Another Battery Problem with no Battery lite
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Posting Guru
Joined: Sep 2004
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Another Battery Problem with no Battery lite
I did a search and nothing really matched the issue I'm having. First off, my truck is a 99 F-150 4X4 with the 5.4. Last Saturday morning I went to start the truck and got the tell tale clicking of a battery gone dead. Fair enough, seeing the battery was a Motorcraft, odds are it was in there since new.
Took the battery out of my Expy, ( which I also had to replace 2 months earlier ) and the truck fired right up. Purchased the same new battery I did for the Expy ( 850 CCA ) and installed it in the truck.
Well, I went to start it yesterday ( Wednesday ) and it was dead! ( battery that is ) Had to take the same battery out of the Expy once again and the truck fired up. I installed the new battery that was in the truck into the Expy to verify that it was indeed a dead battery and it was. ( Expy wouldn't crank over ).
I'm going to take the new battery I purchased back and get a new one. I'm hoping maybe I was sold a dud but if not, what could be draining the battery?
No lights stay on after the truck is shut off so could it be a bad ground connection somewhere?
Took the battery out of my Expy, ( which I also had to replace 2 months earlier ) and the truck fired right up. Purchased the same new battery I did for the Expy ( 850 CCA ) and installed it in the truck.
Well, I went to start it yesterday ( Wednesday ) and it was dead! ( battery that is ) Had to take the same battery out of the Expy once again and the truck fired up. I installed the new battery that was in the truck into the Expy to verify that it was indeed a dead battery and it was. ( Expy wouldn't crank over ).
I'm going to take the new battery I purchased back and get a new one. I'm hoping maybe I was sold a dud but if not, what could be draining the battery?
No lights stay on after the truck is shut off so could it be a bad ground connection somewhere?
Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 7,907
Likes: 143
Nothing wrong with either battery.
Your alternator has a bad rectifier stack or regulator.
Most likely the regulator is allowing the alternator to charge (= no light) but still drain when the motor is shut down because it does not shut off the alternator drive voltage.
No mistery and easy to fix.
Replace the alternator.
Your alternator has a bad rectifier stack or regulator.
Most likely the regulator is allowing the alternator to charge (= no light) but still drain when the motor is shut down because it does not shut off the alternator drive voltage.
No mistery and easy to fix.
Replace the alternator.
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,017
Likes: 2
From: Southeast FLA
Criminy, I bought a life-time replacement warranty alternator from one of the local big auto-parts chains (not sure if it's an autozone or the other one - can't remember), and the alternator died on me within a year. I didn't have any light on the dash or anything, but the truck started to sputter as I got close to where I needed to be, and it didn't start when I tried it afterward. I pulled out the 1999 battery, sure that it had t be the problem... dang, I bought a brand new battery, only to find out it was the expensive alternator that had gone bad.
Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 7,907
Likes: 143
A little testing prevents these kinds of things in most cases, if the fault is singular.
Current draw when the alternator lead is opened and tested, shows this up.
A hot/warm alternator case on cold engine is a dead give-away.
Use a small 12 volt interior lamp in a socket connected in series with the charge lead to the alternator, for testing. If it lights, there is a drain problem with the alternator.
Please understand; Auto stores that offer lifetime warrenty; contracts with area companies to bebuild these parts.
They take a gamble that the part will hold up long enough for you to lose the reciept, forget where you got it, sell/trade the vehichle, move away etc.
On the average they win ot they could not afford to offer at a low price..
There is nothing special about the rebuilds. They fail at a greater rate than OEM.
Current draw when the alternator lead is opened and tested, shows this up.
A hot/warm alternator case on cold engine is a dead give-away.
Use a small 12 volt interior lamp in a socket connected in series with the charge lead to the alternator, for testing. If it lights, there is a drain problem with the alternator.
Please understand; Auto stores that offer lifetime warrenty; contracts with area companies to bebuild these parts.
They take a gamble that the part will hold up long enough for you to lose the reciept, forget where you got it, sell/trade the vehichle, move away etc.
On the average they win ot they could not afford to offer at a low price..
There is nothing special about the rebuilds. They fail at a greater rate than OEM.
Last edited by Bluegrass 7; Oct 11, 2007 at 06:07 PM.
