BigDaddyChris.com Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 battery dies all the time. volt meter at the battery says 13.3 while running. (shouldnt it be around 14.4?) suggestions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 Will it stay running or does it just sputter then die? If it stays running its more than likely your battery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nunya Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 it's goeing to read a little low if always trying to labor to keep a bad battery charged. I'd get the battery load tested and start there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 Sounds like a bad battery, bad alternator, or a wiring problem. The bonehead in me says clean the battery top, the posts, and the cables, and check the levels (if it's that kind of battery). The battery could conceivably be losing power through dirty connections or trickling power through grime between the poles. Can't hurt, right? But I doubt it's your problem. Put the battery on a trickle charger until it's at full voltage. If that clears it up for a while, maybe it's just not getting charged properly from the engine. If it's not getting charge, that suggests a problem with your alternator, or the wiring between the alternator and the battery. I guess it could be the belt but I'll bet you'd hear it squealing if it was slipping. If trickle charging doesn't help, it's your battery, though your alternator could still be responsible (killing the battery by overcharging and venting electrolyte). If the electrolyte looks fine, your alternator probably isn't to blame, and the battery's just worn out. Or, you left the dome light on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nunya Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 Dome light is a bit lacking on his truck, as is the big piece of tin you generally see them mounted to I removed that double post for ya too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDaddyChris.com Posted June 15, 2011 Author Share Posted June 15, 2011 Dome light is a bit lacking on his truck, as is the big piece of tin you generally see them mounted to I removed that double post for ya too yeah, its not the dome light. pretty sure of that there ARE a whole mess of wires we cut back in the hind end. I should check those and tape them all up. If I charge the battery overnight till its topped off I can run all day on the dunes no problem, but only about 30 mins of running headlights and its dead! alternator is only a year old. as is the battery. seems like the last owners were battling the same problem perhaps? I noticed if I leave the battery connected it drains overnight just sitting in the driveway. it did that BEFORE we cut the roof off. there doesnt seem to be anything easy about this truck. lol! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nunya Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 So rung with more electrical load on it kills it out? THAT sounds more alty issue... If the one in there is only a year old (even though it was done by the previous owner) did the previous owner give you the reciept? See if it got a warranty on it and try to get a new one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDaddyChris.com Posted June 15, 2011 Author Share Posted June 15, 2011 So rung with more electrical load on it kills it out? THAT sounds more alty issue... If the one in there is only a year old (even though it was done by the previous owner) did the previous owner give you the reciept? See if it got a warranty on it and try to get a new one yeah I have the papers on it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDaddyChris.com Posted June 15, 2011 Author Share Posted June 15, 2011 took it to the parts house. had it tested in the truck. they say the alt is bad. showed the paperwork. its a lifetime warranty part. so now I gotta pull it and have them bench test it to determine if its the alt or the wiring. any tips or tricks in removing the alternator? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahardb0dy Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 (edited) I was going to suggest checking the output of the alternator at the stud on the alternator with a multimeter but you already found out it is bad. should be pretty straight forward to removing it, loosen the idler pulley lock down nut, in the center of the idler pulley, loosen the adjuster bolt on the drivers side, remove the belt, remove 2 or 3 bolts and it should be out. Edited June 15, 2011 by ahardb0dy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDaddyChris.com Posted June 17, 2011 Author Share Posted June 17, 2011 I was going to suggest checking the output of the alternator at the stud on the alternator with a multimeter but you already found out it is bad. should be pretty straight forward to removing it, loosen the idler pulley lock down nut, in the center of the idler pulley, loosen the adjuster bolt on the drivers side, remove the belt, remove 2 or 3 bolts and it should be out. got the alternator out. big wire covered with a boot bolted on the back, a plug, and a small ground wire, BUT I also noticed that theres a flat ground wire dangling from the frame rail right there that could reach the alternator, but was not attached anywhere. where does this go? took the alt to the parts house for bench testing and its spins up just fine, but when electrical load is applied it generated so much drag it blew the breaker on the machine, twice! so i'm getting a new alternator, free! lemme know about that ground strap though. if its supposed to be grounded to the alt or what. thanks in advance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nunya Posted June 18, 2011 Share Posted June 18, 2011 proably just a random frame to body ground, the alty would be grounded to the engine by the actual hardware holding it to the engine if that was a necessity. If theres enough distance in it though to snug it down to somethign ground wise by the alty (and still have some room to move as the engine DOES move) then it couldnt hurt to bolt it down. And horay for paperwork ! Free is always the best price! