1989 alternator issue

[indigent]

The other day, I was driving and all of the lights indicating a failing alternator came on. They would go out if I revved the engine a bit, so I figured it was the alternator giving out. (it is the original afik)
I went to autozone and bought a new alternator and had the guy test it before I took it home. I slapped it in and everything seemed fine, voltage was up over 14, and no more failure lights. Then, I noticed that the alternator was working waaay to hard and was very very hot to the touch. I took it out and brought it back to autozone, and it failed all of their bench tests. The guy swapped it out on my warranty, and I went and put it in. It is now doing the same thing, very hot, but proper voltage.

The battery checks out OK on the tester as well.

I know the odds of getting crappy refurbed alternators are high, but I am starting to feel like this is an issue with my camry.

I searched quite a bit and came up empty for my particular problem.
Any ideas or things for me to check?

Thanks

[The Camry Man]

Take your car to have it professionally checked.
Most battery places will do it for FREE

Don't mess with the electrical You dont want a toasted Camry


Could be a major short acting random...
and make sure someone has not twisted the 80 amp ALT fuse on the Pos + battery post Terminal.

Try lifting the Neg - battery terminal while running. Does this relieve the Alternator Stressing?
Hope this helps

[indigent]

There is continuity between one of the wires attached to the 80amp fuse and ground. Also the small black wire to the starter has continuity to ground, and as far as I can tell from the wiring diagrams, it shouldn't. The only thing there is that it doesn't have any current on it unless the ignition switch is in the start position. I am almost positive that the continuity to ground is my problem, but the wiring diagram that I have (from camrystuff.com) is very segregated, making it a bit hard to make sure that I have checked everything.

Any ideas on this new issue of continuity to ground? If I remove that wire, the starter doesn't even try to start. Also, I removed the ignition switch plug and the continuity is still there.

[The Camry Man]

Unplug the wiring coming from trhe ignition switch down to the harness.

Unplug the Black starter wire clipped to the starter.

Unplug the Cold start Injector and timer

is there still GROUND continuity to the black starter wire in engine compartment?

Look like a bad short somewhere. SOmething pulling a lot of current


P.S. I wonder why your battery was not draining ..Maybe the drain is ONLY when key is on and running...HINT?

[indigent]

I did disconnect it. It still has continuity when the black wire at the starter and the wire to the ignition are disconnected.

[Doctor J]

The small starter wire @clip on terminal has continuity to the ground b/c it also hooked up to the coldstart injector and cold start injector timer about (40ohms).The same wire attached to the ECU as well to prvide starter signal. If possible get original alternator an change brushes on it.
The auozone should have on car tester with clamp on DC ammeter, let them hook up the clamp around the fat white wire from bolt on terminal on the alternator and obtain current with engine running with lights and radio off; if it reads more then 10...15 amps remove the alternator belt and repeat the same test while running on battery only if it reads same current again something is pulling extensive current.