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No Tach and my NEW Alt doesn't charge... HELP!

tanman_2006

tanman_2006

Just a farm kid...
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Seiling, Oklahoma
Yesterday morning I jumped in my truck and started it getting ready to go to my 7:30class and after starting my truck I heard :
THUD - Electrical Sizzle - (saw) smoke from under the hood - Smelled Something Burning - then she died.

I hadn't had my coffee yet so you can imagine my reaction.

I looked in and my upper Alt bracket had broken and the upper driverside bolt was missing, the Elect terminal on the rear of the Alt had arked on the lower bracket. I wedged a punch into my upper left hole, fired it back up and pulled it back into the drive way. Found a friend with a welder and had him weld the bracket back together and I also had a bolt that worked in the upper left hole. Fixed the fried wire on the back of the Alt and thought I had it fixed. NOPE!

That Alt was only 6 months old and had a Lifetime warrenty. My tach wasn't working and batteries weren't charging (they were already weak). This afternoon I decide I must have fried something in the Alt so I took it back, it is warrenty so no cost to me. Bought 2 new duralast batteries with 8 year warrenty, the longest I could find.

Still no charge and no tach. Tach does work if I floor it and it starts counting at ~2500rpm. Battery light is off for now.

Any thoughts? This is my 95 Z71

Thanks,
Tanner
 
Did you pop the fusible link in the lead form the rear of the alt to the batteries by any chance?

Check your voltage with the engine running at the batts. my 96 sits at 14.5 at idle, but that's with larger than stock cables and top post connections. If it's ~13 or below odds are the fusible link is blown, since you've replaced everything else.

As far as the erratic/ non-working tach, that one i can't answer. Can't see why it would half work.
 
Thanks I will hunt down the fusible link. What will I need to fix this?

My Battery meter (dash guage) before was ~13 Now it sides just above the ~ 11 dash with the new batts. I don't own a volt meter, I'm a poor college kid, I will try to find one to borrow.

Are there fuses under the hood to check, or do I need to check the interior ones?
 
There is a fuse box under the hood and on the left side of the dash, a dead short may have blown fuses. Check the instrumentation and ecm fuses.
 
The dead short burned out a fusible link no question. If it did not burn that link out the truck would have burned to the ground with that dead short!

Get one at the dealer, starter/alt rebuild shop or go online like here:

http://www.madelectrical.com/catalog/fusible-link.shtml

Follow the wire from the alt to the main bus. I forget if 1995 has a fuse block under the hood or a distribution center by the AC like 1993 does. Anyway the fusible link is just before this main bus. It is not located by the alternator. The link is all that you have to replace.
 
If the Fusible link doesnt fix it here is another suggestion,

I had a very similar issue when I owned my 1995 Chevy Diesel. No charge even after replacing alternator,

After 20 plus hours of chasing wiring (many busted knuckles etc.) I determined that I believe it was the brown wire that leads from the alternator plug into the harness actually goes from the back of the alternator to the tachometer in the truck. The wire chaffed or burnt in the harness due to some malfunction in the alternator and the only way i was able to get it working is cut the wire at the instrument cluster and alternator plug and place a new section of wire in between. Worked fine for the next several years I owned it. Just a thought if the new fusible link doesnt fix it. When you said you were having tach issues it made me think of it.
 
WarWagon said:
The dead short burned out a fusible link no question. If it did not burn that link out the truck would have burned to the ground with that dead short!
Follow the wire from the alt to the main bus. I forget if 1995 has a fuse block under the hood or a distribution center by the AC like 1993 does. Anyway the fusible link is just before this main bus. It is not located by the alternator. The link is all that you have to replace.
Click to expand...

On my 1995, the wire from the alternator to the battery has a fusible link.
 
bobbiemartin said:
On my 1995, the wire from the alternator to the battery has a fusible link.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I found where it is and it is definately burned out according to my test light. I checked with a dealership and they said the only thing that can fix it is buying a new set of battery cables because it is a built in feature. I was wondering if there is just an inline fuse I could splice in; like the one going to my sub woofers?
 
bull$h!t the only thing that'll fix it is new battery cables.

you can do one of two things.

You can put an inline fuse that has the proper rating in the existing wire and "delete" the blown fusible link.

Or you can do this.

Do you have a junkyard anywheres near you that's a "you pull it" style yard? Go in there and find any chevy truck with the heavy alternator lead with a fusible link in it. unbolt it from the back of the alternator, cut the wire off at the battery cable, pay for it, and that's it. Put a 3/8" ring terminal on where you cut the wire and install the new wire.

