I don't think 1st gen has vvcs. I looked this up in the past when disabling it in my 2nd gen. People told me I'd overcharge my battery but disabling vvcs in a 2nd gen just makes it charge like a 1st gen that doesn't have it. Have you looked at your charging voltage? What makes you think you have vvcs and need to disable it?

 

Long story.

Was 200 miles out of town and battery & brake light on. Took to shop who replaced alternator. Lasted less than 100 miles with both lights back on. By now 100 miles from first shop. Took to a second shop and they put another new alternator in. Lasted to the end of that shops parking lot with both lights back on. A 3rd replacement alternator installed and an outside electrical specialist came in and rewired so that full alternator output went straight to battery. I bought a digital voltmeter and we checked voltage every 20 miles on drive home. Was 14.4 volts on each check. The electrical specialist said the issue was with the IPDM and that a replacement was in order but that his rewiring output direct to battery would get us home. He was right. Now with an eBay replacement IPDM and a cigarette type voltmeter I see 14.4 v at startup but then down to 13.5 or so when driving. All seems ok but I’d rather have the 14.4 v all the time and not rely on some circuitry to throttle the alternator output.

Thx for your reply.

 

Yep, no variable voltage control on 1st gen. Regulated voltage should be 14.1-14.7 amps per the FSM. Is the voltage output dropping to 13.5 volts when loads are turned on (e.g. lights, A/C compressor, etc)? I'd suggest double-checking belt tension since 1st gen has manual tensioners.

 

I appreciate the responses , thanks.

So if no VVCS on my 03 then what alternator wires/signals are routed through the Ipdm? I looked at wiring diagram but could not figure it out.

Thx

 

No alternator wires go through the ipdm on the 2003. The only signals that go through the ipdm on later models with vvcs are the CAN comms that tell the ipdm how to pulse the pwm control wire to the alternator. But you don't have that stuff.