Ever seen an alternator fail like this? No charge, no battery light. Metro problem of the month! SOLVED!

[Stubby79]

Probably isn't getting reference/control voltage. See what you're reading at the harness with the ignition on (car doesn't need to be running).

[MetroMPG]

Everything I've read says these are a "1-wire" alternators - they don't need control voltage to work. Just ground & positive cable to battery and sufficient RPM. That's why I've been testing with the control wire on & also disconnected.

Today's task: cleaning all connections & finding a shop that will test 100 alternators.

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

Strange issue. I'd expect some loose connection based on the description.

^ I think we may have a winner.

I put jumper cables directly from the alt body to battery negative, and from the alt positive output to battery positive, and it seems to work. Multiple starts. Field control connected & disconnected.

Maybe not a loose connection, but corrosion is the name of the game around here. I'm cleaning connections & grounds now.

[me and my metro]

I was never impressed with the ground cable running to the bracket on the transmission and the little body ground on the core support. I added bigger cables and bigger body grounds when I built my 91 1.3l Metro.

[MetroMPG]

Connections cleaned & re-connected. Everything seems to be working again based on multiple engine starts, though I haven't taken it for a drive yet... and after all that, I may not be driving it this winter anyway. (Still needed fixing, regardless.)

When I was banging my head against the wall trying to figure this out, a family member asked: don't you have someone you can ask for advice? And I said: of course! There are lots of smart people giving me good advice right now!

So thanks, everyone, for the help!

[Gasoline Fumes]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

I may not be driving it this winter anyway.

Mirage?

[Xist]

Comment on the last ChrisFix video:

Chris: It's so easy you can do it in under an hour!
Me, 10 hours later: Sobbing and cursing in front of a pile of random parts."

[Piotrsko]

Skills and required tools are accumulated over time. My son just took a month doing a valve job on his 4runner. He's now pretty good and fast on 4runners. Even brought back my tools, cleaned.

I now am fully skeptical of anything You tube.

[MetroMPG]

Fumes: ask me tomorrow. :P

Piotrsko: and I am now pretty speedy at re & re'ing alternators on Metros.

I've seen more than a couple of problem alternators in all my automotive adventures, but have never seen one do this.

The bad connections appear to have been between the alt itself and the brackets. The battery negative post was a little cruddy too, but obviously not bad enough to cause starter problems.

The fun part: I also broke a bolt taking the known-good alternator off the Firefly to try on the Metro, so now I have to fix THAT too. Happily, that can wait until better weather.

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by Gasoline Fumes

Mirage?

Precient.


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