I have a wire off an 01 silverado on my blazer that came with an engine my buddy bought for his father's truck. I crimped on a 3/8" ring terminal, added some waterproof heatshink tubing that has the glue built in, installed and that was it.
 
iamdave0887 said:
bull$h!t the only thing that'll fix it is new battery cables.

you can do one of two things.

You can put an inline fuse that has the proper rating in the existing wire and "delete" the blown fusible link.

Or you can do this.

Do you have a junkyard anywheres near you that's a "you pull it" style yard? Go in there and find any chevy truck with the heavy alternator lead with a fusible link in it. unbolt it from the back of the alternator, cut the wire off at the battery cable, pay for it, and that's it. Put a 3/8" ring terminal on where you cut the wire and install the new wire.

I have a wire off an 01 silverado on my blazer that came with an engine my buddy bought for his father's truck. I crimped on a 3/8" ring terminal, added some waterproof heatshink tubing that has the glue built in, installed and that was it.
Click to expand...

Thanks! That's exactly what I told the guy I talked too. He said its only a $140 set of cables! I will try the in line fuse. Do you happen to know what the fuse rating should be?
 
Go by the wire gauge to the alt that is currently on the truck and the site link I posted above. You want to use a fusible link as fuses tend to nuisance pop on you...
 
WarWagon said:
Go by the wire gauge to the alt that is currently on the truck and the site link I posted above. You want to use a fusible link as fuses tend to nuisance pop on you...
Click to expand...

I plan on it but I have to get it running ASAP. I can't keep missing school because I can't find a ride or keep putting off my obligations. If I can get it put together gOod enough to limp by that's all I want. I have already ruined one set of batteries over this.

If anyone could please help with what fuse rating I need for this I would really appreciate it.

I just don't have time to wait for it in the mail.
 
fallout said:
If the Fusible link doesnt fix it here is another suggestion,

I had a very similar issue when I owned my 1995 Chevy Diesel. No charge even after replacing alternator,

After 20 plus hours of chasing wiring (many busted knuckles etc.) I determined that I believe it was the brown wire that leads from the alternator plug into the harness actually goes from the back of the alternator to the tachometer in the truck. The wire chaffed or burnt in the harness due to some malfunction in the alternator and the only way i was able to get it working is cut the wire at the instrument cluster and alternator plug and place a new section of wire in between. Worked fine for the next several years I owned it. Just a thought if the new fusible link doesnt fix it. When you said you were having tach issues it made me think of it.
Click to expand...

x2... Fusible link issue yes... but check that little wiring harness. Had same issue with bus 1 w/PennTex alternator. Tach would jump, and the alternator light would flicker, BUT had good voltage the whole time.
 
knkreb said:
x2... Fusible link issue yes... but check that little wiring harness. Had same issue with bus 1 w/PennTex alternator. Tach would jump, and the alternator light would flicker, BUT had good voltage the whole time.
Click to expand...

I don't doubt there are two separate problems. Right now the tach isn't near as important as the alt though.
 
My bandaid is working! New 140 amp fuse "rigged" in the line. the only fuse I was able to locate that could hold more that 110 amp was a fuse that was made for a fuse box between 2 terminals but it is working for now. I am having trouble bringing up the link provided by WarWagon as I am using my phone, could anyone tell what is included in this kit?
 
Not a kit, just in line replacement fusible links - the part that was burnt to a crisp on the battery cable. Your burnt link should have a number on it or go by the wire size. Your fuse should work for now or until you get a chance to get the fusible link. Carry a spare fuse with you and tools to swap it.
 
You should be good to go for a long while with the fuse setup... The only time you should have a problem would be under extreme high draw or when you have killed your batteries. The alt will then have to struggle to charge dead batts and may blow the fuse.
 
WarWagon said:
Not a kit, just in line replacement fusible links - the part that was burnt to a crisp on the battery cable. Your burnt link should have a number on it or go by the wire size. Your fuse should work for now or until you get a chance to get the fusible link. Carry a spare fuse with you and tools to swap it.
Click to expand...

I don't go anywhere in my truck w/o tools! Yes it is #12 and I have called the # for MAD Enterprises and never get an answer. I seems to be holding fine and my batts are now charged to ~16.
 
knkreb said:
You should be good to go for a long while with the fuse setup... The only time you should have a problem would be under extreme high draw or when you have killed your batteries. The alt will then have to struggle to charge dead batts and may blow the fuse.
Click to expand...

When I put the fuse in my NEW batts were drained into the red and so far it charged and didn't pop. I hate breaking in new batts that way!
 
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