97 Passport- Not getting enough charge

Riannon · #1 08-14-2006, 10:12 AM

Hello all! New here and would greatly appreciate some help. Just put in a new alternator and battery in my 97 Passport but now the volts still register low. Also, ac nor fan will blow. Brake and battery light on dash are on but were not before. I have changed the connectors to the battery so no corrosion. Belt seems tight enough.
Now when I took it up to Autozone they said the alternator they sold me was bad. So I took it off again and took it back. They tested it a dozen times and it is registering good. So I put it back on. Still no change. What am I doing wrong or what else can I check.
Please help I am bruised all over my arms!!!
Thx- Riannon

anthonyn · #2 08-14-2006, 12:03 PM

These trucks are picky about alternators. Steer clear of the parts store counter alternators. Even when they work, they don't seem to work for long. Get a Bosch or, even better, an OEM one. Failing alts on these isuzu have often passed the bench testing, but simply don't work in the truck. The symptoms you're experiencing point to a bad alt, imo.

Ramblin Fever · #3 08-14-2006, 12:11 PM

Agree 100%.

Don't even mess with the part stores, you will be replacing every few months.

Riannon · #4 08-14-2006, 12:44 PM

Would the alternator be the cause of the ac blower not working? I even tried to put the heater on and nothing comes out. Any ideas? Checked all fuses. And why the brake light? All I did was change alternator! Ugh!
Thx for all the help!

anthonyn · #5 08-14-2006, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Riannon

Would the alternator be the cause of the ac blower not working? I even tried to put the heater on and nothing comes out. Any ideas? Checked all fuses. And why the brake light? All I did was change alternator! Ugh!
Thx for all the help!

Common symptom of faulty/inadequate alternator is dash lights light up like a xmas tree.

Of course you should check the obvious stuff, like battery terminals clean and tightened, alternator belt tension etc etc.

Riannon · #6 08-14-2006, 01:03 PM

No light show thank goodness. Belt is tight. New cables on battery. New belt. Just no air and it is 102 here in TX.

Ramblin Fever · #7 08-14-2006, 01:30 PM

Yes - no air, and no blower working is a 100% sign of a failing alternator.

When mine went out, I had no comfort controls at all, no radio, all idiot lights, but no dash lights to light the gauges, and eventually one headlamp even stopped working.

These trucks are designed to power-down, if you will, when their volts are low. Your transmission - if it's an automatic - will even start to give you issues and throw check tranny codes if you do not get a new alternator.

Good luck - it is an irritating and can be an expensive issue, as the alternator's not cheap.

anthonyn · #8 08-14-2006, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Riannon

No light show thank goodness. Belt is tight. New cables on battery. New belt. Just no air and it is 102 here in TX.

Yeah I meant the idiot lights, not the dash lights. Typically the 'charge', 'brake' and some others will come on.

Riannon · #9 08-14-2006, 03:28 PM

Don't laugh....I'm a girl...what is the technical term for the plug that goes into the alternator? I just want to go ahead and check it as well since I am down here for the 4th time.
Thanks again...you guys are sooooo great!

Canucklehead · #10 08-14-2006, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Riannon

Don't laugh....I'm a girl...what is the technical term for the plug that goes into the alternator? I just want to go ahead and check it as well since I am down here for the 4th time.
Thanks again...you guys are sooooo great!

The technical term is "plug"

, it plugs into the voltage regulator.

Riannon · #11 08-14-2006, 03:42 PM

Knew someone couldn't help but laugh but I just wanted to be sure. I know broke the the tension bolt/screw. Can I get one of those at an autoparts store or do I need to go somewhere else? Thx again. Stop laughing..

Canucklehead · #12 08-14-2006, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Riannon

Knew someone couldn't help but laugh but I just wanted to be sure. I know broke the the tension bolt/screw. Can I get one of those at an autoparts store or do I need to go somewhere else? Thx again. Stop laughing..

If you broke the bolt and were able to get the broken part out of the block, you can get a replacement at Home Depot or Lowes for less than $1.00. I just went through replacing an alternator and also broke the bolt. It is a METRIC bolt, size 6M 40mm (or 50mm).

Riannon · #13 08-14-2006, 05:36 PM

Thx for the info. Just went to home depot they are out. Trying lowe's and ace now. Yeah Ace has one! Ok off I go. Thx for that Steve.

surferfletch · #14 08-14-2006, 06:55 PM

Wish I could have helped the lady out here! You guys are quick!

Which alt are you going to try next?

Riannon · #15 08-15-2006, 02:21 AM

Well good news and bad news. Looked everywhere at the suggested places and no one had my alternator in stock so I went to Oreilly's and got yet another bad one!! Got some degreaser and cleaned everything in sight just to be sure it was clean. So anyhow I ended up at yet another Autozone. However, I got the alternator on!! Yeah me! All lights are off and ac is working. Now I have a screaching belt.

I tried to replace the alternator belt but could not get the belt on the top far right to come off. I kept turning the bolt and it wouldn't budge, it just kept spinning. But now it seems like it is the one squealing. I tried to retighten (if I even loosened it in the first place) seems to have tightened the belt but not too sure at this point. Having a hard time distinguishing which of the 3 belts it is though. Why in the heck did they put those dang things intertwining so goofy?!

Put it to bed and will try again in the am. By the way I did get the bolt I broke and thx so much for giving me the size info I needed.
Any suggestions....advice....prayers?! Thx a ton.. R-

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