'03 Toyota Highlader 3.0 v6 2wd voltage reg or alternator?

Let me first say that the keys were left in the ignition (lock position) over night and half a day. No lights were left on.

I hooked it to my Jeep; red on positive, black on negative. 2 seconds later I turn around and have to yank off the jumper bc the thing is smoking at the red terminal, wtf?!

After charging the battery back up (12v 6amp) it would start...so I let it run about 15 minutes.
Then I turned it off and attempted to restart it. Dead battery clicking noise. Put my voltmeter to the battery, it read 11.47 volts.
Recharge battery with charger, engine starts again.

So while it's running I went and removed the pos. terminal; immediately dies, nor will it restart again.
Old-school cars then the simple fix would be the alternator? Right?

So I'm online looking for the part number and see a voltage regulator that is an in-between-plug from wire harness to alternator plug-in socket, a little thing that doesn't look like it should cost 300 bucks but it does.

So does anyone here have the knowledge they could help me determine if it is the voltage reg. or is it the alternator?
It's my aunts car.

I did plug my code-reader into it and found zero codes came up.

Thank you in advance.

a reply to: loveguy

Yikes , sounds like there is some thinking to do on this puppy . Usually Voltage regulators are internal to the alternator . Is it possible your battery has a kind of dead short inside ?

a reply to: loveguy

I would have a store do a load test on your battery, sounds like a couple cells went bad in the battery. It will show 11volts, but as soon as you laod it, it will go to like 6 volts, also, when the car was runni g, did u check voltage to see if the alternator was working?

originally posted by: the2ofusr1
a reply to: loveguy

Yikes , sounds like there is some thinking to do on this puppy . Usually Voltage regulators are internal to the alternator . Is it possible your battery has a kind of dead short inside ?

I don't know without using a load-tester, which sucks bc I don't have one.
I do have a marine battery I could lend but If her car can't keep it charged it's pretty useless.

I know if I called any shop in town they'll just say "bring it in."

I guess I can put her battery in my Jeep and see if it acts the same way in my Jeep. Or the battery from my Jeep in her car.
Pitty too bc it looks pretty easy to change the alternator.

a reply to: loveguy

That alternator has an internal voltage regulator, I don't know what they could be showing for something inline to the plug unless it is some type of fusible link.
What is the voltage reading at the battery when the vehicle is running with no accessories on?
You should be in the 14.3-14.7V range.
If you are at 12V or less, the alternator is probably bad.
Unless of course, that IS a fusible link going to the regulator plug, then it is possible that the link is bad or both.

originally posted by: neomaximus10
a reply to: loveguy

I would have a store do a load test on your battery, sounds like a couple cells went bad in the battery. It will show 11volts, but as soon as you laod it, it will go to like 6 volts, also, when the car was runni g, did u check voltage to see if the alternator was working?

Crumb! No I didn't even think of testing the voltage as it was running.

Good idea about having a store loadtest it though, thanks.

originally posted by: RazorV66
a reply to: loveguy

That alternator has an internal voltage regulator, I don't know what they could be showing for something inline to the plug unless it is some type of fusible link.
What is the voltage reading at the battery when the vehicle is running with no accessories on?
You should be in the 14.3-14.7V range.
If you are at 12V or less, the alternator is probably bad.
Unless of course, that IS a fusible link going to the regulator plug, then it is possible that the link is bad or both.

Excellent advice! Thanks.
And as my luck would have it, it's getting dark outside.

a reply to: loveguy

Doing a temp swap on the battery might be a good start .Then if and when it starts you can check the voltage .

Thanks for the advice guys.

I'll be spending the day tomorrow following your advice and hopefully resolving the issue.

I gotta feed King Mut and his sidekick now. When they behave I call them Pork-chop and Applesauce.

See ya's later.

You need to have a battery in to run most cars now. Even if it is almost dead, the starter gets enough power to start making juice. Charge the battery fully. The smoke may have a few reasons, a bad connection can do that.

The battery charger should be left on at two amps for say ten hours to charge a dead battery, if charging too fast, the backlash sends a signal to shut down the charger if it is automatic. Two amp automatic for ten hours, then try it again.

Clean the posts and cables too once you are at it. It helps.

If you hooked up the cables backwards, you could have cooked the regulator. The diodes usually go and then the battery goes dead on it's own, backfeeding through the alternator sometimes or if they are burnt the otherway, it does not charge.

I am not sure if that car has a seperate regulator, the regulator was right on the alternator on the last toyota 4 runner I changed the alternator on I think. Try pricing it on Advanced auto, they have thirty percent off internet coupons available sometimes that can be used.

Try charging the battery slowly first though.

My car dies in 1 night with the keys in off position.

Don't start replacing crap yet.

Sounds like you need to charge it fully, as in amps not volts.

Voltage meters are next to useless on batteries, they don't measure amps under a load.

You can have 12-14v but 1 amp, when you may need 800 to crank it.

Someone mentioned Advanced Auto Parts above. They do free load testing, if you yank the batt and bring it up there.

a reply to: Mandroid7

Thee volts he is trying to measure is the output of the alternator ...usually 14 volts . His measure of 11 volts on the battery may indicate a dead cell .

I'd get the battery tested first. It sounds like it has a bad cell[s] and is not taking a charge. If it runs fine after you start it, it's probably not the alternator, because it seems to be supplying enough current to keep it running.
Swap out the battery with one you know is good and let it run for 15 or 20 minutes, turn it off, then try to restart. If it fires right off with that battery, you know the other is bad.

Sounds like your alternater is bad i would test that first. When you charged the battery it has enough juice to start and run the vehicle for a while, but will not restart after you turned it off because it's not being charged by the alternator.

I predict the problem will end up being a fusible link wire.

originally posted by: rickymouse
You need to have a battery in to run most cars now. Even if it is almost dead, the starter gets enough power to start making juice. Charge the battery fully. The smoke may have a few reasons, a bad connection can do that.

The battery charger should be left on at two amps for say ten hours to charge a dead battery, if charging too fast, the backlash sends a signal to shut down the charger if it is automatic. Two amp automatic for ten hours, then try it again.

Clean the posts and cables too once you are at it. It helps.

If you hooked up the cables backwards, you could have cooked the regulator. The diodes usually go and then the battery goes dead on it's own, backfeeding through the alternator sometimes or if they are burnt the otherway, it does not charge.

I am not sure if that car has a seperate regulator, the regulator was right on the alternator on the last toyota 4 runner I changed the alternator on I think. Try pricing it on Advanced auto, they have thirty percent off internet coupons available sometimes that can be used.

Try charging the battery slowly first though.

That's good advice too, thanks.

So today I went out there and just switched out the battery (marine battery), then started it.
I put my voltmeter on the terminals and saw 11.8 reducing down as time progressed...

I removed the red terminal while the engine was running and it died.
So I shopped online for the best deal in town for a new alternator. It does come with an internal regulator...will be there for pickup on Tuesday...

I guess I may have made a mistake in the initial jump-starting...
I read the owners book and realized I should have connected the jump wires red to red black to chassis on the dead car.

That was an expensive oops.

Also, that little sucker was harder to remove from the car than I initially thought. It'll be fun after I can get it back together. I don't know how fun while putting it back together though.

Hopefully someone reading this will see where I erred and can avoid making the same rookie mistake.

Thanks for your help guys.

a reply to: loveguy

Good to hear you got it under control .

originally posted by: the2ofusr1
a reply to: loveguy

Good to hear you got it under control .

Thanks.