P1631 MAZDA - if alternator was checked and good, could it be corroded wires that may just need cleaned?

Question

charged battery overnight and was fully charged. drove 1.5 miles and turned off and would not start. previously took in to see if alternator was good (only 3 years old) and checked out good. solid battery light...
have 195,000 miles on it...did not want to spend much money to get it fixed if say a whole new computer or wiring harness or something, but has been a reliable-solid-cheaply insured car with good gas mileage!

Answer 1

when the car is running the alternator is suppose to charge 14.2 volts to 14.6 volts anything higher or lower is a bad alternator and use a voltage meter to see if the battery is holding charge after the car is turned off if the battery is not working correctly it may turn off the car while in drive. If you have any corroded wires clean them up

Comments

ok...thanks! i will try that tomorrow and see what voltage is being put out. i would've hoped when i took it in that they did that...but now days, you never know. if it is good, there has to be something wrong with the connection wires from the alternator...maybe if i'm lucky...just loose...

Answer 2

P1631 Alternator no output, If the alternator check good, then you have a open fuseable link,go to the engine fuse box,there you will wee fuse like 40amp 100 amp, they have a clear plastic cap on it the one for the alternator is open,so you will need to replace it,

Comments

wow...thanks! i will check that tonight...I hope that is all there is to it cause I was ready to fork out some money to get another alternator to hope that would fix it. I hope it is the fuse...

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i have a 1997 mazda protege and i checked in manual for fuse descriptions for inside and engine compartment. i did not "see" any that looked like it had anything to do with the alternator, so maybe there isn't one? i was hoping there was cause it seemed like any "easy" fix...

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Its not going to alternator, it is listed as 100 amp fuse, it a square one,

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Sorry...I meant the manual said nothing about an "alternator" fuse...not that it was going to the alternator. I will look again...I did find a clear-topped 40 amp one not opened, but corroded looking but it said it was for heater. I appreciate the help and will look again when I get home...

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well...i don't see any fuses labeled alternator or something like that...so maybe there is no "fuse" for it or that fuse is located somewhere else? i was hoping i would see a fuse labeled "alternator" and it was blown...woulda made this a lot easier and cheaper...