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So no need to switch to the 3g alternator unless I want to, correct? Then I assume I have a short somewhere draining my battery. Think I’m gonna get a JY cluster and swap it to check. They had one for 30$
With the LED battery lamp in the cluster I doubt the alternator was charging the battery.
The 2G alternator was a poor design that did not charge at low RPM and was fire prone because of the connector that goes to the battery. Ford issued a bulletin to ALWAYS replace that connector anytime you removed it from the alternator.
Your choice how to proceed. Install a replacement connector to reduce the chance of a melt down and live with low ouput issues or...upgrade to a 3G version.
Money well spent to reduce the chance of losing the truck to a melted alternator connector and no more issues of low alternator ouput at lower engine RPMs. Go 3G and never look back.
On the subject of burning vehicles: Verify the Speed Control recall harness is installed. If there is no separate harness with fuses on the Brake Pressure Switch mounted on the master cylinder remove the existing wire connector NOW. Do not pass go, do not collect $200. This is another flaw that is serious and many vehicles have caught fire sitting there with no key in the ignition.
All good info but before you go down the path of upgrading to a 3G alternator verify there is power on the Light Green/Red wire with the ignition switch in the Run position. Without power on that wire the alternator is very expensive idler pulley.
what if green has no juice. Where should one look. This setup is confusing me. So the yellow wire should have near 12v all the time. Mine doesn’t. It has zero. If I switch the yellow wire to the foreword post on the firewall solenoid then I get a constant 12v and my battery drain (2.5 amps) is gone. Last time I checked green wire had juice with key in RUN position but now I get nothing. Switched yellow wire back to original (back post of firewall solenoid) and still nothing on green and yellow goes back to zero and my battery draw is back…..
Well that all seems very unusual, but let’s make sure we’re on the same page first.
When you say firewall solenoid are you talking about the starter relay/solenoid that’s on the fender? Or is there another location you’re attaching the wires?
And the yellow wire should indeed be on the battery side of the starter relay so that it has constant power.
this is where the voltage regulator can sense the need for the alternator to charge the battery.
The green with red wire runs directly from the ignition switch to the alternator. It usually does not have another function in older trucks, but in the newer trucks I’m not really sure what else it might power up. I will have to review the diagrams again when I get home.
But the first place I would look would be the back of the ignition switch to make sure that power is coming out of the ignition switch on the green with red wire.
it also sounds as if there is something wrong with the alternator and it’s diode array.
When the diode‘s go bad the alternator itself will drain the battery. Why it would change modes from drain to no drain by simply changing the yellow wires power input I do not know.
I will post some more pics of exactly what I’m doing/seeing today so you can see what I’m seeing.
I don’t know if it matters yet, but I took out all of the LED lights from the dash (son changed them) and replaced them with factory 194’s. Now my voltmeter and fuel gauge seem to be working. Also just a side note, i don’t know if any of this comes into play or not…. I replaced the ignition lock cylinder /key as old one was very stiff and the headlight switch. Both parts came from rock auto…. Pics of my alternator coming. Need to take a break. Going to blow off some steam chasing a little white ball around in the grass this am
Good to mention. LEDs do have an effect on the circuits that they’re in sometimes. And sometimes to detrimental effect.
I don’t know what exactly it would’ve done in this case, but the circuit with the green wire with red stripe does go through one of the lights.
It’s the battery indicator light showing when the alternator is not charging. When the light bulb is working, or the resistor that bypasses it is in good shape, the green with red wire should get power.
Any other circumstances and all bets are off.
