So, I'm on the highway, driving my 66 F250 Camper Special home from Rhino-linings, when my alernator light comes on and I see that the gauge is pegged at +60. I don't have a large load - lights, windshield wipers, fan. A few minutes later, I see my gas gauge and temperature gauge go dead, and hear the fan stop running. The truck's still running just fine at this point. I also lose turn signals and brake lights. Still have headlights and taillights. Another ten miles down the highway, I pull off onto surface streets. It's stopped raining, so I kill the wipers and the lights. Before too long, I hear the fan come back, and look down to see that the alternator light is out, the gauges are working, and the alternator gauge shows just a tad to the + side. Any ideas what's going on here? I always thought that if the alt gauge was to the + side that was good, that the - side represented draw.

Here's my second problem - ordered replacement interior trim parts from D-C. My passenger door had no arm rest, so I don't have the screws for that, and there's just a couple of holes where it looks like there should be something to thread into. I can't get the driver side arm rest to have a look at what it should look like.

Last question (this go-round): where should the spare go on one of these trucks? It was just laying in the bed when I got the truck, and would rather not have it sliding around back there.

Thanks in advance guys - love this forum!

Pat

 

The spare tire goes under the bed behind the rear axel. Most likley one of the previous owners removed the hardware (like they did on one of my trucks). The hardware is hard to find because most where removed and discarded. You may get lucky and find one in a junk yard


Water dog

 

It sounds like a major connection problem. Try checking your main power supply to the fuse box, could have a loose or corroded terminal. The high charge could have been caused by a short that the moisture helped cause, since it went away after it stopped raining. Look for discolored or brownish areas on all the wires coming off the alt., battery and fuse block. Good luck and welcome!!

 

Thanks for the replies, guys! I traced every wire I could and didn't didn't find anything. Replaced the voltage regulator, and then the alternator, and still nothing. Gave in and took it to the dealer this morning. They called me and said that one of the connectors on the back was shorting out against the block, so they were going to see if they couldn't rectify that. What the heck is up with that? All the connectors had a boot over them (except the ground, which shouldn't have been a problem). Why on earth would the alternator be placed so it was at risk of shorting against the block? Weird!

 

pwhitted! Welcome to FTE! I think you have a leak in the windshield gasket that is allowing water to get to your fuse block. Everything you mentioned powers off the fuse block and it was raining. Get a blow dryer and dry the fuse block and find that leak, Butel rubber works well around the windshield corners. The arm rest has a cage nut affair on the door that usually rusts and turns when you try to unscrew them. Pull the access panel, roll up the window and reach up in there and spray some PB Blaster on the nuts. I leave the arm rests off when I and replace the trim panel. The arm rests interfere with tilting the seat, (thats why the passenger side is missing).

 

When you have a compromised engine-to-body ground, the system tries to ground back thruogh any other wires connecting the engine to the chassis, i.e., instrument cluster wires, etc.

 

Hey...

The Arm rests also come with a wood spacer that is slightly shaped like a wedge if I'm not mistaken. Mine were in bad condition but kept them as samples to make some new ones. I also had some trouble in the removal process.

Just picked up my ride abpout a month ago...1966 F250 Camper Special/Custom Cab....Sound familiar???

Good luck with the spare tire thing...Mine still has all the hardware and the lock(no key) to keep it all together.

 

Thanks again for all the replies - great tips!

On my electrical problem, it turns out that I did have a bad alternator. When I replaced it, I had dropped the bottom spacer on the ground, and didn't even know it. So, when I installed the new alternator, I was able to tighten it back farther than it should have gone! OOPS! There's a $30 mistake I won't make again!

Not sure what I'll do about the spare tire. I'm considering doing a gas tank relocation, and thinking that I might put it at the rear, like it is under my Bronco. So, I'm thinking of either a front mount for the spare, or a mount at the front of the bed, near the cab. Still thinking it through - probably do power steering first! Thanks again everybody! - Pat