Time to replace alternator or wiring problem?

I was driving on the highway and the battery light came on. Then I was
sitting in traffic and the Jeep just stalled. I restarted and could only
keep running if I gave it gas. The check engine light came on. Went back on
highway and got home.

The MIL is 12 (battery disconnect) & 25 (idle air control motor circuit).
The battery still has almost 13 volts.

Id this a wire or short or is the alternator going/gone?

--
Mel P.

Mel P. wrote:
> I was driving on the highway and the battery light came on. Then I
> was sitting in traffic and the Jeep just stalled. I restarted and
> could only keep running if I gave it gas. The check engine light
> came on. Went back on highway and got home.
>
> The MIL is 12 (battery disconnect) & 25 (idle air control motor
> circuit). The battery still has almost 13 volts.
>
> Id this a wire or short or is the alternator going/gone?

Clean the idle air passage. It's gummed up.
http://www.revbeergoggles.com/tb/tb.html

You don't need to take the TB off, just clean the top and bottom
of the valve with a toothbrush and some carb cleaner. Then go around
the bore. Next with the engine running, spray cleaner into the passage
just above the valve. Try to keep the engine running. If things are
real bad you might have to take the idle motor and valve assembly off
and clean it on the bench. NOTE: Never run the engine with the idle
air motor dissembled, the idle air motor/solenoid will be damaged.

--
-- DougW -- 93 ZJ 4.0 http://revbeergoggles.com
HESCO Supercharger - 300W IASCA Stereo - Edelbrock IAS Shocks
Gibson Exhaust - rear DCpower - custom gauge install - Stillen Rotors
Banks Header - and BEER, in the fridge!

DougW wrote:
> Mel P. wrote:
>> I was driving on the highway and the battery light came on. Then I
>> was sitting in traffic and the Jeep just stalled. I restarted and
>> could only keep running if I gave it gas. The check engine light
>> came on. Went back on highway and got home.
>>
>> The MIL is 12 (battery disconnect) & 25 (idle air control motor
>> circuit). The battery still has almost 13 volts.
>>
>> Id this a wire or short or is the alternator going/gone?

oh.. and as for the battery, check and clean the terminals.
Usually, but not always, when they get loose all sorts of codes
can be set. Code 12 just means the battery was disconnected within
50 startups.

--
DougW

I agree ... man knows what he's talking about ... same problem, same
solution .. easy job


"DougW" > wrote in message
...
> DougW wrote:
>> Mel P. wrote:
>>> I was driving on the highway and the battery light came on. Then I
>>> was sitting in traffic and the Jeep just stalled. I restarted and
>>> could only keep running if I gave it gas. The check engine light
>>> came on. Went back on highway and got home.
>>>
>>> The MIL is 12 (battery disconnect) & 25 (idle air control motor
>>> circuit). The battery still has almost 13 volts.
>>>
>>> Id this a wire or short or is the alternator going/gone?
>
> oh.. and as for the battery, check and clean the terminals.
> Usually, but not always, when they get loose all sorts of codes
> can be set. Code 12 just means the battery was disconnected within
> 50 startups.
>
> --
> DougW
>

DougW wrote:

> DougW wrote:
>> Mel P. wrote:
>>> I was driving on the highway and the battery light came on. Then I
>>> was sitting in traffic and the Jeep just stalled. I restarted and
>>> could only keep running if I gave it gas. The check engine light
>>> came on. Went back on highway and got home.
>>>
>>> The MIL is 12 (battery disconnect) & 25 (idle air control motor
>>> circuit). The battery still has almost 13 volts.
>>>
>>> Id this a wire or short or is the alternator going/gone?
>
> oh.. and as for the battery, check and clean the terminals.
> Usually, but not always, when they get loose all sorts of codes
> can be set. Code 12 just means the battery was disconnected within
> 50 startups.

