2000 Plymouth Voyager 2000 Plymouth Voyager Lights Flashing

TALIS31

MEMBER
2000 PLYMOUTH VOYAGER
6 CYL
2WD
AUTOMATIC
156,000 MILES

My van seems to have some kind of problem. When driving down the road or stopped the battery light comes on, headlights flash, and the car acts like it is going to cut off. Battery has been checked, charge is good, alternator has also been checked as working properly. This one is a little over my head, don't know what to check next. Any suggestions?

Saturday, August 21st, 2010 AT 2:48 PM

3 Replies

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
34,331 POSTS

Hi Talis31. Welcome to the forum. Was the alternator checked while the problem was occurring? It is real common for them to be intermittent due to worn brushes. Use a cheap digital voltmeter to measure battery voltage while the engine is running and when the problem is acting up. Ideal is 13.75 to 14.75 volts.

If the voltage is low, the next step is to measure the voltages on the two small nuts on the back of the alternator. One must have full battery voltage, and the other one must be less but not 0 volts. Those two voltages will tell us where to go next.

Caradiodoc

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Saturday, August 21st, 2010 AT 2:58 PM

TALIS31

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4 POSTS

Yea, it's the alternator then. I get a small squeak in the middle of a gear sometimes, not at the end like a loose belt would do. Easy to replace on the van, just wish I still had all the tools.

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Saturday, August 21st, 2010 AT 4:09 PM

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
34,331 POSTS

I can't say for sure on your van, but on a '93 model where it is buried under a bracket, it doesn't look possible, but you can pop the rear cover off and replace the brush assembly without removing the alternator from the engine. I did it on two vehicles to install "bugs" for my students to troubleshoot. Once I saw how to do it on the first one, I did the second one right on the engine.

Caradiodoc

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Saturday, August 21st, 2010 AT 5:30 PM