Okay well I thought my issue was fixed when I installed my new alternator and new battery, but they are not. I was running my car last night pretty hard, and my battery light and ABS light came on. I checked the voltage with my livewire and found that at WOT the voltage that the SCT was reading was above 15.94 volts. When I let off the throttle the voltage will eventually drop back down to the 13.3-.9 range. After awhile of regular driving the voltage will increase until the ABS and battery lights come back on. When I go wide open from there I can feel a difference in how hard it pulls. It seems like it is running pretty weak. Well I parked the car and was hoping when I went to leave in the morning that everything would be okay (I know it was a little unrealisitic but what the hell) but the car was completely dead. I had to jump it with my winter beater. Once I got it started it ran fine for awhile. After it warmed up on my way to work I stomped on it in 2nd gear and again both lights came on, also when this happened my rear amps shut off. I was still able to listen to the radio but there was no bass. Well I shut my radio off and turned it back on and everything was okay. Well once I got home last night I unhooked my battery cables, because I figured that if the battery isn't hooked up it can't die. Well that worked and everything seemed to be working fine on my way to work, but again I stomped on it in 2nd gear and it happened again. I talked with another guy here and he was thinking that maybe something around my exhaust was shorting out like an o2 sensor or something like that. I unhooked my battery before coming into work I noticed the top of my battery was a little wet. Looked like it was coming out of the battery vents. I am at a loss at what the heck it could be. Sorry for the long post but I wanted to make sure I included everything. Thanks ahead of time.
(ALTERNATOR) Electrical issues.......... again! HELP!!!
- Thread starter srt4tocobra
- Start date
if your alternator's voltage regulator is not working and causing a full field effect, that could have damaged your battery? i think that's a good possibility but i'm no expert on DC charging systems.
Well the I replaced the battery 1st and used it with the bad alternator. If I get a load test done from autozone or advanced would that tell me anything?
i think the only way you can be really sure as to if both items are working (rather then possibly buying each item new - again) is to have them both tested. one other thing that might be a good option for checking easily if you have any shorts causing your battery to drain is to have the car charged via jumping it with your winter beater and then using a dc ammeter and clamping the + side of the battery cable. if its pulling any significant amperage (over 1 amp even), then obviously somethings up if the car is shut off with no accessories running. then again - that's if you have a dc ammeter.
sorry man, wish i could be of some good use!
edit: testing them would be the only way to ensure you didn't get fudged up with a faulty alternator right out of the box
sorry man, wish i could be of some good use!
edit: testing them would be the only way to ensure you didn't get fudged up with a faulty alternator right out of the box
what kind of alternator did you get?
I bought a remanufacturing one from Autozone with a lifetime warrenty.
You bought the wrong alt. Autozone only sells a 90 and 100 amp alt for our cars; they make a 130amp but it only fits a MACH1. Got one there..took it back and ordered 2 more....they were all wrong.
Dont try Orilleys or Napa either.....been there done that 3 times!!!
Dont try Orilleys or Napa either.....been there done that 3 times!!!
interesting..... because this part number DL3631-18-11, the one that I bought, says that it is 110 amps...
Okay got the alternator and battery load tested and both of them passed with flying colors, go figure I did not have the problem until after I left Autozone on my way to work I stomped it and of course the voltage spiked and the battery light came on. This time I also noticed that all of the needles on my guage cluster went to zero and came back and then went to zero and then came back and stayed where they should be. Anyone had something like this happen before?
op:I'm gonna guess one of your problems is your running close to 16 volts. An alternator should charge around 14.4 volts. Your for sure overcharging your system which is probably why your battery was wet. With all the problems your having it sounds like you have a charging issue. Make sure your alternator wires aren't grounding out anywhere.
When my alternator was going out my dash lights would go dim every now and then and then at idle they would brighten back up. The car also felt like it was a NA car sometimes. Under WOT my wideband wouldn't go under 14. Got a new OEM alternator and all my problems were gone.
When my alternator was going out my dash lights would go dim every now and then and then at idle they would brighten back up. The car also felt like it was a NA car sometimes. Under WOT my wideband wouldn't go under 14. Got a new OEM alternator and all my problems were gone.
I bought a cheapo alternator from o'reilleys for my old cobra. In about 2 months I went through about 5 of them! Pulled it off one time and put it in their tester and they told me it was fine, we ran it over and over with the same result. You need to spend the money and go to Ford, my symptoms were the same as yours. Finally gave in after I mastered changing the alternator, I think I did it in around 30 mins one time lol. Anyway, replaced with Ford and never had a problem after that.
All the information on bad alternators we have here in this forum, and you go ahead and buy an Autozone alternator anyway leads me to believe that very few of those threads were ever read.
When you finally get tired of changing or paying someone to change that LIFETIME WARRANTY Autozone alternator, BUY A START N CHARGE or OEM MOTORCRAFT alternator and change to a 3.2 Metco alternator pulley to slow it down slightly and it will make it last even longer.
The Autozone and most other parts store alternators have a lifetime warranty because they need one, they are crap, and quite often they are even the wrong crap.
This should be considered a must read!http://www.svtperformance.com/forum...ou-post-read-terminator-faqs-sticky-list.html
The alt thread--\/ ....................from within this thread---/\
http://www.svtperformance.com/forums/engine-tuning-214/675089-found-cure-our-alternator-woes.html
When you finally get tired of changing or paying someone to change that LIFETIME WARRANTY Autozone alternator, BUY A START N CHARGE or OEM MOTORCRAFT alternator and change to a 3.2 Metco alternator pulley to slow it down slightly and it will make it last even longer.
The Autozone and most other parts store alternators have a lifetime warranty because they need one, they are crap, and quite often they are even the wrong crap.
This should be considered a must read!http://www.svtperformance.com/forum...ou-post-read-terminator-faqs-sticky-list.html
The alt thread--\/ ....................from within this thread---/\
http://www.svtperformance.com/forums/engine-tuning-214/675089-found-cure-our-alternator-woes.html
I had to run a cooling duct to my alternator to fix my problems.
This may help some but i ran a brake fan to mine and the in-city alternator temps went up 8-10 degrees, on the highway it was 10* cooler. I am still having problems with mine.
autozone alternators are the worst ones u can buy....ive seen many not charge out of the box. oem or start n charge.
I think there is a thermistor in line with the voltage regulator that opens when the current or heat gets to high. It simply protects the VR from burning up. If so, this could very well be your problem. It does not take long for electronics to heat up. That is why its crucial to replace any electrical device with something with the factory amperage and specs.
Went through 3 autozone alts and even a pa alt as well. Went back to ford and no issues what so ever
You are over charging if you are seeing anything above 14.5 or so. Need new alt and more than likely battery
You are over charging if you are seeing anything above 14.5 or so. Need new alt and more than likely battery
Users who are viewing this thread
