HELP - Huge electrical drain on system??
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Junior User
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 58
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From: NW Wisconsin
HELP - Huge electrical drain on system??
'03 Excursion with 6.0. Just changed out injectors and two new batteries. Start truck (really hard to start) and it runs terrible rough.
The alternator is HOT (burning skin hot) within 30 sec of starting. Toasted the old Alternator, so a new one went in. Still gets huge hot right away. No drain when the truck is off (batteries stay charged), but the voltage drops FAST (charged batteries to 12V+ but they drop below 10V within seconds of starting) as soon as the truck is started.
Mechanic unhooked alternator completely from the system (the new one), and truck ran GREAT for about 30 seconds and then died. When the alternator is connected, it runs like crap.
Somewhere, we seem to be getting a huge power drain that is loading the alt and draining batteries very quickly, causing immediate injector problems from low voltage (this is the theory).
Help help help!!!!! I don't know where else for the mechanic to look??????
The alternator is HOT (burning skin hot) within 30 sec of starting. Toasted the old Alternator, so a new one went in. Still gets huge hot right away. No drain when the truck is off (batteries stay charged), but the voltage drops FAST (charged batteries to 12V+ but they drop below 10V within seconds of starting) as soon as the truck is started.
Mechanic unhooked alternator completely from the system (the new one), and truck ran GREAT for about 30 seconds and then died. When the alternator is connected, it runs like crap.
Somewhere, we seem to be getting a huge power drain that is loading the alt and draining batteries very quickly, causing immediate injector problems from low voltage (this is the theory).
Help help help!!!!! I don't know where else for the mechanic to look??????
Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 3,294
Likes: 1
From: Neptune Beach, FL
It is.. could be bad alternator even tho its new.. Did he test the alternator? For an electrical drain to be that drastic.. You'd practically have to cut the harness and wedge it on metal.. If its acting up that bad, thats a pretty nasty voltage flux..
Never ran across this type of problem.. Does the voltage remain above 12V on the batteries with the Alt plugged in?
Never ran across this type of problem.. Does the voltage remain above 12V on the batteries with the Alt plugged in?
Thread Starter
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Junior User
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 58
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From: NW Wisconsin
I believe it does (when it's off). The minute it's started the batteries drop to 10 or less. He's going to pull the alt and check it, but wow that would be a freak thing (brand new bad alternator).
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Junior User
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 58
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From: NW Wisconsin
Yeah, the cables were cleaned and are perfect. What else is on the alternator 'circuit' that is seperate from the batteries (what would have been disabled when the alternator was unhooked)? It APPEARS that something on that circuit is killing the system. I just don't have a wiring diagram to trace it though.
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Senior User
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 215
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From: Bakersfield California
I posted re a rough run..idle..that gets worse and dies..but saw your alternator problem..mine is hot as hell too...
what was the problem, anyone know?
what was the problem, anyone know?
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