Won't charge

[damnskippy]

Alright guy, a little help here please. The bronco wasn't charging and would die when negative was pulled off the battery. Of course it's got to be the alternator. Got it and put it on. Same problem after the new one. Next it just has to be the regulator. Went and got it and put it on. Still not charging and will go dead when you take the negative off the battery. Where do I go from here?

[blazinchuck]

have you actually checked the voltage to see if the alt is putting out? I know the norm is what you have already done...but you need to check the alt and then check the wiring to and from the alt. I believe there should be a fusible link in the harness...if its shorted...that could be a problem

[damnskippy]

I am lost on the electrics, but my brother put the meter on it last night and going by what we could find online no charge at all. At the battery 11.9 with the switch off and 11.6 when running 11.4 if cut lights on. Connections off the back of the alternator we never could get a reading on but neither of us are sure how to do this correctly. Most places are just telling us just to check at the battery. I would think there would be more and better ways to check things out. Any suggestions?

[Timstrk]

Your alternator isn't putting out anything. Should be around 14.2 on the battery if charging. The fusible link inline? Regulator you've checked. Alternator you've replaced. Go through all the fuses. I just replaced the alternator on mine. Are the wires hooked up on the alt correctly? Largest to the Bat. Field wire? Ground? Check all the connections again. With no field charge the alt won't charge as it has nothing to work with.

Tim

[damnskippy]

Bad as it sounds (or maybe good as it sounds) I hooked a batt and a ground. Field wire not sure. I don't recall hooking up a third wire to back of alternator. Time to do some checking.

[blazinchuck]

keep us posted, we wanna help ya out. Tim posted some good stuff,Chuck

[damnskippy]

Two wires out of bundle going to alternator. Black and yellow and a solid yellow or maybe orange. Got a small problem with distinguishing colors. No third wire found thats not connected or looks as should be. Black going to battery, yellow to ground. Thats all thats coming off alternator. Thats all I took off yesterday when removed and bought new one.

[damnskippy]

Getting a reading of 12.2 at battery and 11.7 off back of alternator now with motor running. Was wrong on the ground. After checking had the battery and and the field but the field was hooked to the ground output on alternator. Got that straight and hooked ground up now. Is the new alternator fried?

[Timstrk]

Field supplys battery voltage to the alternator. The blank post on mine was the ground. Battery is usually the largest of the wires, I'm not sure in color department, either. If you went field wire to ground, probably. Take it back and have it tested. With the truck running you should have over 14v at the battery.

auto electric is a mystery to me. I'm still trying to figure out how a GM one wire alternator works.
Tim

[damnskippy]

Messed with it most of the day. Took it back off and had it tested and was fine. Put it back on, hooked battery, field (correct this time), and ground. Cleaned ground from battery on block. Still only getting around 11.8 at alternator and 12.3 at battery when we quite for the day. Still remove negative and she dies. Does the stator connection have to be hooked to anything? The one I took off didn't but then again the ground was MIA too. Did see on a mustang site that the ground for them had a lead to corner of regulator and the block. Everybody seems drive new crap and hard to even find something to compare it to right now.