I strongly agree. Before we plow ahead and send you off troubleshooting assumed issues and potentially chasing your tail, gather some data. Campfire wisdom can be helpful, but let's not stat dropping cash on solutions until the actual problem and its root cause are identified.

Without more sophisticated tools or equipment, a basic but important indicator of low voltage is if the battery light in your instrument cluster is flickering or on solid. Did you observe that condition? And how is behavior now that you've addressed the issue of the broken positive terminal?

 

I have never had a light come on, even with the batteries too discharged to start the truck.

Also, after the terminal fix and a full charge from a tender, it ran like a charm for the first part of the trip. After what was about 65 miles It began acting up. Shaking on acceleration, with brake engaged. Ceased when coasting/decel.

I just got my site to store of delo 400 5w40. I will get that changed tonight, I have a trip tomorrow so we shall see if it levels out. Batteries charged to 100, I will not run any electronics and see how it fairs and what the levels are upon return.

Also I will look into orderering a mini bluetood OBD 2 scanner and get a smartphone app. I didn't realize it could be done without breaking the bank.

 

While voltage isn't a replacement for measuring the current output, it does give an understanding of the alternator output. If the current output is too low out of the alternator, voltage will decline.

The battery light on the dash is not really a battery indicator light, it indicates the current (flow) out of the alternator is not high enough to develop a voltage (pressure) higher then being used by the system and accepted by the batteries. You can still have an alternator fault with low current or a battery fault that will absorb more current then normal.

When you turn the key for wait to start glow plug warm up is the battery light on or off?

Have you ever noticed the glow plug control module way hotter then the rest of the motor, or had the batteries go dead overnight?

This can be an easy, reliable way to monitor voltage, although it tends to be down a few tenths due to harness vs alternator output variation.

 

I have never monitored the glow plug module. As for the light, I don't recall for sure, I will look for the light when I cycle it, as well as chekc the glow plug module. In the midst of the oil change at the moment.

Also, a quick question. Should the secondary fuel filter be locked into the cap as is the oil filter and frame/primary fuel filter? Or should it just be placed in the housing first and then the cap installed. Mine is locked into the cap, but some videos show it just sitting in the housing.

 

Battery light is on during glow plug cycle. Should be able to order the alternator tomorrow. The Delo 400 made noticeable improvements to the truck as well. I made a 140 mile trip with no problems, although I did not run lights, heat, radio, or anything that would draw power. Alternator voltage never goes above 13.8 at idle, and that was at 2k with nothing on to put a load on it.

 

Measuring how?

 

Two different multimeters, and tried the charger readout.

 

Where were the probes measuring ....... start of day ....... end of day with a hot motor .... all makes a difference.

 

This was when I stopped after 50 interstate miles. From a cold start I never saw past 13.6. The prongs were on pos and neg of battery, tested each battery. Also tested from one battery neg to others pos. Still never showing past 13.8

 

Once the underhood temps warm up the alternator should come down to 13.8v by design to not cook the batteries. But after the first 2 minutes of start, off the batteries you should read 14.2v.

This is a test measurement for an alternator video I'm doing, in this case with a 140a alternator and overdrive pulley (overnight under 25°F) so it's going to have a better voltage then your 110a with a stock pulley. But it gives you an idea what you should see.

The meters are volts, glow plug amps, alternator amps output.

 

He has a 110A alternator? Really?

And iexplodez you're supposed to see the battery light any time the key is on but the engine isn't running. It's the same for any car. That's why when you said it had never come on, I thought to myself maybe the bulb has burned out...

 

Stock '05.

 

Before you buy one, you might want to check your area for a local shop that will rebuild the unit "like new"

Some remanufactured units only replace completely worn out parts and reuse the partially worn parts, including bearings.

I also bought a new alternator and had the bearing fail in a month and a day.

Make sure that the pigtail is fully seated or else in a couple of days the battery light will start flashing and you might think that you have a bad alternator.

BBD

 

I got the 230a leece neville ordered from xdp this morning. Should be here tomorrow or Saturday. Once that is installed i will trade my batteries in on warranty as well.

Still having the shaking issue. Yesterday it was no where to be found on a 150 mile trip.
Today, It started up and shook immediately. It is only on acceleration and i can notice it when at a stop with brake in. Doesn't seem noticeable in park. It doesn't matter what speed or gear when this is happening, as soon as i let off the throttle it coasts smoothly.
Today it did this for the first 20 minutes of my trip. Then it went away and drove fine the last 20 minutes. I am about to return home and see what is in store this time around.

Stiction or injector failing? Or related to current/power issue?

 

injector unless the FICM got hurt during low voltage.