Charging system issue

[Regulars520]

It is most likely not related at all but maybe you have an idea of what might be going on. I have a VMP tune on my 07 GT500, brand new alternator and brand new battery. Alt was bench tested and is GOOD. Check charging system light is on and car dies after 20-30 min of run time. Have any of you run across this issue before and what was your fix?

 

[Regulars520]

I did further testing tonight. I disconnected the battery and charged it to top it off. I put it in and used my meter and got a reading from the battery of 13.30-13.70 no higher. That was with lights and ac on. The check charging system was still on when reading this. i took it for a drive and then came back and put my meter on it again, now its reading 10.80-11.07 no higher. I pull the negative cable off while the car is running and its immediately shuts off. So I confirmed that at that time the alternator was not charging. So my question is, on these does the PCM tell the alternator to charge or does the alternator receive any commands to charge? I would think not, I would think it should be charging 14v all the time. I just want to be sure before I drop big dollars on a high amp alternator. Would suck if I still had the problem after.

 

[Mainn]

I did further testing tonight. I disconnected the battery and charged it to top it off. I put it in and used my meter and got a reading from the battery of 13.30-13.70 no higher. That was with lights and ac on. The check charging system was still on when reading this. i took it for a drive and then came back and put my meter on it again, now its reading 10.80-11.07 no higher. I pull the negative cable off while the car is running and its immediately shuts off. So I confirmed that at that time the alternator was not charging. So my question is, on these does the PCM tell the alternator to charge or does the alternator receive any commands to charge? I would think not, I would think it should be charging 14v all the time. I just want to be sure before I drop big dollars on a high amp alternator. Would suck if I still had the problem after.

Here is what's targeted in the stock tune for a 2008 GT500.

 

[Regulars520]

Here is what's targeted in the stock tune for a 2008 GT500.

So if I am reading it correctly as long as my idle voltage is above 13.30 at a certain battery temp the system should read good. I was around 13.70 at idle not sure of the battery temp but the check charging system stayed on my he entire time. If I am reading this correctly the pcm does tell the alt when to start charging?

 

[Mainn]

So if I am reading it correctly as long as my idle voltage is above 13.30 at a certain battery temp the system should read good. I was around 13.70 at idle not sure of the battery temp but the check charging system stayed on my he entire time. If I am reading this correctly the pcm does tell the alt when to start charging?

Yes, the PCM controls voltage output. The voltage target at idle is 12.00v. Everywhere else, and it targets the values in the second screenshot depending on battery temperature. If the voltage drops below 11.89v, the PCM detects battery voltage as being too low. Once it rises above 13.1v again, the PCM assumes the issue has gone and that the battery voltage is back up to where it should be.

This thread has some good information: http://www.teamshelby.com/forums/index.php/topic/68038-check-charging-system/

 

[Regulars520]

Looks like I will go with a 130 amp PA from American Muscle. Seems its pretty plug and play. I can never say enough, just how much I hate electrical issues.

 

[VNMOUS1]

Looks like I will go with a 130 amp PA from American Muscle. Seems its pretty plug and play. I can never say enough, just how much I hate electrical issues.

I ran the PA 200 amp for about 5 years. Get the 3.00" pulley on it.

Ordering a Mechman. Expensive as hell.

I put a new stock one on last week and it failed after 4 wot pulls. Awesome. I just love changing alternators.

 

[Regulars520]

I ran the PA 200 amp for about 5 years. Get the 3.00" pulley on it.

Ordering a Mechman. Expensive as hell.

I put a new stock one on last week and it failed after 4 wot pulls. Awesome. I just love changing alternators.

Yeah I hope they pay more attention to the alternator issues in the future. I realize I have an 07 and it was built during the rough economy times and it shows. Interior is cheap, and all kinds of short cuts. Overall nice car but cheaped out. You think the 130 amp PA will suffice? I have found some 200-240 ones on ebay for about $200 and they have good seller feedback. I just want to end this issue without doing alt after alt after alt. I have the shaker 1000, hids, and no other upgrades and I don't plan on adding anymore electronics.

