RockMJ Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 Hey guys, I need some serious input here. I'm stumped. I JUST picked the MJ up from the painters and the battery was completely dead when I tried to start her. No problem, pop the hood and jump it and be on my way. Wrong! First thing I noticed was a bare (no casing) wire that goes from the positive terminal of the battery cable to the starter solenoid IIRC. Its the distribution block where all the heavy gauge wires and fuseable link wires run to on the passenger side wheel well. Well I immediately asked the owner what happened and he informed me that the battery went dead when they were working on the Jeep. No big deal right? Well he said that when he put the battery box on it to jump the battery that wire was smoking. Yeah, no sh*t! The casing was completely gone. Now, after putting a new battery in the Jeep the alternator will not charge at all. Here is what ive found: -The voltage gauge reads a steady 12v and does not fluctuate with any rpm range like it should. This would lead me to believe the alternator is NOT charging the system - I have checked the fuseable links and found no external signs of casing deformation indicating a short - I have checked the voltage at the alternator (thick red wire from dist. block) and it reads a constant 12.xx volts - The two wire connector to the alternator has one wire showing power when switched on and running (yellow). The brown/black wire has no voltage when switched on and running it reads barely 0.06 volts. I do not know where to go from here as the Jeep is not driveable and its currently running on the new battery juice. Is the alternator fried or is there a relay I should be looking for? I am totally, 100% lost and the pissed off/frustration level of having to deal with this does NOT help at all. I can pick up an alternator and put it in if that is the culprit and I'm thinking so because there is no power to that one wire coming from/going to the alt. RockMJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockMJ Posted March 16, 2012 Author Share Posted March 16, 2012 Rich and myself talked this issue over and being as all of the electronics are working (dash lighting, running lights, gauges, etc) and it runs just fine with the battery hooked up, were thinking its the alternator. Being as mine has the 61 amp alternator is there any harm in going to the 100 amp? I do not think there is but I would certainly like to know what I'm getting into before I do the swap. Are the dimensions of the two the same where I will not run into any issues going with the bigger unit? RockMJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeep Driver Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 viewtopic.php?f=9&t=33587 I also read somewhere that the 93-94 Dakota alt will fit also but not sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockMJ Posted March 16, 2012 Author Share Posted March 16, 2012 http://www.comancheclub.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=33587 I also read somewhere that the 93-94 Dakota alt will fit also but not sure. Okay, sounds good! Now this leaves me with replacing the alternator in the am and a new serpentine belt and praying to the Jeep God's that they will shine down upon me! RockMJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeep Driver Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Mine is on a 2.5............I assumed you had the same with the 61 amp alt. I'm not sure of the 4.0 if that is what you have but there must be plenty of alternatives for the 4.0 out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockMJ Posted March 16, 2012 Author Share Posted March 16, 2012 Mine is on a 2.5............I assumed you had the same with the 61 amp alt.I'm not sure of the 4.0 if that is what you have but there must be plenty of alternatives for the 4.0 out there. Now that you mention it I think the 4.0 was a 71 amp? Either way I have the lesser of the two main options. Thanks for the input man RockMJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockMJ Posted March 16, 2012 Author Share Posted March 16, 2012 Just wanted to update this thread to keep it complete. I put a new alternator (105 amp) in this morning, new battery terminals, new 8 gauge lead from the positive to the solenoid, and a new serpentine belt and shes running like a dream! Turns out the alternator was totally fried. Hope this helps anyone in the future RockMJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffN Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 if they welded on the truck with the battery hooked up they prob fried the alternator Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carnuck Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 Welding or the battery jump box was hooked up backwards (or someone borrowed the battery and put it back in backwards) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockMJ Posted March 18, 2012 Author Share Posted March 18, 2012 Welding or the battery jump box was hooked up backwards (or someone borrowed the battery and put it back in backwards) My guess is it was hooked up backwards as the alternator wire had no casing left. Replaced everything and its working perfectly RockMJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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