Alternator Issues?

[Ducky's Dad]

The factory alternator in my '05 with 32M may be failing slowly. I just had to replace my DieHard 31M battery (Odyssey 2150 branded for Sears) when it tested bad on my Schumacher load tester. Sears tested it and agreed it was bad, but it was also five days (yes, five days) out of warranty (three years full replacement, no pro rate) and Sears would not do a damned thing for me. I called Odyssey to bitch about Sears and Odyssey agreed to give me a replacement battery, my choice of Sears or a regular Odyssey. I opted for a "real" Odyssey 2150 G31M from my preferred battery purveyor. In the course of my discussions with Odyssey and with my dealer, we talked about alternator output and Odyssey tech support said I should be showing system voltage above 14.2V at cruising speeds, and as high as 14.8V to put a full charge into the battery. Well, I have a voltage meter in my Escort 8500 radar detector and it used to show 14.2V+ when the truck was newer. Since I put in the new battery, I seldom see anything above 13.2V at cruise. I talked with a general mechanic about doing a professional output test on the alternator and his opinion is that the analog and digital testers are equally unreliable, but it sounded to him as though the alt is dying.

So, the questions are:
1. Anybody here been monitoring system voltage for any significant period of time, and what are you seeing?
2. Have we seen any significant failure rate on these 160 amp factory alternators?
3. If I have to spring for a new alternator, does anybody know if the newer 180 amp alternator will bolt-on and connect directly on an '05, and will it confuse the computer?

Any other advice appreciated, and no, I don't want a custom alternator. Been there, done that, not happy with the results. Thanks.

[shellriv]

take it to a electrician not a mechanic he will be able to tell you in minutes with a good meter you can test it under load by running your winch

[trk4sale]

Go Bigger! No issues with the trucks computer.
https://www.dcpowerinc.com/

[Ducky's Dad]

take it to a electrician not a mechanic

The only good auto electric shop around here closed a few years ago when the owner retired. I found some other auto electric shops in the area, but the ones who spoke
English would not do any custom work on OBD-II vehicles because of warranty and computer issues. Found one guy who does Fords but won't touch a Dodge. The guys who don't speak English will do anything you want, but they are mostly guessing and I don't trust them. So, I am sort of on my own for this kind of stuff. The mechanic I talked with is pretty capable and I trust him more than the remaining auto electric shops.

I'll call DC Power since they are only 30 minutes from me, but I'd still like to avoid an aftermarket alternator, if possible.

Anybody else have alternator issues with a PW?
Anybody monitoring system voltage in real time?
Anybody know if the factory 180 will bolt right on?

[VA_Wagon Man]

Ducky, I can't offer advice on a new alt, although I am interested in what you go with. All I can say is, my original alt has 146,200 miles on it, extra lights, been submerged and caked with mud. I haven't had any issues. It has nothing to do with the possibility that yours may be failing, I just wanted you to know. I know you like to upgrade when things need replaced, but SFDpython has been trying to sell his original for a while. You could try contacting him.

Sent from the middle of nowhere.

[Pit Slave]

Ducky, I can't offer advice on a new alt, although I am interested in what you go with. All I can say is, my original alt has 146,200 miles on it, extra lights, been submerged and caked with mud. I haven't had any issues. It has nothing to do with the possibility that yours may be failing, I just wanted you to know. I know you like to upgrade when things need replaced, but SFDpython has been trying to sell his original for a while. You could try contacting him.

Sent from the middle of nowhere.

**JINX!**

[RustyPW]

Ducky, I can't offer advice on a new alt, although I am interested in what you go with. All I can say is, my original alt has 146,200 miles on it, extra lights, been submerged and caked with mud. I haven't had any issues. It has nothing to do with the possibility that yours may be failing, I just wanted you to know. I know you like to upgrade when things need replaced, but SFDpython has been trying to sell his original for a while. You could try contacting him.

Sent from the middle of nowhere.

**JINX!**

He put his foot into it now.

[VA_Wagon Man]

Haha, maybe.....maybe not. If so, I guess I'll try a bigger one. The one on my Jeep is a 180........so I def have to go bigger than that.

Sent from the middle of nowhere.

