I'll try to keep this as short as possible;

As the title reads, I've gone through several alternators in a year’s time, and each time it’s happened while I've been giving it full throttle. Twice this has happened at the drag strip, and twice it has happened merging on the interstate.

The first 3 times I noticed while at WOT the voltage gauge would drop into the red, probably 10-11 volts, and the check engine light would come on. But this last time kinda freaked me out because it was at night and the first thing I noticed was the lights on the dash/gauge area got really bright. I look at the voltage gauge and it was way high into the red and over the recommended area. It later continued to drop into the low voltage area as I made it home.

I've tried to research the forums and two things I saw that may be the problem;
1. A bad tensioner
2. Just a crap alternator

With #1, I tried to check it myself and it seems tight enough and there’s no fluid on the belt that would cause it to slip, and #2, it may be just a bad part, but I can't help to think this is not it as each time the failure happened under the same conditions. The guy who’s rebuilt my alternators is pretty reputable and he’s done a good job for me in the past. Each time I’ve taken him an alternator off my Camaro he said it was a voltage regulator problem

If you can give me some advice or some insight as to what the hell is going on with my f-body I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks!

 

Nothing to do with the belt is going to make the voltage go too high. If you keep buying the same brand of alternator, try something different.

 

Look for a short in your wiring.

 

I have a swapped car, when i wired the alternator "exciter" wire i just put it on a switched power source. Wouldnt u know i kept going through alt's every couple months. you NEED the resistance of an idiot light bulb for the alternator to work properly. If all else fails pull the idiot light bulb check the resistance vs a new bulb. or just change it entirely

Once i wired in an idiot light my problems went away knock on wood.