Alright here's the situation:

I recently bought a '98 Civic 2 door coupe. Car has had either a head or full motor swap because it has a vtec-e head in a non-vtec car.

But here is the problem: There is no power getting from the alternator to the battery. The car starts when jumped and runs/drives fine but drains the battery as you drive and won't start again on its own after you turn it off. My boyfriend and I just replaced the alternator and put a new battery in it... still no voltage. All the belts are fine and the plug that goes into the alternator is showing 5v/12v/12v/12v on the four terminals in it. And all the rest of the wiring appears fine

I could have just gotten a bad alternator, in which case I will return it and get a new one. Does anyone have any other ideas as to what it may be?

 

The big wire with its own terminal on the back of the alternator is where the power comes out. It needs to have continuity to the battery. You should measure battery voltage there at all times. I think these are like the older models where there is a main alternator fuse in a fuse box near the battery.

Parts stores can test the alternator for you once it is off of the car.