. I ask only because of that flicker of light in the steering column before the problems started. It may have just been light caught by the gauge lights or could it be something more sinister? Is there any wiring in the column that may have shorted causing my problem?

Any advice would be appreciated. I am no home mechanic but I have worked on alternators and other not so mechanically intense things previously.

thanks

[gavin]

any joy with the above issue im having the same problem cant locate charge relay need some advise please Gav,,,

[geeves]

the charge relay is the blue one in the fuse box. Easy to test and most auto sparkys can test the alternator in place but its ugly to get out if you havnt done one before.

[turbomu]

Just got the same problem tonight on my 96 wizard 3.1td auto. Fuel filter light, battery light and 4wd light are on, Heaters stopped working and volts just under 8 but starts normal and runs normal. going to try charge relay first if no change fork out for alternator.

[MatcoMan]

I had just changed my alt only to have the same problem. The charge relay was bad under the center on top of the dash. (Its a orange relay) I did not have one just swapped it out with one of the other ones for now. My battery light and vacuum light was on.

[geeves]

Whats your vehicle. I see you are in Trump country. As far as I know the petrol engines dont use a charge relay. The diesel ones use either a blue or brow relay in the main fuse box. This relay is voltage sensitive so although fitting the other relay apears to work it wont work to design. Could be hard to get in USA.
Is your wagon petrol or deisel? Isuzu or chevy engine> Standard?

[MUVIT]

I fired the MU up the other Day for RWC - Yes its been off the road for a while.
It has the 120 amp alternator in it from the Wizard (thanks stardog).
Brand new Battery.
When I fired her up she sat on 12 to 13 volts, was expecting over 14.
Took it for a spin, brakes were very spongey.
Noticed the Vac hose that links the Brake booster to the Alternator was cracked near Alternator.
Trimed up the Hose connected it again & went for a Spin, 14 volts Brake are still alittle spongey but I think il change the Fluid.

[stardog]

Bleed the old fluid out and fill the brakes back up with new fluid should fix it.
Also make sure your brake pistons aren't sticking I just done up a spare set of brake calipers I have with new rubber kits they had been sitting for a while and was seized up sprayed a heap of brake clean in them and let sit for a couple of days that freed them up to get out the pistons and some very fine wet and dry sand paper to clean out the built up gunk in them.
They wouldn't move even with compressed air from the compressor at 80lb of air.

[MUVIT]

Yeah il change the Brake & Clutch fluid as its been siting for a while.

I was thinking it Weird how the Alternator started Charging above 14 Volts once Vac hose was fixed (to Brake booster).
Have I been chasing my tail with Charge Relay?