Altenator question...
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Tuned
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 405
Likes: 42
Altenator question...
Just wondering if anyone else has noticed if the altenator on your trucks have any delay before they start working. Mine is charging, but takes a while before I can hear or see it start working. Anyone else experience this?
Thanks
Aaron
Thanks
Aaron
Logistics Pro
Joined: May 2011
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From: Maine
I'm guessing what you are seeing is the glow-plugs running for the first couple minutes when you start the truck, then the voltage coming up when the GPR shuts off.
New User
Joined: Jan 2012
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I am a mechanic by trade and see what you are talking about on a regular basis. When you start it up with a battery/alt. tester on it it will take 30 to 60 seconds for the alt. to show a charge. After hours of testing I still don't know exactly why they do that. The company we get our reman. alt. from says that is fairly normal. Hope this is of help to you.
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Tuned
Joined: Aug 2006
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Thanks for responding everybody!!
I have heard of and seen this condition on most ford trucks before. (I only know about trucks cause that's all I choose to play with
) I just can't seem to remember if this happened on my truck since I bought it or if it's new.
Another thing I noticed was when I come up to a stop light and the engine returns to idle, the lights will get dim, my NOISY fuel pump pitch will get lower, and the lights will dim just a little bit. aka: alt isn't putting out what is at a faster rpm. When I take off again it everything returns to normal. Also, when its REALLY cold out I will go out and start my truck. When I come back out ten minutes later and the engine is at high rpm with the EBPV closed, I hit the brake for it to return to idle and I hear the fuel pump pitch raise in pitch like its getting more battery juice. Any more ideas???
Aaron
I have heard of and seen this condition on most ford trucks before. (I only know about trucks cause that's all I choose to play with
) I just can't seem to remember if this happened on my truck since I bought it or if it's new. Another thing I noticed was when I come up to a stop light and the engine returns to idle, the lights will get dim, my NOISY fuel pump pitch will get lower, and the lights will dim just a little bit. aka: alt isn't putting out what is at a faster rpm. When I take off again it everything returns to normal. Also, when its REALLY cold out I will go out and start my truck. When I come back out ten minutes later and the engine is at high rpm with the EBPV closed, I hit the brake for it to return to idle and I hear the fuel pump pitch raise in pitch like its getting more battery juice. Any more ideas???
Aaron
Tuned
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 376
Likes: 4
From: San Antonio, TX
The second problem should not exist. Your stuff should not be dimming like that. I say regulator sh###ing the bed. I would put a fluke on the battery under those different conditions causing it and see what's going on. Because as with everyones problems I comment on, I always want to know what the actual problem was. 
Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 8,180
Likes: 669
From: Scio, OR
On our trucks (at least the newer ones), power is applied through the battery light in the instrument cluster to the I circuit on the alternator. This circuit switches the voltage regulator on allowing the alternator to charge. If the voltage regulator senses a chargine problem it allows power to flow through the I circuit and the battery light comes on.
On a 6.0L engine, the I circuit is not powered by the IC until the glow plug cycle completes. This prevents the alternator from charging until the glow plugs go out, presumably to protect the alternator from their significant power draw.
It's theoretically possible that 7.3L engines operate the same way, but I'm not nearly as familiar with that engine.
On a 6.0L engine, the I circuit is not powered by the IC until the glow plug cycle completes. This prevents the alternator from charging until the glow plugs go out, presumably to protect the alternator from their significant power draw.
It's theoretically possible that 7.3L engines operate the same way, but I'm not nearly as familiar with that engine.
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Lead Driver
Joined: May 2003
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From: Lyndonville, Vermont
Most of the newer fords have the bcm control the regulator and the light on the dash..My 99 is all manual and has no such issues.