[wagonlvr]

The factory alternator in my '05 with 32M may be failing slowly. I just had to replace my DieHard 31M battery (Odyssey 2150 branded for Sears) when it tested bad on my Schumacher load tester. Sears tested it and agreed it was bad, but it was also five days (yes, five days) out of warranty (three years full replacement, no pro rate) and Sears would not do a damned thing for me. I called Odyssey to bitch about Sears and Odyssey agreed to give me a replacement battery, my choice of Sears or a regular Odyssey. I opted for a "real" Odyssey 2150 G31M from my preferred battery purveyor. In the course of my discussions with Odyssey and with my dealer, we talked about alternator output and Odyssey tech support said I should be showing system voltage above 14.2V at cruising speeds, and as high as 14.8V to put a full charge into the battery. Well, I have a voltage meter in my Escort 8500 radar detector and it used to show 14.2V+ when the truck was newer. Since I put in the new battery, I seldom see anything above 13.2V at cruise. I talked with a general mechanic about doing a professional output test on the alternator and his opinion is that the analog and digital testers are equally unreliable, but it sounded to him as though the alt is dying.

So, the questions are:
1. Anybody here been monitoring system voltage for any significant period of time, and what are you seeing?
2. Have we seen any significant failure rate on these 160 amp factory alternators?
3. If I have to spring for a new alternator, does anybody know if the newer 180 amp alternator will bolt-on and connect directly on an '05, and will it confuse the computer?

Any other advice appreciated, and no, I don't want a custom alternator. Been there, done that, not happy with the results. Thanks.

I also have a voltage meter in my truck with A blue top marine optima, My meter is always showing 14.4 - 14.8 of charging at idle or cruising with or without my rv trailer hooked to it. I have had the meter in my truck over a year and its been these numbers consistently, with engine off meter shows battery at about 12.7. mine seems to be charging at what your tech support sugested. I have had zero battery isssues and the battery is 3 years old. Hope this helps

[Ducky's Dad]

Hope this helps

That helps to confirm my fears. You are getting the readings I used to get on mine, so I'm pretty sure there is something wrong. I'm not home now, but I'll need to get a reading from the output terminals on the alternator. Mine could be a bad battery, but not likely because I have a dual battery system and get the same readings with one or both batteries switched into the circuit. Nuts.

Thanks.

[TwinStick]

Mine seems as if it has been "going bad" since new. When i put the Sears diehard platinum Gp65 under the hood & the Gp 31M as an aux in my toolbox, i also bought 2 battery trickle chargers/maintainers/desulfaters that were recommended for AGM batteries. I periodically throw them on all my batteries. Anyways, last week, it took 2 & 3/4 days for the battery under the hood to charge up. That ain't right. I drove the truck the 2 days prior to putting the charger on & did not have the lights or stero or a/c on. Our alts suck. We have a place local that rebuilds altns & they looked at mine & said that "maybe" they could get 180 amps out of it but also said "we aint promising anything" because there was not much room for more wire. I will be buying an aftermarket 270 amp when the time comes, i think. The best "bang for the buck" seems to be the 180/130 (160/120 HOT) alt though. https://www.dcpowerinc.com/vafproducts/ ... 7L+Hemi+V8

[Ducky's Dad]

I just bought a solar panel charger that plugs into one of my ciggie lighter sockets (I added two, plus the stock two). My battery gurus suggested that would help with battery life on a truck that is not a daily driver. We'll see about that.

Last weekend, I put on 1,000 miles in three days and never saw system voltage above 13.3V.

[cruz]

I have had zero battery isssues and the battery is 3 years old.

Sorry I don't have any advice but I thought I'd throw this out there, no charging issues and I'm still using the ORIGINAL battery which is SEVEN years old now . Go figure.

[FirerescuePW]

I have had zero battery isssues and the battery is 3 years old.

Sorry I don't have any advice but I thought I'd throw this out there, no charging issues and I'm still using the ORIGINAL battery which is SEVEN years old now . Go figure.

That's funny- I replaced my stock, original battery in June "just because". Must be something special about these '05s!

[wagonlvr]

I have had zero battery isssues and the battery is 3 years old.

Sorry I don't have any advice but I thought I'd throw this out there, no charging issues and I'm still using the ORIGINAL battery which is SEVEN years old now . Go figure.

That's funny- I replaced my stock, original battery in June "just because". Must be something special about these '05s!

My factory battery didnt go bad either, its now in my daily driver, i just wanted an excuse to give my wife so i could buy a deep cycle battery. Knock on wood now cuz i probably just jinxed myself but i have had zero battery problems with either battery.

[coder]

I'd still like to avoid an aftermarket alternator, if possible.

Why are they know to cause problems?

[Ducky's Dad]

Why are they know to cause problems?

