electrical

[sardad]

I have an 82 CJ8 with the straight 6 and a multi-port injection kit. {Mopar} It has a serpentine belt with a high output alt. and a blue top gel cell battery. I have tried 3 different altenaters and I am still getting a sqreaching noise at start up, and my charging system keeps jumping up and down, over 14 volts and then below 12 while driving, with periodic sqreaching again. Can anyone advise me on what the issue might be? Should I not be using the deep cycle battery? I know the noise could be coming from a different pulley, but it doesn't explain the fluctuation in power.

 

[gert]

Welcome aboard from Texas

#1 The squealing could be that your belt tensioner is weak, or you have oil on the belt
#2 voltage varies as you use your vehicle do to the varying electrical load placed on the battery.
#3 the control of the voltage output of the alternator is controlled by its regulator either internal to the alternator or the old style external.

What I would do to verify that things are good or bad is take your battery t the parts store and have them check it on their machine and drive the jeep up there to have them run a load check on the alternator.

you could have a bad regulator, bad ground, or bad battery, also you could have nothing wrong at all. I know that the voltage fluctuates up and down and 14v is at the high end and 12v is the low end when you start getting down to 11.5v you start having problems with the fuel injection computer and the starter Also this is a great time to clean all your grounds to make sure you have a good contact because the computer is sensitive to grounds

 

[Torxhead]

I would first look for some weak wiring, tighten up on the serp belt also. The fusible links could be shot or the alternator could have a ground problem. Running a jumper wire from the alternator to the battery ground to check ground. The constant charging from a automobile can be hard on a deep cycle battery, but here I don't think that is your problem. That high output alternator is a lot harder to turn than a oem type, so that could be the problem with the squealing.

 

[IOPort51]

are these one wire alternators?

 

[gert]

are these one wire alternators?

uh oh LOL

 

[gyvrr]

I felt your pain...... Here's how I solved the problem.I replaced the idler pullys with Oreilly pullys #GAT36157. You'll have to get a bushing as the center hole is larger than AMC used. These pullys are steel.
Check and make sure the belt is straight.
Most important.... I kept exchanging the belt until I could only get it on by removing an idler pully and forcing it on as I reinstalled the pully.
AMC never provided a tensioner for these belts and if there not tight they will squeal!

 

[NorthwestCJer]

I have an 82 CJ8 with the straight 6 and a multi-port injection kit. {Mopar} It has a serpentine belt with a high output alt. and a blue top gel cell battery. I have tried 3 different altenaters and I am still getting a sqreaching noise at start up, and my charging system keeps jumping up and down, over 14 volts and then below 12 while driving, with periodic sqreaching again. Can anyone advise me on what the issue might be? Should I not be using the deep cycle battery? I know the noise could be coming from a different pulley, but it doesn't explain the fluctuation in power.

I had the exact problem on my 84 CJ7 AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l . My alternator would squeal under load. If I disconnected the small two prong plug the squeal would go away. This is disconnecting the internal voltage regulator I the alternator. These are GM basic alternators.
I went threw 3 in a week from Napa (under warranty) until I finally purchased the life time warranty unit. No further problems.
Good Luck.

 

[johnnyreb]

does it squeal when the volts are up? sounds like when the "contacts" close then drag is being created and making the pulley slip

 

[73CJ]

How old is the Blue top?

My yellow top failed after 5 years. Very disappointed with them for $180. I switched back to a standard sealed wet conventional. I couldn't believe the receipt stuck to the side of a Walmart battery that went 12 years last week in my Mountaineer! It finally died.

I also run a one wire 130 amp. It takes about 2000 rpm to start getting to 14.6V.