Another odd problem can be with the inline fuse wire. Mine started throwing
battery/alternator codes and it turned out that the fuse wire was corroded
and broken where it was crimped to the alternator output wire. The problem
was erratic and getting worse but it took forever to locate the problem.

--
Will Honea

I would take the throttle body off though, that way you can take the
idle control valve/plunger/motor off and really clean the passages,
butterfly and walls and the idle control motor itself. If it says the
idle control motor circuit isn't working the idle control motor is
either dead or can't move or so. I have seen some gunk in my old grand
causing the same problems (I ended up getting a new idle control
motor). Taking the throttle body is pretty easy, the gasket doesn't
even cost a buck and that way the crap you wash out doesn't end up in
your intake manifold.

On Apr 5, 11:03*am, "DougW" >
wrote:
> Mel P. wrote:
> > I was driving on the highway and the battery light came on. * *Then I
> > was sitting in traffic and the Jeep just stalled. *I restarted and
> > could only keep running if I gave it gas. *The check engine light
> > came on. Went back on highway and got home.
>
> > The MIL is 12 (battery disconnect) & 25 (idle air control motor
> > circuit). The battery still has almost 13 volts.
>
> > Id this a wire or short or is the alternator going/gone?
>
> Clean the idle air passage. *It's gummed up.http://www.revbeergoggles.com/tb/tb.html
>
> You don't need to take the TB off, just clean the top and bottom
> of the valve with a toothbrush and some carb cleaner. *Then go around
> the bore. *Next with the engine running, spray cleaner into the passage
> just above the valve. *Try to keep the engine running. If things are
> real bad you might have to take the idle motor and valve assembly off
> and clean it on the bench. *NOTE: Never run the engine with the idle
> air motor dissembled, the idle air motor/solenoid will be damaged.
>
> --
> -- DougW -- * 93 ZJ 4.0 * * * * * * * * * *http://revbeergoggles.com
> HESCO Supercharger * - * 300W IASCA Stereo * - * Edelbrock IAS Shocks
> Gibson Exhaust - rear DCpower - custom gauge install - Stillen Rotors
> Banks Header - and BEER, in the fridge!

Doug,

I understand code 12 and have gotten it before on several occasions for
different reasons. But my battery light came on. Should I be concerned
about my alternator? Maybe the voltage regulator?

thanks again,


--
Mel P.
"DougW" > wrote in message
...
> DougW wrote:
>> Mel P. wrote:
>>> I was driving on the highway and the battery light came on. Then I
>>> was sitting in traffic and the Jeep just stalled. I restarted and
>>> could only keep running if I gave it gas. The check engine light
>>> came on. Went back on highway and got home.
>>>
>>> The MIL is 12 (battery disconnect) & 25 (idle air control motor
>>> circuit). The battery still has almost 13 volts.
>>>
>>> Id this a wire or short or is the alternator going/gone?
>
> oh.. and as for the battery, check and clean the terminals.
> Usually, but not always, when they get loose all sorts of codes
> can be set. Code 12 just means the battery was disconnected within
> 50 startups.
>
> --
> DougW
>

When my Charge Light came on, the brushes inside my alternator were worn
out.



"Mel P." > wrote in message
...
> Doug,
>
> I understand code 12 and have gotten it before on several occasions for
> different reasons. But my battery light came on. Should I be concerned
> about my alternator? Maybe the voltage regulator?
>
> thanks again,
>

Mel P. wrote:
> Doug,
>
> I understand code 12 and have gotten it before on several occasions
> for different reasons. But my battery light came on. Should I be
> concerned about my alternator? Maybe the voltage regulator?

Could be the battery.
If it was the alternator there would be other codes thrown.
That and I've got a 93 ZJ with the original alternator so they
do last quite a long time.

I've slept since yesterday, what is the year/model of your jeep?

These come in handy.
http://tonytool.manufacturer.globals...m-Analyzer.htm
Long URL, but there are several three LED versions of the same thing
that help diagnose low/high charge and low/high capacity.


--
DougW