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2000 Cavalier: Electrical Loss
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DustinM
New User
Mar 25, 2010, 8:28 AM
Post #1 of 4
(2267 views)
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2000 Cavalier: Electrical Loss
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2000 Chevrolet Cavalier, 2.2L 4cyl, 125,000mi
This past weekend I changed the starter on my car. During this process I made the error of not marking what wires were coming from which post. After getting the wires crossed a couple times, letting some sparks (from the neg. post) fly when I reconnected the battery, I finally got it wired correctly and it starts.
The real problem is that my alternator is now not putting out any voltage. I tried several things but my multimeter kept coming up 0.0 off the back of the alternator. I took it off and ran it to my local auto parts store where they bench tested it, and it passed. I brought it back home, put it back on, tried multiple times and still 0.0 on the volts. I went back and bought a new alternator and it doesn't put anything out either. Still 0.0 volts off the bolt on the back.
I'm just at a loss on this one. I've had my car almost 10 years and this is the first trouble it's ever given me. Does anyone have any ideas at all why even a brand new alternator will not put out any volts? My only suspicion is that my problem may have something to do with the plug on the top of my alternator. I don't know what it is or where it goes. The wiring schematic in my repair manual says it goes to the powertrain control module.. again, over my head, but I'm not sure this would have anything to do with it.
Again, I'm just at a loss for ideas and I'd really like to not have to take it in somewhere being as I'm already several hundred dollars in on new parts. Does anyone have any ideas on a fix, or things I might be able to try? Any information or suggestions would be awesome. Thanks!!
Dustin
Springfield, Mo
(Post intact - just removed hyperlinks)
(This post was edited by Tom Greenleaf on Mar 25, 2010, 3:32 PM)
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James_85_jr
User
Mar 25, 2010, 4:20 PM
Post #2 of 4
(2259 views)
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Re: 2000 Cavalier: Electrical Loss
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the main charging wire on some cars hook up to the battery cable on the starter you can trace the wire from the hot post on the battery to the starter then from the same post on the starter back up to the post on the back of your alternator.
i have had the same problem on a pontiac grand am and ended up running a heavy wire strait from the back of the alternator to the hot post on the battery.
hope this helps 
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nickwarner
Veteran
/ Moderator
Mar 25, 2010, 6:41 PM
Post #3 of 4
(2257 views)
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Re: 2000 Cavalier: Electrical Loss
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I had an identical issue with an Oldsmobile, and after a lot of cursing and pinning wires found that the wire supplying voltage to the field coils ran off the starter battery terminal as suggested previously. What I didn't realize is it had a fusible link in it which fried. Have a look and see if you have the same thing.
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DustinM
New User
Mar 27, 2010, 7:04 AM
Post #4 of 4
(2238 views)
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Re: 2000 Cavalier: Electrical Loss
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I ended up taking it to a shop that just does auto electric and as it turns out, I had a couple wires on my starter crossed. They rewired it and sent me on my way, problem solved.
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