Sure sounds like the RCM fix didn't work IF you replaced the battery. If the alternator was over charging the battery, the battery would be the smell. Have someone check the out put of voltage from the alternator. I'm still thinking RCM or if you didn't replace the battery.

 

Doc, he's running my spare RCM that I sent him, I ran that spare for 3 or 4 months, no issues.

 

I have Not Replaced the Battery Yet, Its all still the same since.. I put in Xfires RCM, that he sent me.. I just find it out, that the car would run good a few times and then all of sudden just basically loose all power... Like I said that burning smell has been there,since the day we brought the car home..

 

24 posts. 24 recommendations to replace battery. I get my batteries from Costco and Walmart as once recommended by Consumer Reports.

15.3 volts. Is this ever OK? I suspect it will kill the battery.

I suspect the voltage regulator in in the alternator.

 

Alright so alittle update for this.. I put the car back on a trailer and brought it to my house, Pulled the alternator tonight and the Coils are completely Black and inside has alot of surface rust.. Problem from the car sitting alot,as the last owners did'nt drive it much... Smells burnt also, Gonna take it in tomorrow and gonna get anew battery..

 

If this is with the engine off -your battery is bad.
If this is with the engine running, your alternator is not charging and your battery has probably been ruined as well.

How many times must we tell you? You need a battery and PROBABLY an alternator.


Testing an alternator is very easy:

1) Engine off, measure battery voltage. You should see 12.2 to 12.6 or so.
2) Start engine - battery voltage should rise due to charging from the alternator: over 13 volts is good.
3) Turn on heater, all lights, wipers, seat heaters, etc.; rev engine to 2,000 rpm - if battery voltage is still above 13 volts, the alternator is charging fine. Without all this stuff on, you better see 13.8 to 14.2

Once you get close to 15 volts, you are getting near an overcharge condition.

Regulation of the alternator output is internal to the alternator - there is no separate regulator.

In case you wonder:
The path of charging is very simple (this is for LHD cars in the (USA):
Alternator stud - heavy cable to battery positive post - thru battery - thru ground cable - thru chassis - back thru chassis to engine ground strap(s) - thru engine block and back thru the frame of the alternator.

While it is true that high resistance in this path will cause the battery to not be charged, it would also cause the starter to not be able to sink enough current to turn the engine over.

(I've NEVER found the chassis to engine ground strap(s) but I know there are there, somewhere.)

 

That is not quite true. The regulator is bolted onto the back of the alternator or generator as it is called in the Service Manual.
GENERATOR
DESCRIPTION
The generator (1) is belt-driven by the engine using a serpentine
type accessory drive belt (2). It is serviced only as a complete
assembly. If the generator fails for any reason, the entire
assembly must be replaced. The only component that is
replaceable is the voltage regulator.

 

Sorry. Eating. No time for the manual.

 

I know this is an old post, but I am learning so much from "oldie but goodie" posts! I do not know whether this is the appropriate place to post this, but I've seen while reading about our car that the battery can wreak havoc if not working properly. So here's an idea somebody might benefit from when searching within the forum.

TRUTH: PRESERVING A BATTERY IN MINT CONDITION/FULLY CHARGED WILL PREVENT THE GREMLINS FROM ATTACKING THE CAR ELECTRONICS.

That's why I decided to install this inexpensive voltage/temp/capacity meter on top of the battery, so I can have "accurate" readings at will. It stays in there all the time. Can be turned on and off, so I guess no battery drainage.

Car off reading!

Car on reading!

FYI:

• Do not worry about the battery plugs. That yellowish slime is not rust, it is some sticky plug protector!
• Please notice the TWO wires on the negative plug. One is the original to the body and the one on the left is a new grounding to the engine (just playing it safe, haven't checked the OEM engine to body grounding cable underneath the car (driver's side).

Hope this info helps or contributes to better and more professional ideas. Thanks for all the thorough posting across this forum.

Havagoodday!

 

That redundant ground has come up before. James1549 brought this up years ago and I had been thinking about it as well. James created a thread on the topic here:
https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum...le-engine.html You are not the only one to see the weakness of the original design. Grounding to the block thru the chassis seems silly to a lot of us !

As to your device, that is a voltmeter and it's "Capacity" reading is not accurate at all. YOu cannot determine capacity of a battery by monitoring voltage alone. Capacity is determined by monitoring cell voltage versus discharge current*. Note that it claims higher capacity just because the alternator is charging - starting the engine DOES NOT increase battery capacity, only voltage.

*(There is some evidence that, with lead acid batteries, you can also monitor cell voltage and charge current and calculate charging effectiveness, but in the lab we always go by cell voltage versus discharge current. Our battery conditioners uses this to condition batteries, in fact).

Mark Christopher
Systems Solution Engineer,
EF Johnson Technologies
Irving, TX

 

Thank you Mark, for your words. I found the info for the grounding cable precisely in the post you mention. Would you consider necessary to add more grounding points to alternator, etc?

As for the volt meter, I suspected a $3 device would not give "accurate capacity readings" (note my quotation marks on original post&#128517, but it gives some data as for percentage and voltage output, doesn't it? Should I not trust them either?

Many thanks for the technical explanation and Merry Xmas. 🤝

 

There is also a ground strap that goes from the transmission to the body. It gets corroded and should be replaced.
Here's a post I did on replacing it.
Replacing ground strap LINK

 

In my "to do" list!!! Many thanks.

 

"
If you have the original heavy cable to the chassis and the additional ground to the block that James suggests, I think you are good. The alternator is bonded to the block, so your additional ground to the block takes care of that.

That cheapy meter is probably accurate as to it's voltage reading - my point was just that a voltage reading is not going to indicate capacity.
I have a calibrated, lab quality meter we use in the lab. My two plugin voltmeters and my cheap multimeter from Lowes all read within .2 volt of the lab meter.
With today's precision components being SO cheap, it's not hard for them to build an accurate voltmeter.

 

Well then, thanks a bunch for sharing your knowledge. I have access to nothing sophisticated nor calibrated, so I make do with whatever I have at hand. The cheapo voltimeter will tell me what I need to know as far as charge and volts, and the .2 diff you point out is negligible as far as performance is concerned.

Anyway, yet another gadget to spread my ignorance😉. I just had this display lying around the garage and decided to "upgrade" the look of the battery. I get easily impressed by flashy lights. That might be the reason I like Christmas so much.

Told ya! My porch. Merry Xmas!!!

BTW, don't you think it would be an asset if batteries came with a little display that showed charge and volts by default?

Thanks again for taking some time to answering an unknown crossfirer from Spain.

P.S. Despite the new grounding wire, I will check the OEM engine bay/ chassis display, though. If rusty, I will replace it.