Charging Problem....PLEASE HHHEEELLLPPPP!

[VanGeorge]

I'l leave out the last three weeks of usless words and state the facts.

My 2005 astro van died one afternoon. The starter made a fast clicking sound (I'm thinking low voltage or bad solenoid) so I got a second battery and connected them in parallel and still nothing, not even the clicking sound from the starter.

I removed the starter (Original @ 84000 miles) and the six year old batttery.
Advance Auto checked and said both were bad so I purchased a new starter and battery.

Reinstall both and the van started right up. I made four more starts and stops. When leaving at the fourth startup it didn't even click and my dash battery gage was reading about 10 to 11 volts. (it's difficult to know exactly what that gage shows but before this incident mine always showed right at 14 volts)

Towed it home and checked battery voltage with voltmeter and it was 11.2 with the engine stopped or running. I also have a ScanGage X that was reading 11.2 I'm assuming that the other starts and running around depleted the new battery to 11.2.

I also was thinking that the problem had to be the alternator, so I go have mine checked and they said it was bad, so purchased a new one from Oreilles, Installed it and still got only 11.2 volts.

Foe the past three weeks I come to the forum and look at each and every post on the starting and charging subject. I did each and every thing that others had already done and put on the forum.

I checked the fuseable resistor several times and it reads good, I checked all the connections that I have tampered with during all this looking around and replacing and they are all good.

Last week I pulled and "Looked" at every fuse under the hood and under the dash, they all looked good.

Yesterday I actually pulled each and every fuse and checked with an ohmmeter for continuity and they all are good.

Today I pull the alternator and take back to Oreillys to have them check...it was putting out 14.6 volts and I reinstalled it and quit.

Can any one offer a suggestion that isn't already listed on the forum under charging becaues I have already done each one of them?

I also replaced the spark plugs, plug wires, Distributor cap and rotor button, serpentine belt and tensioner pulley. After 84000 miles I felt tehy needed an update.

This problem began three weeks ago and I've worked on it about four hours each day (except Sundays) and that's about all I can stand outside in this SC heat wave.
Any suggestions or reccomendations will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

VanGeorge

[astrozam]

Have you got a good solid /clean ground?

[VanGeorge]

As for everything that I was fooling with....Yes, I made sure all that I took off was replaced properly, but I am going to recheck all nuts and bolts that I R/R because it is possible that I missed something.
Thank You for your input.

[VanGeorge]

OK, the problem and remedy. There was a burnt wire between the altenator and the battery.
Replaced wire andnow charging at 13.8 volts.
I appreciate the suggestions folks.
After spending all those hours in this SC heat, I am one Happy Camper!
VanGeorge

[Captn. Crunch]

VanGeorge
I'm happy to hear you found your problem. Sorry the forum couldn't be more help on that one but chasing wire gremlins from afar is even worse than being there. Hopefully the wire was burnt when your alt went south and you won't experience any further issues there. Good job tracking it down. Personally I suck at wiring gremlins. So I just get methodical and trudge through. No skills just determination. So success is all the sweeter because its a total surprise. Like they say " even a blind squirrel finds a nut once and awhile". That's me and wires

[Kidhauler]

Sorry I haven't been on here much lately but that happened to me a few years ago. I burnt the same wire while doing a alternator swap. Glad you got it fixed.