Undo the wiring clip on alt. Inspect prongs, maybe one bent while replugging. Test alternator fuse with voltmeter. It should read a solid 0 it the fuse is ok. This must be really annoying, I'd be close to pulling the sledgehammer if my car would do that to me.

It has been stated that the ground could be shorting due to chaffing. This is wrong, only shorting the positive lead could render those results. You could literally ground that wire 10 000 times and it would only make the grounding more efficient. If corrosion got inside the wire though, it could happen to some extent.

It should be noted that some vehicules (like the Ford Winstar) use 12V body voltage, but not our cars. In this specific case, it would be true.

 

I do appoligize not a ground but the positive chaffing. But I know in dodges the body control module will affect the guages the lights and few others things.

 

I'm going to check the prongs, where is the fuse for the alternator? Also when I check it with the voltmeter, with checking fuses can I use the same one I use for the battery? I've never used a voltmeter to check fuses, always a light tester. Lol I feel like a newb with cars with this darn problem. I'll check the positive battery cable too.

Also where is the body control module on our car? I might as well check just incase lol.

 

Just change the alt.

 

Ok I rebolted. The grousing wire on the alternator and when I started the car it immediately jumped up to 14.42 and then I tried it with the radio on and lights on with AC on top and it drops to 12.69 and it carts but this is the longest its stayed on. Now with the lights, AC and radio off it runs at 13.15V, with the radio on it runs 13.05V varying and so on. Is this normal for it to drop that low with all of the above said is turned on? It seems fixed though, or at least I hope so. After I turned the car off the battery was fully charged at 12.70

 

Did you get another one? Or are you saying you took the ground wire off and put it back on?

As for the voltage sounds about right at idle and everything on when rpms goes up the alt spins faster and charges more

 

I just unbolted the ground wire and I made sure it was all the way down even though it was before and it surprised me it worked lol.

I haven't driven it yet, but I let it warm up like I usually do and it didn't crap out this time. I have to get a new positive post end because I accidentally overtightened it and broke the plastic part...ugh. I just hope its actually fixed once I start driving.

 

The Black cable that goes to the alt is power not ground the alt is grounded threw the block

 

when I changed my clutch I forgot to tighten the main ground bolt and my car acted pretty funny for a few days then I found it and fixed it. Then the small engine ground on the pass side was found frayed through and I fixed that but my car would barely start. Ended up being my positive terminal being lose even though the nut is cranked all the way down, as if my post wore down.