Dick
Dick
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i have a 2002 F250 and i am also haming problems with lites dimming at idle it only puts out like 13 volts at idle it works fine and i have hade the last three altinators do this same thing until they die i just cant figured out what can take out the voltage regulator on these systems
Tuned
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 376
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From: San Antonio, TX
Other than Red's stuff working good, it appears to be only happening in Northern cold climates. A voltage regulator will crap out after so many voltage regulations. I'm inclined to think that someone is on key here who is blaming the glow plugs. If those things are cycling a lot (and pulling a lot of voltage) then the voltage regulator is working extra hard to keep things normal. The more you work it the faster it will fail. Maybe. Again, just crap shooting here. It seems plausible. Like in the south for instance, we have the opposite problems. I remember my old Chevy starting fine here. I went to Wyoming to do some hiking with a buddy and the first cold start the next morning up there it barely got going and took FOREVER to warm up. I found that half of my glow plugs didn't even work! Wasn't a problem in San Antonio though. He runs grill covers on his Duramax to keep it warm. Do you guys do that? Like on the semi's? I'm just curious, not saying it would cause the glow plugs to operate less.
Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 8,180
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From: Scio, OR
Glow plugs don't cycle. They come on when you turn on the key and they stay on a set amount of time (up to two minutes) depending on the oil temperature. Once they turn off, they are off for good until you start the truck again. If the oil temperature is above a certain point, they don't turn on at all.
Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 8,180
Likes: 669
From: Scio, OR
Which problem? Like I said in an earlier post, on the diesels it's likely the alternator won't be switched on until the glow plugs are finished.
Lights dimming is generally a sign of a bad alternator, regulator, or bad connections. Check all the connections for corrosion (including the other end of the ground cable, body to frame grounds, etc.) and clean them up good.
Using an DVOM to check voltage. With the engine running should maintain a pretty steady voltage somewhere between 13.5 to 14.1 regardless of RPM. Unless you've got super lights or big amps or such.
Another problem seems to be a rash of crappy reman alternators. From auto parts stores and even OEM ones, there seem to be a lot of repeat failures lately. A lot of the 6.0L guys are going to the 185 amp version sold by these guys.
https://www.dcpowerinc.com/
Lights dimming is generally a sign of a bad alternator, regulator, or bad connections. Check all the connections for corrosion (including the other end of the ground cable, body to frame grounds, etc.) and clean them up good.
Using an DVOM to check voltage. With the engine running should maintain a pretty steady voltage somewhere between 13.5 to 14.1 regardless of RPM. Unless you've got super lights or big amps or such.
Another problem seems to be a rash of crappy reman alternators. From auto parts stores and even OEM ones, there seem to be a lot of repeat failures lately. A lot of the 6.0L guys are going to the 185 amp version sold by these guys.
https://www.dcpowerinc.com/
Tuned
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 376
Likes: 4
From: San Antonio, TX
Another thing I noticed was when I come up to a stop light and the engine returns to idle, the lights will get dim, my NOISY fuel pump pitch will get lower, and the lights will dim just a little bit. aka: alt isn't putting out what is at a faster rpm. When I take off again it everything returns to normal. Also, when its REALLY cold out I will go out and start my truck. When I come back out ten minutes later and the engine is at high rpm with the EBPV closed, I hit the brake for it to return to idle and I hear the fuel pump pitch raise in pitch like its getting more battery juice. Any more ideas???
Aaron
Aaron
Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 8,180
Likes: 669
From: Scio, OR
Really if you're having dimming problems you need to go through everything. Because most things can cause that.
Like I said, check ALL the connections. Battery terminals, alternator power wire, main power wire and all grounds.
Take the battery(s) out, charge them overnight with a good quality charger and then use a good load tester on them. Because marginal batteries can pull a lot of current and cause your dimming problem. Also it's a good idea to check each cell of the battery(s) with a decent temperature compensated battery hydrometer. It's possible to have a battery test OK but have one bad cell that can mess up the whole thing.
Then, test out the alternator. A proper alternator test not only tests it's ability to output current but tests the diodes to make sure one hasn't failed and the alternator is putting out some level of A/C power.
Like I said, check ALL the connections. Battery terminals, alternator power wire, main power wire and all grounds.
Take the battery(s) out, charge them overnight with a good quality charger and then use a good load tester on them. Because marginal batteries can pull a lot of current and cause your dimming problem. Also it's a good idea to check each cell of the battery(s) with a decent temperature compensated battery hydrometer. It's possible to have a battery test OK but have one bad cell that can mess up the whole thing.
Then, test out the alternator. A proper alternator test not only tests it's ability to output current but tests the diodes to make sure one hasn't failed and the alternator is putting out some level of A/C power.