Alt guage not working
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2005
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From: Portland, OR
Alt guage not working
Hi,
I have a '89 E350 with a 351W. The guages have never worked right since I got it over two years ago. I tried replacing the voltage regulater on the back of the guage pod and tried to find any bad grounds but the guages still flucuate. The guage that never works is the Alt, so I'm thinking that that's where the problem lies. Any ideas on how to check that guage or where the ground is for it?????
I have a '89 E350 with a 351W. The guages have never worked right since I got it over two years ago. I tried replacing the voltage regulater on the back of the guage pod and tried to find any bad grounds but the guages still flucuate. The guage that never works is the Alt, so I'm thinking that that's where the problem lies. Any ideas on how to check that guage or where the ground is for it?????
Post Fiend
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 10,007
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From: Central Florida
After recently going through some alt problems, You should have three connections on the back of the alt. One to the battery, sometime there are multiple small gauge wire. One going to a ground, and the last goes to your cluster. The one that goes to your gauge is switch power to the gauge and goes to the alt. This wire charges the field coil. If you'r alt is working, and your needle is not, you have a problem with the gauge (bad coil, bad connector in side,ect.) I'd hit a junk yard and procure a couple of them to try.
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Senior User
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From: Portland, OR
ReAX,
Thanks for the quick reply. I'm not sure I understand what "the field coil" is. I know the Alt is working, it's good as well as the Voltage Reg. I replaced them as well as the battery and coil and dizzy all at once and have had no trouble with juice. Can the guage be replaced without replacing the entire pod?
Thanks for the quick reply. I'm not sure I understand what "the field coil" is. I know the Alt is working, it's good as well as the Voltage Reg. I replaced them as well as the battery and coil and dizzy all at once and have had no trouble with juice. Can the guage be replaced without replacing the entire pod?
Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2005
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From: Easton,Ks
Originally Posted by loneleader
Can the guage be replaced without replacing the entire pod?
The wire on the alternator does not control the gauge.
The gauge is controlled by two wires, one on each side of a shunt. The two wires leave the shunt in the fender battery area and run to the gauge. The cluster voltage regulator has nothing to do with the Amp Gauge.
The Amp gauge is the round circle with an A in it in the diagram:
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g91/subford/Electrical/Charging/1988E-150Stock.jpg
Last edited by subford; Oct 23, 2006 at 06:56 PM.
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2005
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From: Portland, OR
Subford,
Thanks for the diagram. I hope the '88 is the same as the '89, most everything else I've seen is. I'll let you know as soon as I can talk myself into tackeling the wireing again,.
Thanks for the diagram. I hope the '88 is the same as the '89, most everything else I've seen is. I'll let you know as soon as I can talk myself into tackeling the wireing again,.
