Charging problems after new engine install
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Joined: Sep 2003
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From: Other side of the sunrise
Charging problems after new engine install
I just payed a guy to put a strong running 360 into my sons 65 F100 4x4. His old 352 was smoking like a burning tire due to worn rings. I should have done it myself since I have learned before that if you want something done right.......... Any way, I just trailored the truck down to his house and delivered it. He is excited to have his new ride running strong and immediately sped away with a huge grin on his face.
I left for home, (400 miles away) and got a call from him that he is having charging problems and his battery went dead while driving at night (headlights of course). he says that the truck wont stay running even with a jump. I sounds like an alternator or voltage regulator, but both the truck the engine came from and also his 65 did not have charging probs before the engine swap. Is it possible that something was not connected right, or backwards, or???? Any ideas, please advise.
Thanks in advance, Tim
I left for home, (400 miles away) and got a call from him that he is having charging problems and his battery went dead while driving at night (headlights of course). he says that the truck wont stay running even with a jump. I sounds like an alternator or voltage regulator, but both the truck the engine came from and also his 65 did not have charging probs before the engine swap. Is it possible that something was not connected right, or backwards, or???? Any ideas, please advise.
Thanks in advance, Tim
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 289
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From: Raleigh, NC
Many areas to start looking but the hand-held voltmeter is an invaluable tool to start this troubleshooting. First I would have the battery checked as this time of year the temperature fluctuations seem to make batteries die at a higher rate. We used to replace more batteries when cold snaps and heat waves came through. After the specific gravity of the battery is checked and the battery is fully charged I would check to see if the alternator can maintain the engine running after the battery cable is pulled (assuming you don't have a voltmeter). This only answers the question of overall charging conditions and doesn't answer if it is the alternator, the regulator, or some other high load pulling the charging system down. Another old trick is to use the headlight intensity to observe charging and battery condition during cranking, idle and fast idle speeds. If you do have a voltmeter it should be around 14V when charging, depending on the regulator. My '66 recently needed a new regulator and the replacement was under $20. Let us know how the troubleshooting goes...
Steve
Steve
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Joined: Dec 1999
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From: Connecticut
Another old way of testing if the alt is ok was to pull the plug on the regulator and use a jumper wire and jump the first and third terminals in the plug. If the alt was any good, you'd hear the alt start to sing or whine. If it didn't change, it was bad. If it did, Then the regulator was bad.
Barry
Barry
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