Wacky Alternator?

[mud4feet]

'03 TJ 4 banger with 191000 miles. Went to training in Asheville (30 +or- miles) last Thursday....everything fine, as usual. when I left, radio starts cutting out and the "check gauges" light comes on. I immediately look to the temp. and oil pressure and everything's normal. Keep driving, radio keeps cutting out, look at the alternator gauge and it's bouncing around between "normal" (14V) and around 16V (guessing). Stopped on the way home to get beer....came out and fired it up and everything was fine (?). (BTW, threw a code for "excess voltage in charging system"......duh!). No more problems 'til today. Started her up to come home from work (27 mi.) and same thing.....radio cutting out, gauge going nuts, same code. Made it to my guitar shop....did some work.....started it to come home and everything's fine (again!).....code gone, dash light gone, running as normal. I replaced the alternator less than a year ago (with a 2 year warranty) and I'm suspecting the internal voltage regulator is slowly taking a dump. Gurus?????? What do y'all think?

 

[flatie46]

I'm no guru but I'd say it's the regulator, if it were me I'd put a meter on the bat cables just for the heck of it an see what it showed. At least it under warranty. Just curious where did you buy it?

 

[mud4feet]

Bought it at O'Reillys. When it went out, went to Autozone and they said they could get me one tomorrow.......I needed it NOW!!! O'Reillys got it to me by 2 that afternoon. And......you're guru enough for me. If I had my meter with me when this happened, I'd have checked it. By the time I got home, everything was back to normal. Stopped a couple of times and whacked the alternator (hey, it used to work with TV's!!!), but that was about it.

 

[Utah_jeepster]

if nothing less a good beating with a hammer makes you feel better....lol. Remove and replace, take the auto zone back and they will give you your money back if your not exchanging it for another.

 

[wwch99tj]

Sounds like the same thing that was happening to mine in my 99. Autozone replaced the alternator under warranty and it fixed the problem

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Jeepz

 

[Tison78_CJ5]

It could be key switch or bad connection somewhere, fuse?
Usually with regulators they are good or bad. Not to say they don't go intermittent.
But not very often.
Good suggestion t use a meter on it.
Good luck.

 

[carnuck]

I thought the regulator was in the main computer by that year?

 

[JPNinPA]

Have you cleaned your battery connections? Check ground wires. Loose connections will cause similar issues.

 

[Tison78_CJ5]

I agree with jpninpa. I would look for a loose connection. You can put a meter across the battery. Crank the engine, turn on your headlights, for a load, and move wires, plug on back of alt., and other stuff. If your meter goes down while moving stuff, you are close to the bad connection.
Also, you can listen to the sound of your motor to change speed, as an indicator.