Bought a Powermaster 250amp alternator for my '05 V10. Says I need to upgrade my power and ground wires to 4 gauge with fuse on power cable. I don't really run too many accessories other than HID heads and fogs and 2 DVD screens for the boys.
Do do I really need to upgrade my wiring? Can't imagine I'm pulling much more amperage than stock (130amp on my truck).
I decided to change out my alternator to a high output. After researching I've decided to go with a DC Power...I'm planning more lights and a power inverter. Any recommendation on which one? I don't care what it cost just don't want to over do it, can too many amps hurt anything? Also, on my previous EX I did the big 3 upgrade. Is it the same on a 2 battery setup?
View 14 RepliesWhat difficulties might I run into on switching in the HO alternator. Is it that hard to get the stock alt out/putting the serpentine belt back on once i get the HO alt in?
Any pictures or videos to make this job easier? The stock alt almost looks impossible to get out unless i remove the entire radiator.. Should I just bring it to a shop and have them install it?
Got my 240 amp alternator in and had all new 1/0 GA battery cables with a 250amp fuse in line made to do all new lines. I started tonight and found a small line going from the alt connector down the power line to a fuseible link (fuse) all in the power line
I wanna do away with the main 4 ga alt wire but obviously I can't do anything with that line going to the plug. Can I put a connector on it and wire that into the one side of the 250amp fuse.
The only other option is to add a wire to beef up the stock line ....
I have a 99 F250 super duty 4x. It's all stock except for some speakers I replaced when I got it. The others were blown from my uncle. I don't have any amp or anything like that and the truck has ran fine for 3 years so I don't think the alternator has failed because of that. I'm thinking just age and 138k miles.
I was wondering what generation of alternator might be on there and how to tell the difference between the generations.
I have 12.5V with the truck off, about 14V with it on idle. As soon as I get it around 3000 RPM the battery light comes on and the voltage goes to 12.5V. Where can I get a rebuild kit for the alternator. I don't see anything at the major parts shops (napa, oreilly, autozone). Could this be the voltage regulator(that I did see at the stores)? I think its mounted to the back of the alternator. Is there any way to test the alternator further?
I'm a little confused as why it would be only above 3000 rpm. Are there two separate circuits for it? Like a low rpm one and then a different one above 3000 rpm?
2001 ranger with 4.0, alternator failed and new alternator is also not charging, showing very little output. i've installed 2 new ones with no fix. the regulator is in the alternator, correct? I'm stumped and not sure where to go with this.
View 14 RepliesI have a 2005 6.0L Excursion. I'd like to do the high idle mod. From looking in the tech folder there are two options.. Option #1 being for 2003-2004 trucks and Option #2 being for 2005+ trucks. The assumption for Option #2 is that there is wiring from the factory for the upfitter switches. My engine build is a 2004 and I could not find any evidence of the orange upfitter wires so I proceeded with Option #1.
I find wire 294 (white/light blue strip) with no problem.. What I can't seem to find is wire 322 (light blue/yellow strip). I can find the 4 dummy (extra) wires to the engine compartment (Red, White, Blue, Black solids) yet I only find 3 blunt cut wires capped with tape... The colors on those are white/orange strip, light green/white strip and yellow/white strip - no sign of the light blue/yellow strip wire.
Is there something unique about the 2005 Excursions?
We've got a 2012 F550 6.7 with 138k. It recently got a battery light. The batteries are right around 12 volts with the truck running or off. I also tested the output on the alternator and its not charging. I put a new alternator in it and still no charge. All the connections are tight and clean. The batteries load test ok. Where to look next?
View 4 RepliesI have a 86 Suzuki samurai that I have just swapped a vw 1.9 turbo diesel into with a gm 3 wire 10si 110amp alternator.
Wire number 2 is looped back onto the 12v post and has 12v at all times
Wire number 1 is hooked into my dash light.
Key on engine off it reads 0v with the dash light on, key on engine on it reads just below battery voltage and dash light is off. The 12v post is hooked into my stock wiring connected to my brand new battery. Today I had my battery and my alternator bench tested and they both came back functioning normally.
