# 1996 dodge ram "gen" light on?



## tattoofever

today i left my truck running when i went into the store when i came out the gen light was 
on it stayed on all the way to work.when i got to work i shuit it off and started uit back up but the light was out ,on the way home it didnt come back on ?

while the light was on i check the gauges to see if charging system was acting funky but that and all the other gauges where fine ,i did have a bely squeal that started yesterday during the storm but that to was gone on the way home form work ,i checked the belt and the pulleys and tensioner all seem fine 

so what is the gen light and what should i look for ? thanks in advance for any help


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## ProSeasons

Test alt with a digital multimeter and the engine idling, don't trust the funky guages on the truck. Charging around 14 volts?

I think 14 volts is a healthy alt, guys?


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## elite1msmith

your alternator regulartor might be on its way out. Watch your volts gauge when you start the truck,...if with in 2-3 seconds after starting ...if it doesnt spike up to 14, then odds are the alt didnt"start up" correctly.... i had this issue with mine, i acctually had to shut the truck off and restart it to get the alt to start working...but it wasnt very long after thatn i had to get 2 new batteries and the alt on it (cummis motor)


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## DAFFMOBILEWASH

The voltage regulator might be putting the alt to full field and overcharging. This making the alt squeel, much like when you hook up the jumpercables to a car with a stone dead battery. To be safe go over all the connections from the battery to the alt.


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## M1N1TRK

It's definatly your alternator that needs to be changed out, my fathers 97 had the same issue and brought just the alternator to autozone they tested it and it failed all the tests, changed it out and have not had an issue since, 

just remember to check the pully on them since they may need to be chaged over, the newer alternator has a different grove set up compared to the original on the truck, just swap them out and you will be fine


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## DAFFMOBILEWASH

Another great idea is to run a smaller pully on the alt. You will get more of a charge when at idle.


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