Im having problems with my 96, 2.4 stick 4wd. This is my 4th alternator in 3 months. This last one i put on is a different brand it lasted the longest (about a month) i got it at a different store cause im tired of putting these things on . The battery is new and the truck now is only putting out right under 12 volts. I cant seem to get any more then that from these things. So last night i thought maybe a wireing problem, so i rewired the gounds and cleaned up all the connections. I also ran a new wire from the alternator to the battery, thinking that might help. But no good. Do you guys know of anything else besides bad alternators that i might look at?

You mentioned your battery is new and that you are only getting around 12 volts or a little under I think. Was this right after your new alternator install or are you saying it's charging fine(around 14 volts) and then with a short time(maybe a couple weeks to a month i guess) the alternators go bad. What was the deal with the last one, right after install still only 12.

You may have a blown fusible link somewhere b/t the batter and alternator. But if the problem is it charges fine with each new alternator but then stops charging after some time I'm not sure. Unless maybe you have a short somewhere in your wiring and it's killing your alternators(seems though that that would kill the battery as well). Do you run any high power stuff in your vehicle like stereo amps or that sort of thing?

The alternator this time (last night) will not go over 12 volts. The last one worked for about a month and then wouldnt go over 12. Everything is stock in the truck, stock radio and stock lighting, no add ons of anykind. As of shorts, i ran a new ground and also ran a new poss cable from the alt to the battery, but im only getting i think like around 11.20 something. Do you know if the p.c.m. Controls the charging on these trucks?

Look in the Fuse & Fusible link box under your hood. The fusible links should be square shaped with clear lids on them, you can look down through them to tell if one is blown. That is more than likely your problem.

You shouldn't have a positive wire going directly from your alternator to the battery, it should be from the battery to the fusible link box, and from the fusible link box to the alternator.

I gave my advice thinking that your vehicle has the voltage regulator built in with the alternator. I thought I'd add that incase I'm wrong someone could clarify and also add where this is located, I did see a post about a new vehicle, I think it was a 2000 model dodge something, where the owner said that he was told his was built into the ecm. I thought I'd add that too b/c you asked if it was controlled by it, I doubt being a 96 it would be like that though I'm still thinking it's built in with your alternator. Write us back soon.