Pulled all the LEDs out and replaced with factory 194’s. All dash lights work. (Gauges don’t but that’s another story). See photos attached. If I’m correct from what I’ve learned here everything is working correctly and must have something wrong in the alternator. Then the question is do I replace the alternator voltage regulator ($37) and see if that helps??? Or just shift to the 3g……remember 17 year old budget lol Battery alone Yellow wire key off Green wire key off Green wire key to RUN position Everything hooked up. Appears to be charging nicely This is draw I have with everything plugged in. Disconnect yellow wire and it goes back to zero Image of my firewall solenoid
Nothing pertinent to add to your troubleshooting efforts, but you really should take off that ring when working around a vehicle charging system. BTDT, not with a ring but a watch with a metallic band. Fortunately it was one of those springy bands and I was able to jerk my arm out and away before getting seriously burned.
Wow, good call x-ring!
Did the same thing with a tape measure one time when I was measuring for a new battery cable. Was being super careful (I thought) but forgot about the little "tail" on the end and it hit a really good grounding point while I was fiddling about.
Lost my favorite tape measure that day.
Not to mention getting a nice "brand" on my hand at the same time!
Ok, I have yet another test for you. I think you're on the right track, but just to rule out some other bad connection on the Yellow wire that is showing the draw/drain on it, re-connect the Yellow wire and disconnect the two gray fusible link wires on the starter relay/solenoid instead. This way we know for a fact that the drain is coming from the alternator, and not something else that might be on the Yellow wire.
There is nothing else on that wire that I know of, but I really don't "know" the circuit all that well. Maybe earlier trucks that used an ammeter in the dash had additional connections there, but even those I think connected to other wires and not the Yellow wire.
But basically this tests both ends of the alternator and regulator.
Since they are connected directly to the battery, then of course disconnect the negative cable before removing them from the starter relay. It looks like they're located under the battery cable, so you'll have to undo the two nuts on the relay/solenoid first, remove the main cable and strain relief, remove the gray fusible link wires and then re-attach the battery/starter cables and their molded strain relief.
If the drain stops when you disconnect the main battery charge wires, then it's for sure coming from the alternator and it could be either the regulator OR the diodes in the alternator itself. But I don't know how to test those.
I'm thinking that a new regulator at that price is not a bad thing for your budget, but if it does not fix the problem then it was money you could have used for a new alternator instead! And they all come with new regulators as far as I know. Not sure I've ever seen a replacement internally regulated alternator that did not already have the regulator installed.
So try that and see if the amps drop in your next test.
Oh, and so we're all on the same page, words-wise, that area is not part of the firewall. It's a fender "apron" or fender "skirt" area. Or to some just the "inner fender" area.
Whereas the actual firewall is just the metal bulkhead between the engine compartment and the cabin.
I think we all knew ultimately what you were talking about, but this makes sure...
Agree with 1Ton on all accounts. If you have an issue already, you should go to a 3G and 'nip it in the bud' if you will.
I swore I pulled my 130A variant from a mid 90s Taurus, but it seemed to need a reclock as I recall. I think there is a 3.0 and 3.8 version, but one is threaded and you do not want that one. I did that back in '01 or '02 on my '88, so it has been quite a while (just did the '92 but it is a 4.9). I think '94/95 Mustang 5.0 ones drop in correctly in terms of case clocking if you do not want to fart with that. Wiring is a breeze, just use the OE voltage regulator plug. White/black runs to the stator. Run the yellow wire back to the +B power lug on the case. Green/black remains switched 12V. Then add your main power wire to the solenoid. Enjoy 130A of reliable power.
man I need help something fearse 😨 my truck will not run without high voltagevot slowly loose power the gauge used to stay at A and L on the Normal reading word on voltage gauge now its on N and truck runs sluggish new alternator new coil new plugs cap rotor wires starter battery interstate 900 cranking amps you can put a charge on battery it perks up then it eventually looses power again like it's being drained battery has 180 reserve 6 year battery alternator this is 3rd in 2 years what's yhis 3 stage alternator that's Been mentioned? Please anything anyone help with this my truck will not run unless it has⚡️⚡️ ⚡️⚡️higher⚡️⚡️🌩 ⚡️⚡️voltage⚡️⚡️ Ac/DC ⚡️⚡️
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