[Alrogulski]

Hi- I’ve seen other posts asking a similar question but no conclusive answers. Van is running fine- then radio shuts off and all warning lights come on. Shut the van down- no restart. Jump the vehicle, all set, halfway home happens all over again. Car goes into a weird limp mode. I get it home and check voltage = 13.7 with vehicle running. I figure a bad battery. Check voltage = 12.2. Battery is 5 years old so I replace it anyway. Start the car- everything good- I think I got it- nope. Happens again, all warning lights on and engine is surging by itself. I can reset it, but if I hit the start button, it does it again and acts like batter is dead. This time, voltage is 7 volts. Won’t snap back until I leave it disconnected for about 5 minutes. I lifted the main cable to alternator and it didn’t change anything. What would be dragging that system down like that? Scanning codes hopefully tomorrow. Any ideas? I will follow up- thanks in advance

 

[Alrogulski]

Figured it out. When I pushed on the 4 wire plug on the back, it corrected. Removed alternator and took it for a rebuild ... it was shot. When I pushed on the back, it must have made the brushes make just enough contact.

 

[phattyduck]

How many miles are on the van? Was there an oil leak that got on the alternator?

-Charlie

 

[Oh Dessie]

99% of the time when vehicles come in to the shop with all lights on, it's low voltage caused by a faulting alternator. And a large majority the time, it's do to power steering fluid or oil finding its way into said alternator.

 

[kaimanson]

If it has the same design as the gen 3 engine, the front spool valve tents to leak after a while and if not caught on time it can damage the alternator.