99 F350 7.3 151K auto 4X4 CC LB Original Owner

Limped into the driveway after Static on the radio makes me look at all the gauges where first no volts then everything went dead on dash in the last 5 miles to the Home 20.

Stop the truck , wont restart, just clicks. Check Batteries that are 5 month old they were at 8.2 volts. So low of volts the wipers start up and lights and dash blink confusing the GEM?? Anyway I put the charger on, get them back up to 12 volts. Next day I hit the starter and just clicks like a dead battery. Check the batts again 11.88 volts after trying to start it a 3 times. Put charger back on and hit the 60 amp jump start truck fires right up. Take the charger off, it takes a few minutes to test the alternator (making sure the glow plug circuit is off) and its putting out or has the same volts as the batteries. So I Replace the Alternator, now it shows 14.2 volts and charging with the truck running. Take it for a ride and bring it back and wont start. Same clickity click like a low battery. Check the batteries again they are at 11.86. I have checked the cable for power and taken the ground directly to frame from the battery with no change. So whatcha think? Voltage regulator? Starter relay? Do they have both or one and not the other? When you search it seems to be one on the same???

I am going to have the 5 moth old Kirkland 1000 CA batteries load tested today.

In advance Thanks for taking a look and helping if you can!

 

5 Month old Kirkland batteries are toast !

Looks like problemo solved.

 

Kirkland batteries as I found out yesterday (10-22-2014) are now labeled as Interstate made batteries.

I mainly came back to add a word of caution. If it helps the next hands on an alternator. I knew better when I was doing this, should have stopped and looked. Over the years I always used the new bolts and nuts that come with replacement parts as in this case the Alternator nut to attach the only loomed 90 degree eyelet connector to the back of the alt. The other part of the loom is a quick connect. When I was almost done bringing the nut to the eyelet to apply proper torque I noticed the 90 degree eyelet was bending over ever so slightly at the end of the torque. Point where I should have stopped and looked! Turns out the replacement alt provided nut and washer connected combo was a little wider in circumference than the original causing the outer edge of the washer to apply pressure to the bladed eyelet. Just that little bend back, years of vibration from already being bent to a 90 degree in some jig at the loom factory, it failed. It didn't fail till I was gingerly taking the rubber boot off to check the alt. output one final time. I admit I am no mechanic by trade. Just a backyard guy with some tools. Hope this helps someone cuz its a environmentally sealed end of a loom eyelet that was a pain in the A$$ to trim and save enough loom to be able to re-use.