My SRT6 had been sitting for a while in my car port, and the battery died.

I bought one of those battery chargers that also has a battery tester built in, and when I hooked it up, it said the battery was bad. I took the battery into Pepboys and they tested it. Their tester said the terminals were reversed (although they were correctly hooking up the positive to the + post and negative to the - post on the battery).

OK, looks like the battery bought the farm, so I got a new one with matching specs, a Bosch. Got it home, dropped it into the battery bay (fits perfectly), and as soon as I hooked up the battery terminals smoke started coming from the area around the alternator, I disconnected the battery immediately. The terminals were correctly attached to the right polarity.

I'm at a total loss here, I don't know where to begin testing.

Anyone ever seen anything like this on their Crossfire ?

What should I start checking/testing?

Thanks,
Brian

 

I'd say you have a short in the system and that is probably what cooked the old battery. Where to look is the problem, my guess is the regulator on the back of the alternator.

I think dead flat and shorted batteries can reverse polarity if I recall correctly. A shorted battery can explode so be careful.

 

Well said there.............Woody

 

Thanks guys, I'll start with the regulator.

Found this DIY on the Mercedes forums (I believe it's for the SLK320) and it doesn't look too difficult to change:

Voltage Regulator Replacement DIY- Its usually not the alternator - MBWorld.org Forums

And the regulator looks to be about $40 at the dealer...not too bad, I just hope that's it.

I'll report my luck with the regulator swap.

Thanks,
Brian

 

What you may want to do is check the line running from the battery to the distribution block just to the right of the battery for damaged connections. I had one fail and lost power to the car plus a buch of smoke.

Use a meter to check the line from the alternator to ground to see if there is a short. Typically if the regulator fails you are going to either get no power or very high voltage. To check remove the alternator line from the battery clamp and conntect the clamp so you are feeding power to the car. Check alternator line for voltage once the car is started.

 

Is it ok to run the engine with the alternator disconnected?

 

Infinity I'll check that. Was it your distribution block that you had to replace or ?

I called the Chrysler parts dept and they cannot find the part # for the voltage regulator.

Anyone have that in case I need that?

Thanks,
Brian

 

Looking around it may be less bother to change the whole alternator for a reman. The numbers below are Chrysler numbers and they will be expensive.

If the alternator is a Bosch (some have Valeo alternators) the part numbers are;

ALTERNATOR 05097756AA Bosch

*05127665AA REGULATOR, Bosch

*This number only appears on the 2004 parts list, the alternator part number is the same as the 2005 alternator for the SRT6.

Check the parts lists at the link below.

 

It doesn't look too bad to swap the voltage regulator, but looks like I'll have to remove it so Chrysler can find the part# for it.

During my lunch break today I tested the distribution block from the battery and it's fine. I also thought I should check all the fuses. Oddly the only blown fuse goes to the "sound booster" (the stereo amp I suppose).

Thanks,
Brian

 

The amp may have a reverse bias diode to protect it, thus blowing the fuses.

You can run without an alternator, as long as your cooling belts are still intact, remember that your battery is all you got and when depleted, there you are/ If charged some 30-50 miles in the dry daytime is ok. No radio or blower for sure.

Woody