Thanks for taking a look at this thread in an attempt to help me.

I was taking off yesterday from my house for a nice Sunday drive when I realized about a mile down the road that my battery light (charging system indicator) was on. The light would disappear and reappear based on the movement of the car. For example, the when I'd accelerate/decelerate or turn the light would go off or on. I got it back home and the hot terminal on the battery wasn't very tight (could shake a little bit), so I tightened it up, started it, and the same light was on. Unplugged the terminal the reboot the computer incase it was a misread but the same light was on. Read up in the manual and apparently it could indicate a belt is broken that could also cause the water pump not to work. Looking down the front of the engine I don't see any broken belts, but is there some that are obscured from view that could cause this? I've not driven except around to the back of my house since and the light is still on.

Anyone ever had this situation happen before, or no a remedy?

Thank you all for the invaluable wisdom on this forum, and your willingness to deal with my constant woe's in regards to my Crossfire.

 

Sounds more like the voltage regulator is going south on you. unfortunately I believe these are built in to the alternator. I would bring the car to a parts store and have it tested. Some of them will do it for free.

 

Autozone does it for free.

 

Would I have to take the alternator off to test it? And would it test things like voltage regulation?

Thanks guys

 

No and yes.

Just take the car down.

 

Finally got a chance to take the car down the Advanced Auto...guess what? The alternator is not charging the battery

Trying to figure out the next step, how much does a new alternator run if this is the only option?

 

A new alternator will run you about $200.00... for the part.
But here is a site where you can send your old one in and get
$70.00 off your new alternator price:

http://www.maniacelectricmotors.com/almecclslkml.html

No, I am not affiliated with them.

 

I have a place by my house that rebuilds alternators, open your phone book and look
for a place by you. I take it in and in about 1 hour they have mine fixed.
I had a spitfire before my XF and had it done twice, it only cost $45.00.
Try that first. Good luck finding a phone book.

 

Thanks for the advice guys, my plan was to take it to get rebuilt if there wasn't a quick fix/casual issue to it. I took a stethascope (sp?) to it and sounds like a bearing is out. Looks like that is my best option.

Thanks so much for the help here, guys.

 

I went to a alternator tested the alternator said it was bad, but did not have the parts to work on it. Will the regulator fix the charging problem? And where can I find the regulator?

 

When a shop re-builds an alternator, the parts swapped out are:

front bearing
rear bearing
Voltage regulator

If your shop couldn't get the parts, I don't know how available the VR will be. Sorry!

 

eBay has some listed as used, but I would check if they are just used, or used and rebuilt (before you purchase via this method...):

04 05 06 07 CROSSFIRE ALTERNATOR - eBay (item 350394835249 end time Dec-15-10 15:35:04 PST)

 

I have the exact same problem 04xfirecoupe. Upon acceleration light comes on, let off pedal light goes out. It really not charging when that idiot light comes on because the lights flicker. At steady rpm, nothing. New alternator, new battery, new belt. I have read this forum front to back and I have come to the conclusion it is the belt slipping. One of my dumbbell friends sprayed lubricant on the idler pulley and I think it has messed with the pulleys and belts. I am going to try some belt dressing and see what happens. If any forum member has any advice for this nitwit, beside ramming my head into a brick wall, please share.

 

I'd be checking the voltage first - over 13v is charging, under 12v discharging. Are devices that plug into the cigarette lighter.

 

Okay folks any help would be greatly appreciated. I bought the cigarette lighter voltage gauge and it shows as follows: steady engine rpm gauge reads 14.2-14.8 volts. Revving engine (moving or in park) gauge momentarily reads 12.5-13.0 volts. Revving would be 1,000rpm to 4,000rpm quickly. These gauge readings seem to be more erratic when actually moving. When in park revving engine voltage fluctuations not as constant. Also when I experience the voltage drop, idiot light comes on and lights flicker momentarily. Alternator has been replaced, battery replaced, belt replaced, belt dressing applied. Any ideas folks. Clearly there is truly a voltage drop when idiot light comes on, but only when engine is revved or accelerated. At constant engine rpm or idle voltage very very consistent in the upper 14volt range

 

you have an intermittant connection, possibly a broken lead from the alternator. Focus on the voltage regulator and its CONNECTORS as a start.

Keep us iinformed on your progress.Woody

 

I would consider 14.2v to be an upper limit for a good alternator, 14.2-14.8 volts sounds too high, jumping around sounds like a connection issue: regulator, wiring, or even a failing battery terminal. When you crank it to start in the morning, check if any connection gets hot.

 

I started to have same issue with alternator, well, it all started when I had the RCM issue, did the resolder and seemed it was "fixed" but started to have again issues starting.the motor.
sometimes started some other dont, but realized the battery was draining, so put a new battery and kept the motor idle and steady for about an hour and everything ok, so assumed was the battery, but then started to have the alternator light on and off every other time until I had to replace alternator (used one in ebay). It worked fine for 2-3 days then start having light on again.

just stopped checking the issues as I had my first baby so had no time to put hands on the Crossfire. Now I have time again but I see the trunk issue could be a reason for draining the battery, but how that will relate to the alternator? By shorting the battery and alternator unable to charge battery dead?