How do all of the other terminals look? Like the battery +/- and the engine ground?

 

Could be a couple of problems.

1. Alternator drivebelt defective or not adjusted properly
2. Loose, broken, or faulty wiring in the charging circuit
3. Short in vehicle wiring
4. Internal defective battery

Check list to check charging system.

1. Make sure the battery cables clamps, were they connect to the battery are clean and tight.
2. Test the connection of the battery use a load tested maintain the load for 15 sec or less if the then 9.1 volts then most likely the battery is defective and the load indicate that.
3. Check the external alternator wiring and connection.
4. Check the drivebelt condition and tension.
5. Check the alternator mounting bolts for tightness.
6. Run the engine and check the alternator for abnormal noise.
7. Check the fusible links (if equipped) exiting the engine compartment fuse box if there burned replace.
8. Check the instrument panel charging system warning light. It should illuminate when the ignition key is turned on (engine not running). If it does not, disconnect the electrical connector from the back of the alternator and ground the white/blue wire terminals of the harness connector. The charge light should illuminate. If it does not, check the fuse number 15 (7.5 amp) and the charge light bulb. If they are defective, replace them
9. If the charge light illuminates when the ignition key is turned on, start the engine, the light should go off. If the light goes off but you suspect a problem with the charging system proceed with the check.
10. If the charge light remains on with the engine running, stop the engine and disconnect the electrical connector from the back of the alternator. Turn the ignition key to on and check the battery voltage on the black/yellow wire terminal of the harness connector. If battery voltage is available and the charge light is now off replace the alternator.
11. Make sure the on board computer has not stored and trouble codes from the Electric Load Detector (ELD)
12. With the ignition key off, connect a voltage meter to the battery terminals and check the battery voltage, it should be exactly 12.5 volts on a fully charges battery.


And as far as the lack of power...

1. Incorrect Ignition timing
2. Excessive play in the distributor shaft
3. Worn rotor, distributor cap or wires
4. Faulty or incorrect gapped spark plugs
5. Faulty fuel injection system
6. Faulty coil
7. Clutch slipping
8. Fuel filter clogged and or impurities in the fuel system
9. Emission control system not functioning properly
10. Catalytic converter plugged
11. Low or uneven cylinder compression pressures
12. Obstructed exhaust system
13. Intake manifold air leak
14. Vacuum leak in fuel injection system, intake manifold, air control valve or vacuum hoses.

Links Compression test
Ignition timing
IACV help
FITV help
Dizzy help

 

ur fuse for the alternator might need replaced.like he said^^ it could be a fusable link.i had this problem in my accord a while back

 

Check list to check charging system.

1. Make sure the battery cables clamps, were they connect to the battery are clean and tight.
I have done all the obvious tests.
2. Test the connection of the battery use a load tested maintain the load for 15 sec or less if the then 9.1 volts then most likely the battery is defective and the load indicate that.
Have tested the battery numerous times
3. Check the external alternator wiring and connection.
Like I said, checked all connections and replaced one due to slight corrosion
4. Check the drivebelt condition and tension.
Properly tightened the belt after replacing the alternator
5. Check the alternator mounting bolts for tightness.
Torqued the bolts to spec in the service manual when replacing the alternator
6. Run the engine and check the alternator for abnormal noise.
Didn't notice anything on either of the two alternators
7. Check the fusible links (if equipped) exiting the engine compartment fuse box if there burned replace.
Have checked all fuses under dash and under hood
8. Check the instrument panel charging system warning light. It should illuminate when the ignition key is turned on (engine not running). If it does not, disconnect the electrical connector from the back of the alternator and ground the white/blue wire terminals of the harness connector. The charge light should illuminate. If it does not, check the fuse number 15 (7.5 amp) and the charge light bulb. If they are defective, replace them
I mentioned in the original post that I tested this circuit
9. If the charge light illuminates when the ignition key is turned on, start the engine, the light should go off. If the light goes off but you suspect a problem with the charging system proceed with the check.
10. If the charge light remains on with the engine running, stop the engine and disconnect the electrical connector from the back of the alternator. Turn the ignition key to on and check the battery voltage on the black/yellow wire terminal of the harness connector. If battery voltage is available and the charge light is now off replace the alternator.
11. Make sure the on board computer has not stored and trouble codes from the Electric Load Detector (ELD)
I've reset the ECU and haven't seen a CEL in recent memory
12. With the ignition key off, connect a voltage meter to the battery terminals and check the battery voltage, it should be exactly 12.5 volts on a fully charges battery.
I addressed this in my original post


And as far as the lack of power...

1. Incorrect Ignition timing
2. Excessive play in the distributor shaft
3. Worn rotor, distributor cap or wires
4. Faulty or incorrect gapped spark plugs
5. Faulty fuel injection system
6. Faulty coil
7. Clutch slipping
8. Fuel filter clogged and or impurities in the fuel system
9. Emission control system not functioning properly
10. Catalytic converter plugged
11. Low or uneven cylinder compression pressures
12. Obstructed exhaust system
13. Intake manifold air leak
14. Vacuum leak in fuel injection system, intake manifold, air control valve or vacuum hoses.

Links Compression test
Ignition timing
IACV help
FITV help
Dizzy help

The only one of those 14 bullet points that I haven't completely ruled out is a vacuum leak.

I was looking more for suggestions that are out of the ordinary and which aren't outlined in the service manual, as I've already been through that from front to back. The only reason I mentioned the second problem is because it is almost acting like a problem with the ECU, and I was wondering if it could be related to the alternator.

The replacement alternator is a spare that another member (Ramzi) had at the Deals Gap meet in August, and I haven't yet ruled it out as the culprit

 

I had the old alternator tested today and it tested good. The alternator in the car showed low amperage and low voltage (12.7V right after I fully charged the battery).

So I think it's something besides the alternator, but I should have had the other alternator tested before I put it in the car. I replaced the alternator and it didn't fix the problem. Then I cut off and replaced the terminal feeding current back to the battery and it read 13.8V, but that only lasted a few days. So all I can pray for is that the alternator wasn't the problem, it was the corrosion, but soon after I put the new one in it failed.

So, I guess I'm gonna swap the alternator back out as my next step, but I'm still open to suggestions.

[UPDATE] So, it seems I've fixed the problem. It's kind of hard to explain, but when I replaced the alternator ground, the terminal that I replaced it with was much wider and didn't fit in the plastic surrounding the bolt on top of the alternator. I unthreaded the nut below the connector a little bit to bring it above the top of the plastic so I could then secure the new terminal with seemingly a better connection. For the moment, I'm getting 13.9V while running.

[UPDATE 2] Turns out that actually wasn't the problem. There were other problems with the wire internally beyond the scope of what I replaced. I replaced the wire from the alternator back to the battery (next to the fuse box) completely, with the intentions of replacing the whole wiring harness at a later date. Also, I replaced the ground from the VC to the rad support and ground down the connections of several other grounding points including the main batter neg terminal body ground. This seems to have completely solved the problem.