Flint

My current alternator (about the 3rd or 4th one I've put in in 6 years) has lately been running a little on the low side of the voltage gauge. Last night I took it out of the garage to switch a couple cars around and it was so low it died. I thought this was related to a loose wire that I thought might be connected to the air conditioning something that I tried to tuck inside to keep from dangling, so I pulled the wire back loose to make sure it wasn't causing a short or something (maybe too late). So, with dangly wire this morning I started the car and drove it about. At idle in drive the car suddenly started running rough, and alarmingly, when I put my foot on the gas the voltage jumps right up toward the red (that's with just a little gas, I didn't try to rev it any higher). Obviously, no driving for this car until this gets sorted out. Does anyone have any starting points to look at?

SharkSkin

Is the wire you refer to the one that goes to the temp sensor in the alternator cooling duct? If so, that won't affect alternator operation. Sounds like maybe your alternator/voltage regulator is on the fritz. Do you have the cooling shroud & hose in place?

Flint

I haven't been able to trace the wire back yet, but that would explain something at least. Cooling shroud and hose are present (shroud is a bit beat, but it's intact). This is really strange because the voltage has never gone too high before, if anything, it always went way too low. This alternator (Bosch, not marschal or paris-rhone) is only a couple years old too! My mechanics have never found a short that could be causing them to blow.