Electrical misfit
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Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 4,086
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From: Malahat/Cowichan Valley
Electrical misfit
Fellas, brief history of work done in the past couple weeks. Exhaust. There it is. For a couple days prior to isolating some vibration coming from the exhaust or was a low tone vibration or resonance that would occur when slowind down and at around 20-25mph. Either way that is history.
New problem.......
Charging is weak unless I have my foot on the gas. If it is idling, it drops to the R on the normal scale. Usually rides on the middle to right side if the M. So I got under the hood and I believe that I am victim to loose connections. I found my ground loose on the passenger batt. And the ground cable on the drivers side was coming out of the terminal clamp connector. I tightened all of it but she is still weak. I don't have a load tester but she will start every time just like usual. No weak starts. I hate electrical gremlins. If you have been through similar issues let me know. Thanks, I'll be out under the hood.
New problem.......
Charging is weak unless I have my foot on the gas. If it is idling, it drops to the R on the normal scale. Usually rides on the middle to right side if the M. So I got under the hood and I believe that I am victim to loose connections. I found my ground loose on the passenger batt. And the ground cable on the drivers side was coming out of the terminal clamp connector. I tightened all of it but she is still weak. I don't have a load tester but she will start every time just like usual. No weak starts. I hate electrical gremlins. If you have been through similar issues let me know. Thanks, I'll be out under the hood.
Cargo Master
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 3,409
Likes: 1
From: back in SE Iowa
no weak starts?could just be the gauge.put a multimeter on it after its warmed up it should put out around 14.6v
wasnt the wiring pretty nasty until you got in there and straightened it out on your franken-truck?
wasnt the wiring pretty nasty until you got in there and straightened it out on your franken-truck?
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Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 4,086
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From: Malahat/Cowichan Valley
Alternator is nearly new! The belt issue...... I bet the thing worked loose and so when I throttle it tightens. The wiring I know is clean but the connections are the usual problem. I'll check that!!!
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Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2009
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From: Malahat/Cowichan Valley
Well I checked the voltage and at normal idle it is around 13.2 after warmed. It goes up to 14.2 if I throttle it. Can I put a lead on an alternator post like the one that goes to the batteries to see if it is putting out more at the alternator? The voltage regulator and alternator are both new as of July last year so they shouldn't be dead right??
Methanoholic
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 6,442
Likes: 8
From: Maine (NorCal Native)
Yes you can test anywhere on the charging circuit.
Yes, I have seen more than one alternator / regulator fail prematurely.
Turn on everything that draws power ... lights, etc...
How much above idle does it take to get to 14+ volts.
If it only takes a couple hundred RPM, Honestly, I wouldn't worry about it.
Remember, worn V-Belt's don't grip the pulleys. (If the sides of the belt are concaved or if it's hitting the bottom of the pulley)
-Enjoy
fh : )_~
Yes, I have seen more than one alternator / regulator fail prematurely.
Turn on everything that draws power ... lights, etc...
How much above idle does it take to get to 14+ volts.
If it only takes a couple hundred RPM, Honestly, I wouldn't worry about it.
Remember, worn V-Belt's don't grip the pulleys. (If the sides of the belt are concaved or if it's hitting the bottom of the pulley)
-Enjoy
fh : )_~
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Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 4,086
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From: Malahat/Cowichan Valley
Takes a bit to get the voltage change. I tightened the main belt and it still has a fair bit of wobble. Which isn't that new but I can't get it to go away and it is about out of tightening room. Cheap fix so I will start there after I clean and check all of the remaining connections. Like you are saying the belt could be worn but still spin. This thing has a lot of vibration/wobble in the alternator belt. The other belts are clean spinning.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2003
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From: Nutter Fort, WV
More than once I have pulled a worse part out of a box than the part it was replacing.
If the alternator was remanufactured, what was replaced, only parts that had failed?
If it is a remanufactured part, unlimited or a long warranty is the only way to go even though that part will cost more.
If the alternator was remanufactured, what was replaced, only parts that had failed?
If it is a remanufactured part, unlimited or a long warranty is the only way to go even though that part will cost more.
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Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2009
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From: Malahat/Cowichan Valley
bought it from napa so they will honor the warranty, i had at least a year. Wish it was like my new bosch starter, lifetime unlimited. Guess if the damn rain ever stops i can get this crap finished. haha. Still have a few more connections to check. always on my toes. always
Methanoholic
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 6,442
Likes: 8
From: Maine (NorCal Native)
It's a long way to the alternator for a v-belt, they do shake rattle and roll a bit ...
Don't over tighten it and overload the side load on the alt bearings.
I like to do belts just tight enough they don't slip, no tighter, and replace them regularly.
-Enjoy
fh : )_~
Don't over tighten it and overload the side load on the alt bearings.
I like to do belts just tight enough they don't slip, no tighter, and replace them regularly.
-Enjoy
fh : )_~
Methanoholic
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 6,442
Likes: 8
From: Maine (NorCal Native)
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Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2009
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From: Malahat/Cowichan Valley
Update,
So i ran through the entire electrical system, re did all of the terminal clamps, cut the lines back to fresh copper, re soldered everything, made it all new and clean. Found loose wires, found unrelated things, fixed it all over about a fiver hour period. No change in power. Still starts instantly, still reads on the high end when driving but when i slow down and let off the gas, the voltage drops. My guess is that the alternator is off. Even when i was hard on the accelerator with the voltmeter hooked up, it still isnt reading anything near 14.6. I get 14.18-14.2 throttled. That is reading at the alternator. Reading at the batts is about .03 voltage difference which is the same as it always has been. I dont believe it is the batteries, they hold over 12 volts when sitting over night. they were about 12.4 this am. I just didnt get anywhere but man did i feel accomplished. The unrelated things were leaking trans cooler lines. That was making a mess under there and now it is clean and dry.
So i ran through the entire electrical system, re did all of the terminal clamps, cut the lines back to fresh copper, re soldered everything, made it all new and clean. Found loose wires, found unrelated things, fixed it all over about a fiver hour period. No change in power. Still starts instantly, still reads on the high end when driving but when i slow down and let off the gas, the voltage drops. My guess is that the alternator is off. Even when i was hard on the accelerator with the voltmeter hooked up, it still isnt reading anything near 14.6. I get 14.18-14.2 throttled. That is reading at the alternator. Reading at the batts is about .03 voltage difference which is the same as it always has been. I dont believe it is the batteries, they hold over 12 volts when sitting over night. they were about 12.4 this am. I just didnt get anywhere but man did i feel accomplished. The unrelated things were leaking trans cooler lines. That was making a mess under there and now it is clean and dry.