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Checked the plug wires with a inline spark plug checker. The light flashed one all of them. Since it is an inline spark plug tester (and not spark plug wire tester) does that mean all of those spark plugs were firing as well or just that the wires were working?
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What is that? Is it where the motor keeps on running after you turn the key off?
That would be dieseling. Most if not all the time it is caused by idle set too high. What is yours set to and what does the sticker say? If you have an auto turn it off in gear and see if that helps.
Timing off will not stop the spark when looking for spark but may keep the motor from starting. If it is running now and you get no pinging lock the dist. down where it is and drive the truck some.
Also check and set the idle to factory rpm.
Dave ----
That would be dieseling. Most if not all the time it is caused by idle set too high. What is yours set to and what does the sticker say? If you have an auto turn it off in gear and see if that helps.
Timing off will not stop the spark when looking for spark but may keep the motor from starting. If it is running now and you get no pinging lock the dist. down where it is and drive the truck some.
Also check and set the idle to factory rpm.
Dave ----
I still smell the burning rubber smell when I start the engine, but I see no smoke. Not sure where it is coming from.
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From: Denver Metro Area, CO
A sweet smell can be anti-freeze (something you brought up in one of your recent posts).
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Found the burning smell. After running the engine and then shutting it off the alternator was smoking pretty heavily. It seems to smoke more when I first start it then turn it off rather than running it for a while. Do I need a new alternator? It seems to charge good now, but I know it should not be smoking.
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I also unhooked it from the solenoid while the engine was off. The longer it sat off (before I disconnected it), the more it smoked. The wire connecting to the solenoid was so hot the rubber was beginning to melt. I poured two cups of water over the alternator and it still sizzles when water touches it.
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From: Angier, NC
I would like to know why the ALT is getting that hot to smoke & boil water?
I would think if bad bearings they would be making a lot of noise.
Have you done a voltage reading when running? I would think if it was over charging it could get hot but also boil the water (I know not water) out of the batt.
I would spend $45 for a ALT if that would fit the issue but you have to find out why it gets that hot first.
Dave ----
I would think if bad bearings they would be making a lot of noise.
Have you done a voltage reading when running? I would think if it was over charging it could get hot but also boil the water (I know not water) out of the batt.
I would spend $45 for a ALT if that would fit the issue but you have to find out why it gets that hot first.
Dave ----
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I would like to know why the ALT is getting that hot to smoke & boil water?
I would think if bad bearings they would be making a lot of noise.
Have you done a voltage reading when running? I would think if it was over charging it could get hot but also boil the water (I know not water) out of the batt.
I would spend $45 for a ALT if that would fit the issue but you have to find out why it gets that hot first.
Dave ----
I would think if bad bearings they would be making a lot of noise.
Have you done a voltage reading when running? I would think if it was over charging it could get hot but also boil the water (I know not water) out of the batt.
I would spend $45 for a ALT if that would fit the issue but you have to find out why it gets that hot first.
Dave ----
I have been reading and one thing I did do is after trying to start when I could not get it started the other day I charged the battery and started the truck and had the battery charger still connected while it ran. Did that cause a short? That is about when I started smelling it and it has slowly gotten worse.
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From: Denver Metro Area, CO
Leaving the charger connected while the engine is running shouldn't hurt it.
Don't disconnect the battery with the engine running, despite what you may read elsewhere on the 'net.
Gary's site has the EVTMs, look at the charging system diagnosis in whichever year manual pertains to your truck.
Don't disconnect the battery with the engine running, despite what you may read elsewhere on the 'net.
Gary's site has the EVTMs, look at the charging system diagnosis in whichever year manual pertains to your truck.
pedant
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From: EXTREME southwest CT
When I hook the wire up to the solenoid it sparks and the wire gets so hot you cannot hold it after about 30 seconds. It is in the same place on the solenoid it has always been on so that is not the problem and I have had not dead battery problems so I think the voltage is good. There is also no noise. The terminal that connects to the solenoid melted through the thick rubber it got so hot.
I have been reading and one thing I did do is after trying to start when I could not get it started the other day I charged the battery and started the truck and had the battery charger still connected while it ran. Did that cause a short? That is about when I started smelling it and it has slowly gotten worse.
I have been reading and one thing I did do is after trying to start when I could not get it started the other day I charged the battery and started the truck and had the battery charger still connected while it ran. Did that cause a short? That is about when I started smelling it and it has slowly gotten worse.
it sounds to me like a bad rectifier is killing your battery overnight.
The alternator will get really hot in a case like this.
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I did not disconnect the battery. I disconnected the wire that runs from the solenoid to the alternator and the truck was off.
The battery is not dying. The reason it was low before was because of the problem I had with the distributor wires.
I will take a look at the manuals.
The battery is not dying. The reason it was low before was because of the problem I had with the distributor wires.
I will take a look at the manuals.
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I did a diode test as Ardwrkntrk recommended and the multimeter read as high as 1.5 and beeped though it was everywhere from .1 to 1.5. This is with the wire unplugged from the solenoid. What does this reading mean?
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From: Angier, NC
I would still use a meter to see what the out put is when at rest and running.
My guess is if the wire from ALT to batt is getting hot to melt it it is over charging but just a guess.
Does your charging system use a regulator bolted to the fender well? If so and over charging could be the regulator.
I also would not replace the ALT till I knew why that ALT is running as hot as it does.
Dave ----
My guess is if the wire from ALT to batt is getting hot to melt it it is over charging but just a guess.
Does your charging system use a regulator bolted to the fender well? If so and over charging could be the regulator.
I also would not replace the ALT till I knew why that ALT is running as hot as it does.
Dave ----
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I would still use a meter to see what the out put is when at rest and running.
My guess is if the wire from ALT to batt is getting hot to melt it it is over charging but just a guess.
Does your charging system use a regulator bolted to the fender well? If so and over charging could be the regulator.
I also would not replace the ALT till I knew why that ALT is running as hot as it does.
Dave ----
My guess is if the wire from ALT to batt is getting hot to melt it it is over charging but just a guess.
Does your charging system use a regulator bolted to the fender well? If so and over charging could be the regulator.
I also would not replace the ALT till I knew why that ALT is running as hot as it does.
Dave ----
I replaced the solenoid not to long ago. It is attached to the fender as you stated. Is that causing it?