FREE REPAIR MANUALS & LABOR GUIDES 1982-2013 Vehicles
Courtesy of Operation CHARM: Car repair manuals for everyone.

Generator On-Vehicle Tests

CAUTION:
^ Do not make jumper wire connections except as directed. To do so may damage Generator (GEN).
^ Do not allow any metal object to come in contact with the housing and internal diode cooling fins with key on or off or short circuit may result and burn out the diodes.

NOTE:
^ Battery terminals and cable clamps must be clean and tight for accurate meter indications.
^ Refer to the SABRE procedure manual for complete directions on checking out the charging system.

Diagnosis is required before actual repair can be made to the electrical system. Even where an obvious condition makes installation of a new component necessary, find out why the component failed. When a condition is diagnosed correctly, unnecessary repair is avoided, the vehicle down time will be minimized, and the condition will be corrected the first time.

The use of SABRE tester is suggested to check the charging system.

Place all lamps and electrical components in the OFF position when carrying out charging system tests. Place transmission in the NEUTRAL position and apply the parking brake.

Load Test
1. Place the SABRE in the voltmeter function.
2. Connect the voltmeter positive lead to the generator B+ terminal and the negative lead to ground.
3. Place all electrical accessories in the OFF position.
4. With the engine running at 2000 rpm, check the generator output voltage. The voltage should be between 13.0 and 15.0 volts. If not, refer to the Symptom Chart for diagnostic procedures. Symptom Related Diagnostic Procedures