Help Needed! Alternator Problems
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Help Needed! Alternator Problems
Hello Everyone. I hope a Happy Thanksgiving was had by all. Any help with the following problem is appreciated. My daughter drove my 99 Ranger 3.0 flex fuel
to work so I could take her car and get it inspected for her. She left the parking lights on all day and came out to a dead battery. I keep jumper cables
in the truck and advised her to get one of the guys she works with to give her hand at jumping it.The battery was almost 4 years old so this was probably a bad decision on my part, but due to the fact that she works almost an hour away and I was at a shop with her car my hands were tied. She calls me back 15 minutes later and said they got it started but the battery light was still on,so they had left the cables attached to the car. Then they removed the cables and the battery light remained on. At this point I figured my alternator,
which I had already replaced in March of this year is now toast. Fortunately
she was able to get a ride home from a co-worker that lives close by. So I drive out there with a new battery and alternator ( a re manufactured one from a local Napa store,same part # as my previous one and change everything out. I start the truck and notice the battery light on so I attach
a meter to the battery to check if the alternator is charging at 14 v and it wasn't. Shut the truck off,recheck all connections and visually check the 30A generator voltage regulator fuse in the power distribution box. It wasn't
blown. So now I am somewhat lost as to what to look for. I have to admit that I did not have a bench test performed on the alternator before I left the store.Is there a fusible link anywhere I need to look at? Is it possible that something else could have been damaged from the jumper cables being left on? I am wondering if I should get another alternator,have it tested before I leave the store and give it another shot. Also thinking about replacing the 30A fuse with a new one. Well that's about it. Thanks again for any info.
Update: Problem solved,truck is back on the road again! I found I website that has excellent instructions for testing an alternator using a multimeter. As it turns out it was the 175a megafuse that was blown. Here is a link to the site. Hope it helps others with similar problems.
http://easyautodiagnostics.com/alter...ic_tests_1.php
to work so I could take her car and get it inspected for her. She left the parking lights on all day and came out to a dead battery. I keep jumper cables
in the truck and advised her to get one of the guys she works with to give her hand at jumping it.The battery was almost 4 years old so this was probably a bad decision on my part, but due to the fact that she works almost an hour away and I was at a shop with her car my hands were tied. She calls me back 15 minutes later and said they got it started but the battery light was still on,so they had left the cables attached to the car. Then they removed the cables and the battery light remained on. At this point I figured my alternator,
which I had already replaced in March of this year is now toast. Fortunately
she was able to get a ride home from a co-worker that lives close by. So I drive out there with a new battery and alternator ( a re manufactured one from a local Napa store,same part # as my previous one and change everything out. I start the truck and notice the battery light on so I attach
a meter to the battery to check if the alternator is charging at 14 v and it wasn't. Shut the truck off,recheck all connections and visually check the 30A generator voltage regulator fuse in the power distribution box. It wasn't
blown. So now I am somewhat lost as to what to look for. I have to admit that I did not have a bench test performed on the alternator before I left the store.Is there a fusible link anywhere I need to look at? Is it possible that something else could have been damaged from the jumper cables being left on? I am wondering if I should get another alternator,have it tested before I leave the store and give it another shot. Also thinking about replacing the 30A fuse with a new one. Well that's about it. Thanks again for any info.
Update: Problem solved,truck is back on the road again! I found I website that has excellent instructions for testing an alternator using a multimeter. As it turns out it was the 175a megafuse that was blown. Here is a link to the site. Hope it helps others with similar problems.
http://easyautodiagnostics.com/alter...ic_tests_1.php
Last edited by 99Ranger43k; Nov 28, 2010 at 03:19 PM. Reason: Update: Problem Solved
Cargo Master
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 3,208
Likes: 13
Check the voltage at the alternator if it is 13v or better the alt is charging but not getting back to the battery look for the bad fusible link. If it voltage is the same as the battery then it is not charging. If that is the case then check the lg/rd wire at the the three wire connector on the alt to see if you have voltage with key on if not then there is a problem in the circuit with the 30 amp fuse. If it has voltage it should be charging unless there is a problem with the new alternator. I have seen this before and it was caused by jumpers being hooked up backwards.
Cargo Master
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 3,007
Likes: 5
Symptom: The Charging System Warning Indicator is ON with the Engien running (The Battery Voltage Does Not Increase)
Possible Source:
A Circuit 35 (O/LB)
A circuit in-line mini-fuse
B+ Circuit 36 (Y/W)
B+ Mega fuse
I Circuit 904 (LG/r)
Voltage regulator
Generator
Possible Source:
A Circuit 35 (O/LB)
A circuit in-line mini-fuse
B+ Circuit 36 (Y/W)
B+ Mega fuse
I Circuit 904 (LG/r)
Voltage regulator
Generator