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDaddyChris.com Posted June 18, 2011 Author Share Posted June 18, 2011 got the new alternator in. hopefully it works. I dont know how to test it with a multimeter at the battery apparently, as I am still only getting like 13.3 volts running or not. putting it in was easier, my 9 yr old son helped, and he has skinnier arms for getting that top bolt on the backside. PAIN IN THE @SS!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahardb0dy Posted June 18, 2011 Share Posted June 18, 2011 I'll check mine in a little while so you have something to compare yours too (as to voltage) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nige Posted June 18, 2011 Share Posted June 18, 2011 mine us usually around 13.8 at idle with nothing turned on. i have seen it go past 14 on occasion, but never past 14.2. Usually when you're above 2500rpm. I put a little 5-20v LED panel voltmeter in my truck. It gives you a good heads up if you are losing the alternator. Sometimes a good rev of the engine will give a dying alty a kick in the pants, but that's usually after you do a water crossing of some sort. The voltmeter also tells you when there is too much draw on the elec system and the alternator can't keep up with the demand. pretty useful info for ~$10 and an hour of your time installing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devonianwalk Posted June 18, 2011 Share Posted June 18, 2011 (edited) I've got 12.3 with the engine off. 13.7 at idle with all electrics turned off. edit ... stupid auto correct Edited June 18, 2011 by devonianwalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDaddyChris.com Posted June 19, 2011 Author Share Posted June 19, 2011 brought it home after a day of duning. put it on the charger and the battery is half dead. GRRRRRRRRR! last ditch effort here, how do I just manually wire the alternator? I did one in my racevan (long story) we ran a wire to the battery, one to a ground and another to a switch on the dash to turn it on and off. that was a 350 small block though. can I do that to this one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted June 19, 2011 Share Posted June 19, 2011 You sure its not the battery? When my battery gave up 2 days after I drove back from seattle, you could boost it, then drive all you want but if you shut it off it wouldn't start again. Sounds like a battery to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingman Posted June 19, 2011 Share Posted June 19, 2011 Take the battery to a place that does free testing. They will do a load test and it will determine if it's holding a charge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDaddyChris.com Posted June 20, 2011 Author Share Posted June 20, 2011 Take the battery to a place that does free testing. They will do a load test and it will determine if it's holding a charge. they tested the battery at the same time, its good. they tested the alt at the battery and say its not putting anything out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahardb0dy Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 (edited) The new alt you just put in is not putting anything out?? You can try running a new wire from the alt to the battery, not the large wire the smaller one, the "sense" wire the one that tells the alt when to turn on, should be the white wire, I had to do that when I had the aftermarket (160 amp Wrangler) alt in my old hardbody. Just checked my Alternator output at the battery, my PF has sat for about a week without being started, battery voltage before starting with my digital multimeter was 12.40 volts, after starting and when idling high it went up to 13.87 volts, when the idle dropped to normal it settled at 13.80 Volts, I have a battery designed for a full sized Ford truck in my PF. Was just thinking if the alt you have tested good at the store and the battery also tested good than has to be a wiring issue, I would still check the wire I mentioned above. I did a search last night on Google and I also saw people with same problem and some of their problems ended up being: bad connections at the battery, bad connection at the starter, bad sense wire. Edited June 20, 2011 by ahardb0dy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
octanevortex Posted June 26, 2011 Share Posted June 26, 2011 I had a weird overnight drain thing happen on my '88. Seems the computer had a small short in it. It took a while to figure it out. I did notice that the small spark you would normally get from reconnecting the batt term was more distinct, and I could hear a relay click also (key off). To add to the confusion, when this relay would energize, the hot wire in the air flow meter would heat up, draining the battery also. So, if your alt.ends up charging, battery checks out, etc... and your still getting an overnight discharge, try unplugging the ecu one night and see if your battery lives through the night. Got a pick n pull ecu with matching numbers , swapped it out, problem solved. There were no visible signs of fried electronics on my old ecu. Hope that helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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