Hi,
I've got a stock 95 integra ls that can't charge its battery. I've manually charged the battery and it lasted for a couple days then died again. The alternator is not that old. It was replaced with a remanufactured unit several years ago.

Here's what I've got:

Battery voltage charged 12.56v - I disconnected the battery when leaving the car off to rule out parasitic draw. Battery tested good at autozone.

Voltage at battery terminals car running: 14.26v

Alternator voltage at alternator to body ground 14.25v

ELD tested bad at the ECU so I replaced the fuse box. Now the ELD tests good.

No battery light and no MIL has been set. No fuses are blown.

I'm guessing that either the ECU is bad or the alternator is bad. I have an spare obd1 alternator. I'll take the spare alternator and now dead battery back to autozone to test the alt, and charge the battery. Then I'll install both and see if the charging issues are resolved.

Anyone have any ideas? Something I'm overlooking?

Thanks

 

Yea man its obviously the alt! just replace it with a new one at autozone its not that much with the core exchange and recharge the battery!

 

+1

If the alternator wires are all good then it's definitely the alternator.

 

Wait what???

"Voltage at battery terminals car running: 14.26v" sounds to me like the alt. is working.

I would go to a batt./alt. shop, [Interstate batteries] and have a proper load/gravity check done on the system, it will be free and only takes a few min., before you spend any money. 94

 

Yup the good voltage from the alt cast doubt on it being bad. Could be a bad diode in the alt... who knows. My backup alternator just failed to regulate voltage. So its trash. The alternator thats currently installed has a lifetime warranty. So aside from the $23 fuse box this will cost nothing

I'll charge the battery again and then test it properly.

Thanks guys!

 

This has turned into a sequence of unfortunate events.

ELD circuit fails - reason unknown, but 21 years of operation is acceptable. Thank you Honda
Battery dies
Charge battery - battery tests good
Conduct diagnostics - Find ELD is dead
Battery dies again
Car sits for a while with a dead battery (which is probably what killed it)
Fix ELD $23
Charge battery - Battery can only hold 70% charge
Replace battery $137

I'll pull the alternator and test it before installing the new battery and hopefully bring this fiasco to an end