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Flashing Gen Lights (Both)

Greatthumper

Member
35
3
8
Location
Audubon, NJ
Ok, Hope this is the right area. I have for the past 10+ days been dealing with Flashing Gen1 and Gen 2 lights as I travel at highway speeds. Gen lights flashing alternating like a railroad crossing sign. The amp gauge shows to be charging (all in the green). Then it goes away for a few days. This all started after trying to diagnose the “Death Wobble” in the front end. I hit a bad bump off road and that’s when the “new” problem started. I load tested it that day and everything checked ok.
 

Barrman

Well-known member
5,266
1,782
113
Location
Giddings, Texas
I agree. Chances are that since it is both of them doing the same thing. It is probably a common point. Passenger side bus bar and drivers side thru firewall plug are two known areas that need to be clean and tight. After that you are under the dash.
 

doghead

4 Star General /Moderator
Staff member
Super Moderator
Steel Soldiers Supporter
26,246
1,179
113
Location
NY
He was referring to the wiring harness where it passes through the firewall.
 

deercoker

Member
73
15
8
Location
jonesborough/Tennessee
I just replaced my swellman plow plugs with ac60g's and new connectors, bypassed the resistor and installed a new glow plug relay, now both gen lights flash no matter the speed, what did I do?
 

deercoker

Member
73
15
8
Location
jonesborough/Tennessee
Checked voltage at plugs with key off and key on per Warthog and they check good, load tested batteries and they are good, voltage across both not running is 25.0 volts, running voltage is 29.8. Cleaned all bussbar connections, battery terminals but have not checked firewall plug yet. Both gen lights did not start flashing till after I bypassed the glowplug resistor on the firewall, replaced the glowplug relay and changed out the glowplugs with new connectors, all the work was done at the same time.
 

Rvitko

New member
139
2
0
Location
Austin tx
From my understanding the voltage regulator limits the output to a max of 14.8v. That is what I gathered from the specs for the heavy duty regulator that asp wholesale includes in the rebuild kit. My general understanding is that is max and the steady state should be closer to 14.4v
 

Barrman

Well-known member
5,266
1,782
113
Location
Giddings, Texas
Each alternator should be maxed out around 14.4 volts. If you measure across just the battery terminals of each battery you will get that isolated voltage. Measuring ground to each positive terminal gets you the numbers you are posting. Same thing, just different was of reading it.

Basically, anything over 28.8 volts for the system means you have an overcharge going on. Your 15.1 volts on the drivers side is too high. The 14.9 from the passenger side is a bit high as well. However, because the front battery power is actually pulled from the rear battery - terminal. You could have some cross charging going on. Especially since you have such a high voltage trying to go to a battery that can't take it. Fix your drivers side alternator and measure everything again is my suggestion. Or, fix both and then measure everything again for better peace of mind.
 

Rvitko

New member
139
2
0
Location
Austin tx
I would rebuild them, ASP wholesale has the kits, it takes a bit of patience as you need to make sure to keep the isolated grounds in tact (isolating washers on all terminals). The problem with replacing them is the replacement will be an inferior chinese clone, they are no longer made, so for $120 you get something that isn't as good. I had 1 real Delco 27SI and a chinese clone when I bought mine, I got a second core 27SI from hillbilly wizard for $40 and rebuilt it to replace the clone, when you look at the details the clone is kind of shabby, the castings are thin, the isolating washers are thin, etc. If it is just the voltage regulator and that is all you want to change it is a $10 part at the back of the alt inside, it is what the exciter plug is hooked to inside. The only thing that takes some tools and finesse is changing the bearings, you need to make a support and have a press to press them out without cracking the housing and press them back. I use a cardboard tube that has 1/2" thick walls, it is what we get stretch wrap on at the warehouse. I cut it to the height I need and use it to brace the frame and I like that it has just a bit of give to cushion the housing frame. If money isn't a huge obstacle and being on the road is, I might get a spare core, rebuild it, swap it in, rebuild the other. Make sure they are both 27SI isolated ground though as a lot of people swap the driver side with a standard 27SI and that can be a disaster on the passenger side. I keep 2 isolated ground so in a pinch I could swap one over, I also keep the chinese jobby in my spare parts rebuilt for an emergency swap.
 

deercoker

Member
73
15
8
Location
jonesborough/Tennessee
Don't know that I have the patience or know how to rebuild one as I have never done it before, not sure there is a competent auto electric person around either, the last one I had had been converted to 12 volt by a bunch of monkey's and I had to redo the conversion the roscommon way and had a bad alternator, took to the only shop around and had it rebuilt which did not cure the problem so I took it back to the guy and he said he had put the wrong diodes in, long story short I ended up getting one from autozone which lasted 2 years and was still working when I sold it. I am saying all this to say that I don't think anybody around here knows what they are doing with these alternators,

Thanks,
 

Rvitko

New member
139
2
0
Location
Austin tx
It is only about a dozen parts and the screws to hold them together, a $40 parts kit and a press is the only sophistication needed. Just take pictures as you disassemble, you can get the basics from the Delco Remy website, I would say if you can rebuild a brake drum, this is easier. The only place you can really screw up is leaving out the isolating washers, you can check your work with an ohm meter when you are done. It is about a 2-3 hour job the first time and that includes getting it out and putting it back. After some practice it is a 1 hour job. I have done it 5 times, I rebuilt them and fried my electrical system due to a run on starter, I had to rebuild both of them again and the starter and I built up a spare starter and alternator after that since this is my daily driver and I want to have swaps ready if needed.
 

Rvitko

New member
139
2
0
Location
Austin tx
Not to my knowledge, post 5 pic 3 shows what you would be getting into, if you only changed the voltage regulator which is under the brush cartridge and the resistor, you could do it in well under an hour-

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?60299-CUCV-Alternator-Rebuild-Question

i had a similar symptom but gen 1 was steady at 14.7, gen 2 at 28.3 in my case the fusible link to the 12v buss bar was partially burned through right at the eye terminal and I did not see it because it was against the firewall and it passed a continuity check. My symptoms though was strobing of everything inside, even the heater blower, and it kept getting worse. If the voltage at the alt is erratic and going above 14.8, pretty sure it is the voltage regulator.
 
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