Alternator questions

[copter steve]

I recently inherited a 96 Trooper with the 3.2 eng. automatic. It has the same issues I have been reading on your forum posts.

While driving home from a little town in the mountains I noticed that the Alternator was shutting off and after a couple of seconds would come back on. I removed the alternator the next day, I read on this forum that taking of the passenger tire made it easier, and it did. I took the back off the nippodenso alternator, suspecting worn out brushes. I found the brushes to have been worn about 50% and the bearings were not loose. I cleaned it up, put it back together and mounted it on the Trooper. Cleaned all my connections, used a dielectric compound on the alternator, service and cleaned the battery. Started and checked the Voltage output with my DVOM and the voltmeter on the dash. 14.5 volts excellent. I drove the Trooper to a friends house, very hot had the A/C on with blower on high, son of a gun it cycled again, put the blower on low and it remained charging for the rest of the trip. Is this normal for this vehicle does the computer shut down the charging? Battery is keeping a good charge. Does anyone have a response to this? Thanks alot

[trooperbc]

some of these are designed so that the computer shuts down the alternator under certain hi-load conditions, such as Wide Open Throttle. it is actually a fuel-saving 'feature'. is this what you are talking about, it starts charging again pretty much right away? if you have the owner's manual, it should have a section on it

//bc

[copter steve]

Hey trooperbc,

Thanks for the quick response, I did read in another post that this vehicle is designed this way. I drove it to work today and was easy on the throttle and the charging system kept plugging away.

I really like this trooper so far. As long as the heavy maintenance does'nt get to bad

Copter steve