'92 - charging problems HELP

[Debby-Jane]

have a 92 lumina z34, was running fine about 3 mos, replaced the alternator myself and bought new battery because the car wasn't keeping a charge, and i ran car this morning for about an hour and battery was dead when i restarted it. not sure if it matters but when i rev the car in park, it pops & sputters @ 3k rpms. also when i first bought it, smoke came from the steering column when i first started it, but hasn't happened since. somebody PLEASE HELP! this is my son's car, and he needs it for school.

[cadgear]

The rev limiter is normal. Its programmed into the ECM.

[Debby-Jane]

ty very much, any ideas on if i have to replace the alternator AGAIN?:/

[jeffcoslacker]

If you can access the large post on the back of the alternator, with the large gauge wire going to it, you can take a voltage reading at the post, and see if it differs from the voltage at the battery with the motor running. If it is different, there is a wiring problem, or burnt fuseable link. If the reading is low at both points, look first for bad wiring leading from the regulator to the ECM, and if it all appears good, remove the alt and have it bench tested.

[jeffcoslacker]

There is a way to trick the regulator into making the alternator go to full output to see if the alternator itself is capable of charging, but I don't remember how to do it. Somebody here will probably know.

[Kooterskkar]

My guess would be a burnt out fusible link between the alternator and starter.

[Debby-Jane]

i appreciate all the help a friend suggested that it was a bad alternator, so i removed it again and tested it at auto zone, and it was defective, so i got a new one, tested it, and gonna replace it l8r. thx again for the help

[jeffcoslacker]

I'm not sure if this applies to yours or not, but I remember some GM's around that year had two possibilities for alternators. One was a conventional Delco-style, with the "angular" shape, and one that looked more "ball-shaped" like a Japanese alternator. The Delco style ones were crap, and never lasted long. The ball-shaped ones lasted forever and never gave us any trouble. They both mounted the same, the only difference was the way the wiring came into the unit. There was a "jumper harness" adapter that just plugged onto the old wiring that allowed you to use the better style alternator if not factory equipped with that one. You might save having to do the job again by going with the better unit.