Battery light blinking
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Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 8,450
Likes: 70
From: South Jersey
Battery light blinking
Hi all,
my brother has a 2001 with the 4.6, auto regimen cab long bed 4x4. Has roughly 150k on her, last two days the battery light blind is while it's running either at a stop or driving. I just checked and off not running battery jas 12.6volts and running I'm getting 13.10ish. I cleaned the cable ends and that didnt seem to work. I figured the alternator is good becasue I have almost 14 while running (it has a Bosch unit that's six years old PO installed when he sold it to my brother)
am I missing anything to cause the battery light to blink nonstop
my brother has a 2001 with the 4.6, auto regimen cab long bed 4x4. Has roughly 150k on her, last two days the battery light blind is while it's running either at a stop or driving. I just checked and off not running battery jas 12.6volts and running I'm getting 13.10ish. I cleaned the cable ends and that didnt seem to work. I figured the alternator is good becasue I have almost 14 while running (it has a Bosch unit that's six years old PO installed when he sold it to my brother)
am I missing anything to cause the battery light to blink nonstop
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Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 8,450
Likes: 70
From: South Jersey
Ok I kow its been a little but this is what I did. My brother did not want to buy a new alternator so I cleaned all the terminals on the alternator and battery post. Applied dialectic grease and recheck the voltage...
-truck off battery is at 12.8
-headlights turned on, truck off battery holds at 12 for the ten minutes I waited
-start truck, lights on or off, radio on or off (two 12 subs being powered) a/c on or off, heat on or off, sitting in park or driving I'm getting 14.1 in all scenarios.
Now I haven't heard anything from my brother since my last post when I cleaned everything so could dirty battery terminals be causing the issue? Both post had a ton of blue battery acid build up
-truck off battery is at 12.8
-headlights turned on, truck off battery holds at 12 for the ten minutes I waited
-start truck, lights on or off, radio on or off (two 12 subs being powered) a/c on or off, heat on or off, sitting in park or driving I'm getting 14.1 in all scenarios.
Now I haven't heard anything from my brother since my last post when I cleaned everything so could dirty battery terminals be causing the issue? Both post had a ton of blue battery acid build up
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,354
Likes: 31
From: Winnipeg
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Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 8,450
Likes: 70
From: South Jersey
What do you mean? I put a thin layer on the stud then bolt on the cable, on the alternator a thin film on the brass terminal then install the lock nut
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,098
Likes: 11
From: Minnesota
Last week I put a new idler pulley on my tensioner. I pulled the belt off completely to inspect it. Put it all back together and started it up and the battery light was on. I have never got a battery light on that truck. It has the original alternator from 2003 and it works fine. I checked all the voltages like you.....all within spec. So I pulled the negative battery cable, pulled the hot red wire off the alt. and pulled out the two electrical connectors. Sprayed it all down with contact cleaner, let dry and then just a SNITCH of die-electric grease. Put it all back together....light off, been fine for about 10 days. All I can conclude is I bumped a contact that was marginal due to 15 years of use and cleaning them up gave me a solid connection. You may know this but don't put die-electric grease on uncleaned terminals.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 24,322
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From: 0,0,1
You said when running you're getting 13.10ish which is nowhere near 14. You need a minimum of 13.8 volts to charge the battery.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 26,007
Likes: 575
From: Brentwood,CA
Well that's not correct use, the dielectric grease is not a conductor it's a insulator. You never use it on electrical pathways. The cable to post should either have a conductive grease or be clean and dry. Also I about laughed when you said "quality bosch reman" there is no such thing. All bosch parts that are reman and not originally made by Bosch are done by a third party and have a Bosch box.The alternator is no good Based on the charging voltages you provided. What's the reason for not wanting to replace the alternator?
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,354
Likes: 31
From: Winnipeg
Last edited by Lime1GT; Dec 20, 2018 at 01:06 AM. Reason: more info
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