My Z71 came with GM's "heavy duty" electrical system that included a 105 amp alternator, so, being the smart guy that I am, I had a custom alternator built for it by a very reputable shop. I think it was 160 amp in a stock housing with a stock pulley, but it's been a while. Jump forward a year.... Alternator failed in East Armpit Arizona, way east of Yuma in late summer. I knew I wasn't charging, so I started driving back toward El Centro (about 100 miles) because I have relatives there. Figured I could get away with it because I had dual Optimas and the truck was running just fine with the radio and A/C off to conserve juice. Got overconfident and headed for Brawley because there was a Chevy dealer there who would have parts. Truck crapped out in downtown Brawley and had to be towed the last mile. Bottom line, the alternator fried itself, both Optima batteries, both of my Alpine solid state power amps, and the factory security module in the steering column. The outgassing from the primary Optima burned the paint off the inside fender, hood underside, core support, battery box, etc. Truck was a mess, five days in the shop in Brawley, $1100 in repairs plus a rental car, and the Alpine amps have never been the same, even after going back to Alpine for repair. The dealer installed a factory 105 amp alternator with a lifetime warranty for P&L at any GM dealer, and I have had no further alternator issues in that truck. My experience with aftermarket alternators.

FWIW, I had that alt built with a factory pulley size so that I could get a serpentine belt at any dealer or parts store, wherever I might be. Don't want to have to chase an odd belt size in the boonies.

[Ducky's Dad]

Called DC Power today, spoke with Stan, very helpful. He confirmed that if my voltage readings are accurate (not a slam dunk), then my alternator seems to be fading. He did also say that the 160 and 180 amp alternators in our trucks are not Bosch, but Denso. The Bosch alts are the 120 and 140 amp units and they do seem to fail. His opinion is that the Denso alts are pretty reliable, so I need to double check everything before I start replacing stuff.

DC Power has four alts for the early 3G 2500s: 180amp, 250amp, 270 amp, and 370amp. Per Stan, they are all plug-and-play (except the charge cable) and use the stock serpentine belt, connectors and mounts; they do not confuse the computer. DCP uses a smaller pulley than stock (apparently to spin the alt faster than stock) but there is enough take-up in the tensioner to stick with the stock serp belt. The 180 is a Denso unit (similar to the later PW alts) with a few tweaks, and can use the factory charge cable. The 250/270/370amp alts require a replacement charge cable or an additional cable to carry the current. Stan sells a universal cable kit with 1/0 welding cable for $16. He recommends just running a separate cable from the new alt directly to the battery, and using dielectric grease on all the connectors (except the battery terminals if you have a sealed battery).

Stan suggested checking for TSB's on the alts. I bought my truck new, but Dodge never sends me anything. Anybody heard anything about recalls or TSB's on the alts for the 2005 PW's?

[verdesardog]

AGM batteries are hard on charging systems since they have such a low internal resistance. If you have a very low charge on your AGM it can draw many many amps to get it charged back up.......IE: frying your alternator!

[Ducky's Dad]

AGM batteries are hard on charging systems since they have such a low internal resistance. If you have a very low charge on your AGM it can draw many many amps to get it charged back up.......IE: frying your alternator!

Well, yes, but... The GMC is running the same type of dual Optimas that fried the custom alternator. It stopped charging after about 500 miles of 70mph cruise, so both batteries were fully charged when the frying started. Since I have about ten years now on the replacement factory alternator with no problems, I have to blame that custom alternator.

I told Stan at DC Power about the dual Odyssey setup in the PW and he did not note any issues with that.

[cruz]

Stan suggested checking for TSB's on the alts. I bought my truck new, but Dodge never sends me anything. Anybody heard anything about recalls or TSB's on the alts for the 2005 PW's?

None here... http://dodgeram.info/tsb/index.html

[TwinStick]

Well, if you can get away with one battery & a good alt, then the money you would have spent on a dual battery set up can be put into the new high amp alt. Kinda off-setting the initial high price of said alt. Throw that one at the wife if you need to !!! LOL

[Ducky's Dad]

None here... http://dodgeram.info/tsb/index.html

Thanks.

[Ducky's Dad]

Well, if you can get away with one battery & a good alt, then the money you would have spent on a dual battery set up can be put into the new high amp alt.

Well, I already have the dual battery system, so I'm committed. I'm OK with the factory 160amp alternator, as long as the damned thing works. If I MUST replace it, I'll go bigger, and that is looking likely. Just did a 100 mile jaunt and system voltage was 13.0V. Truck has been "resting" for 30 minutes and main battery voltage shows 11.9V with engine off. Not good. I don't have a multimeter with me to check the accuracy of the radar detector voltage reading, but I'm hoping it's a bad unit. Truck will see about 900 miles this weekend, but should be OK even with a marginal alternator, as long as the alt keeps charging somewhere near 12.6V.

[TwinStick]

IMHO, it is the "idle amps" or "hot idle amps" that we need to be concerned about. Our winch can draw as much as 400 amps at full load & lets face it, 99% of the time our trucks are idleing while using the winch. I think a 180 amp alt w/120-130 idle amps would work just fine. Our stock one is prob like 40-60 idle amps.