Hooked up HO alt with external regulator, Now car wont start

[bookechu 10+ year member]

Does anyone know what the problem is? My car won't turn over unless I spray ether into the intake and plus once I get the car started I can't even get the car out of park. Its a 98 grand cherokee and a 220amp Ea alt

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[lostdaytomorrow 10+ year member]

Did you check your batt. voltage? Have you checked the wiring from the alt. to batt. and chassis to block?

 

[audioarsonal 10+ year member]

It sounds like you have a weak or dead battery.Did you charge your battery over night.Most all High output alternators require you to charge your battery before you install your alt.If you dont you may damage it.The alternator isn't a battery charger it is ment to keep your battery supplied with voltage as it is drained.Try charging your battery for 24hrs or until it gets warm to the touch.And check all your wire connections.

 

[bookechu 10+ year member]

They are saying that I fried my ecu, could this be true?

 

[audioarsonal 10+ year member]

If you had th voltage set to high.Did you have the dial turned all the way to the left with a DMM to see the actual voltage?I hooked the power wire from the alt up to my back batteries that were isolated from the rest of the vehicle then once I got the voltage right I connected the vehicle battery.Did you try un hooking the regulator and using the factory harness and let the ECU control the voltage?I have a 00 GC and had trouble with the ECU regulating my voltge to low so I did what you did.

 

[lostdaytomorrow 10+ year member]

I don't see how it would have friend it, but maybe you blew some fuses...

 

[bookechu 10+ year member]

I didnt do any of that. Just hooked the **** regulator up. Luckily a ecu will only cost me 80 bucks, could've used that towards something else though. but how would you know where the regulator is charging if the car isn't running?

 

[bookechu 10+ year member]

All of my fuses are working, went through all of them with a test light. Now when I get my car crank and give it gas the guages seem to be a little bouncy. When I let of the gas they jump back to normal position. I can't explain it

 

[hoss 5,000+ posts]

It sounds like you have a weak or dead battery.Did you charge your battery over night.Most all High output alternators require you to charge your battery before you install your alt.If you dont you may damage it.The alternator isn't a battery charger it is ment to keep your battery supplied with voltage as it is drained.Try charging your battery for 24hrs or until it gets warm to the touch.And check all your wire connections.

how would spraying ether into the intake be fixing a dead battery? //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/confused.gif.e820e0216602db4765798ac39d28caa9.gif

it could be an ECU problem, but i think the OP has the right line of thinking that if the car isnt running you cant tell where the alt is charging at. but the few times it did start it could have spiked and taken out the ECU.

i dont know what to tell you, it does sound like something the ECU could be doing, but its hard to tell.

 

[bookechu 10+ year member]

I guess at this point its process of elimination. I'll swap the ECU out. I mean once its started the ho alt charges fine, but I may have had it to high at some point.

 

[mlstrass 5,000+ posts]

I'd go either ECU or you accidently unplugged a sensor or wire somewhere. It's cranking over, so not a batt issue, but won't fire, so either air, spark, or fuel is missing. ECU plus various wires under the hood will control the fuel/spark part of things. Start looking for anything not plugged in under the hood.

Good luck man, newer cars can be a hassle when stuff doesn't work. And it won't throw a code since it's not running...

 

[bookechu 10+ year member]

Only thing we unplugged was the ac compressor. Everything is plugged in, thats why were leaning towards the ecu. And I was thinking the same thing, it cranks over so it isn't the batt nor the alt..

 

[tommyk90 5,000+ posts]

Is there a reason you got an external regulator?

 

[lilmaniac2 5,000+ posts]

this is why people who dont know what there doing shouldnt deal with 16v

 

[bookechu 10+ year member]

Is there a reason you got an external regulator?

i payed 200 shipped for a 220 ea alt that was externally regulated. i couldnt pass up the deal