84 Alternator light stayed on, troubleshooting
 

Charge light was on and stayed on.

Would dim somewhat with RPM, but not go out.

At same time, voltage reading was very low, but would climb slightly with RPM.

But, car started cutting out with RPM. Various warning lights came on.

Cleaned the 14 pin terminal and the CE panel. Replaced all fuses.

Had continuity on exciter wire between alternator and terminal 1 of 14 pin.
Had continuity on same wire between there and the royal blue wire that enters O8 on CE panel ( checked with O plug unplugged).

Had 11+ volts on the CE panel male pin corresponding to O8 (comes from the charge light and resistor in the dash. With ignition in on position.

Buttttttt, also had 0.23 volts on the exciter wire (above) on T1 and 08 royal blue wire. --- with igntion in on position. Should not have. Should be 0 volts with alternator at rest. Alternator, at rest, was sending 0.23 volts back up the exciter wire.

(normal operation, with alternator spinning, 11 volts would be sent "back up the line" to cancel the 11 volt potential on the line and make the light go out. During operation, this one wasn't sending enough voltage back up the line to cancel the light.)

What happened? Took off alternator cover and it was full of nut shells. Found that a terminal connection had broken on the back of one of the electrical modules and was lodged in the wrong place. Maybe a nut spun and broke the terminal.

Second failure I've had of a Paris Rhone with same dash symptoms.

Pictures are not great, but here they are.







Should have been another electrode on top in this picture. It was there, but lodged in, not sure what all it was touching.....

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1226622809.jpg




Here's the electrode.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1226623068.jpg



Please don't think I'm a walking commercial for Delco, but I bolted one on this car too, and the problems all resolved. Will return the Paris as the core.