 

[VNMOUS1]

Yeah I hope they pay more attention to the alternator issues in the future. I realize I have an 07 and it was built during the rough economy times and it shows. Interior is cheap, and all kinds of short cuts. Overall nice car but cheaped out. You think the 130 amp PA will suffice? I have found some 200-240 ones on ebay for about $200 and they have good seller feedback. I just want to end this issue without doing alt after alt after alt. I have the shaker 1000, hids, and no other upgrades and I don't plan on adding anymore electronics.

I'd buy the 200.

The "era" has nothing to do with it. Ford alternators have sucked for years. Look at F150s. Infamous for failures.

 

[Regulars520]

I'd buy the 200.

The "era" has nothing to do with it. Ford alternators have sucked for years. Look at F150s. Infamous for failures.

Very true!!! By the way I was in Florida a couple of weeks ago on vacation and I almost stopped by your guys shop on my way from Daytona to Orlando but we fell behind on our schedule. My 99 has your VMP TVS on my terminator conversion. I fired it up the other day for the first time to break it in. I have the sc belt off and just running my original injectors and maf until break in is done and then popping in the ID 1000 and sct 2800 maf and connecting belt. You guys happen to have a base tune or email tune for the setup that I can purchase?

 

[Mainn]

I have the PA 200 on mine as well with no issues.

 

[VNMOUS1]

Very true!!! By the way I was in Florida a couple of weeks ago on vacation and I almost stopped by your guys shop on my way from Daytona to Orlando but we fell behind on our schedule. My 99 has your VMP TVS on my terminator conversion. I fired it up the other day for the first time to break it in. I have the sc belt off and just running my original injectors and maf until break in is done and then popping in the ID 1000 and sct 2800 maf and connecting belt. You guys happen to have a base tune or email tune for the setup that I can purchase?

Give us a call at 321 206 9369.

thanks!

 

[Regulars520]

Just an update, I ended up going with the 130 amp from PA. I do not plan on adding extra electronics and most likely will only have my cell phone plugged in as an extra. Says 80 amp at idle and max 160 amp at like 6k I think. So we will see.

 

[VNMOUS1]

Just an update, I ended up going with the 130 amp from PA. I do not plan on adding extra electronics and most likely will only have my cell phone plugged in as an extra. Says 80 amp at idle and max 160 amp at like 6k I think. So we will see.

My PA lasted about 4 years.

I have a Mechman going in today.

172 amps at 800 rpm idle.
265 amps at 1800 rpm cruise.
Plenty of headroom.

Enough to light up a small village and make s'mores later.

bj

 

[Regulars520]

Well I have the PA alt in. I found one of the wires on the alt plug cut in half. I fixed the wire and installed the alt. The voltage is reading about 13.30-13.40 on average but will start to spike up to 15.00 volts. It causes the check trac control alarm to go off and surges the lights some. Then goes back to normal. The check charging system alarm still keeps coming on though because the volts dip down to 13.10-13.20 at times. The battery is charging and the car is running fine but the random surge and the check charging system alarm going off randomly is pretty annoying. Any ideas?

 

[Regulars520]

I know I might be talking to myself in here but I like to at least update my approach. I hate coming to thread where someone has a similar problem to mine and they never post results.

So I have checked over everything. I am at the assumption now that the alternator I received from PA is not charging properly.

 

[VNMOUS1]

I'm here. Feel free to call me to discuss some troubleshooting I've dealt with. Btw, my Mechman shows 14.1 at idle and cruise. They're not cheap but appear to be worth it.

 

[Regulars520]

Ok guys so as promised. Results. Me and my voltmeter went on an adventure and discovered that my alternator plug was bad. So I cut it free and cleaned it up and replaced the pins and now I'am at 14.45 volts average and no more check charging system message. Now to remove and replace the cheap aftermarket HIDs that flicker( I cannot stand when people install cheapies) and then to rid myself of the tpms system fault. BJ thanks for the offer , Im not a big phone guy. (I can barely hear anybody on the phone, to many bullets and bombs in my past life) So if anybody stumbles across this thread with charging system issues, check your plug