Alternator check confusion

[edudu77]

Okay, so I put in a new alt that I purchased from a member here. Everything has been great, until I get a call this morning from my wife. The Charge light is on again. I had the battery charged before I changed the alt...everything checked out A-OK after the install, now this. I was thumbing through ye olde haynes manual, and saw how to check everything with a meter, so here is the question: It says to check the connections on the alt with the meter S, L and the B both with the key "ON"(non-running) and the car running. Do I unplug the connector (S and L), or do I leave them connected and try to probe into there with the meter?
Thanks,
Donovan

[Damkid]

while the engine is running take a volt meter and touch the posts of the battery, it should read between 12-14 volts, which would mean the alternator is charging the battery

[edudu77]

Thanks Damkid, I did that when I installed it, ran 14.6...after I figured out it had a 1100 rpm kick in. If the light is on, I will "assume" that it's wiring, as the alt is new. I just wanted to know how to check the alt itself, to eliminate it from the equation...I've got a Gremlin somewhere. The alt has been in the car for 2 weeks, btw, without issue until today. Foggy day, headlights and radio on, probably heater too.
Thanks
Donovan

[edudu77]

Mystery solved...should have gone and checked the car before even posting. I went to my wife's place of employment, popped the hood...ta da, no belt. I retraced her steps and found the belt shrapnel. My new Dayco top cog belt had self destructed. It split into 2 large pieces, and lots of little ones. I put a Gates one on, checked the A/C belt while I had it off to put the alt on...it is deteriorating too...been on about a month. Anyone else had issues with Dayco belts exploding? The belt was tightened to spec, so I know it wasn't that.

[m715]

I have the Dayco s on a couple of mine. No real problems.

Michael

[miami man]

yep people on the forum here told me over and over again to check for a slipping alternator belt and i was bull headed and changed the alternator in which did not help any but a new belt did because the old one had oil on it.

[miami man]

remember to check the valve cover for leaking oil because it will cause the top timming belt cover to expand and leak oil on the belt by the water pump pully.

[edudu77]

Yeah, I think the belt just had a flaw in it. It was a new belt, and the top-end of the motor is all new. Talked to the owner of a local indepedant dealer and he said they stopped selling the Dayco's because of this very problem. He did say it was only the top cog belts that he had a problem with though. I think I just got a bad one, or one that had been on the shelf for a while or something. Probably one of those 1 in a million deals.