My issue is I'm never reading above battery voltage with the engine on (either from the post on the alternator or my battery). I grabbed a used alternator locally and I was having the same issue. However with that one if I pulled the positive lead from the battery with the engine running it would read 14.3v until I would hook it back to the battery where it would drop back to battery voltage. I was able to repeat that behaviour mutlitple times until I ended up killing the alternator. My other alternator is new and I don't wish to damage it pulling the positive lead but I'm betting it's functioning the same way.
What in my system could be causing this? The truck is pretty old and doesn't have a ecm or much of any electrical and I just can't figure out what's going on. Its like some kind of feedback is shutting down the alternator when it gets hooked up to the battery.
So far I've tried temporarily adding grounds with jumper cables :
Measured 0.2ohm resistance between my ground cable and the alternator housing
Measured 0.0ohm resistance between my positive lead and the 12v post on alternator
I've also tried pulling all the relays and accessories I've added to the positive lead with no change. Camping weather is quickly approaching and I need my truck back on the road!
I have a 2001 5.4 4x4 supercrew with 300,000 miles.. This truck is my baby. Recently when I start it up and after putting it in gear and begin taking off my engine is loud as if I am revving the engine without any indication in the rpms. I want to say it starts out on the trip a tad sluggish. Is there anything I can do to eliminate?
View 1 RepliesOkay, I have a P0720 code. I bought the Output Shaft Speed Sensor and read that it is on the back end of the transmission.
Need to confirm that it is on top of the transmission, near the tail end? Why are parts that go bad always in the most inconvenient places?
I bought a truck recently and I am attempting to get the alternator to charge. A previous owner hacked up the wiring pretty badly. We found that they had connected the voltage regulator to the horn relay for some reason. Anyway, I am trying to get it rewired and have searched existing threads for info and I thought that I had the wiring sorted out, however it is still not charging the battery.
The alternator has been tested and works. The voltage regulator is new. This is how it is currently wired.
Regulator A Terminal --> Battery side of started solenoid --> Alternator Batt Post
Regulator F Terminal --> Alternator Fld Post
Regulator S Terminal --> Alternator Sta Post
Regulator I Terminal --> Empty
Regulator body --> Radiator Support --> Alternator Ground Post --> Neg batt
When running, the battery is showing about 11.8 and slowly dropping as it runs. The truck has an ammeter in the dash, however it looks like it is no longer connected. Does it need to be connected in order for the alternator to charge the battery?
I removed my drift shaft to get balanced since I have felt a vibration at 55-60 mph. After removing the driveshaft I noticed there is some play in the output shaft when I grab a hold of the yoke on the transmission. The play is a slightly up and down. If my memory serves me right that should not be. Seal is not leaking but need diagram of this yoke off the output shaft. I know in past on other vehicles there is sometimes a crush washer. Also what is the torque specification for that output shaft nut?
View 3 RepliesI *think* I'm having trouble with the alternator on my 2002 Navigator with the 5.4L DOHC engine.
A year ago in Feb 2014 the alternator quit charging. I thought the headlights were a little dim, but when the radio turned itself off and then the heater fan did the same, I noticed that the alt light was on. Then the engine shut down about 1.5 miles from home.
I'd heard of war stories about rebuilt alternators so I sprang for a brandy new one. I also got a voltmeter that fits in the cigarette lighter so I can monitor the system voltage. All seemed good and the new alternator put out 14.2 to 14.5 volts. Except that the battery never seems to be fully charged. If I check the battery voltage with the engine off it typically reads 11.9 to 12.2 volts. I had Interstate Batteries check the battery. They thought it was okay, but offered to put a new battery in to keep me happy.
Six months and 8,000 miles later I'm up in Ontario back country (on vacation - no tools in the truck) and I notice the engine idles at 900 RPM instead of the usual 650 +/- RPM. Oh-oh, I also notice the volt meter is reading 11.9 volts and drops a tenth about every 10 miles.
Found a shop that was open and they installed a rebuilt alternator and it was putting out 14.2 to 14.5 volts. All was good (except for my wallet!).
Now, here we are six months and 5,000 miles later and the rebuilt alternator is struggling to put out 12.5 volts this afternoon. At a steady 50 MPH with the cruise Control on, the radio, and the heater fan on low, the voltage is bouncing between 12.2 volts and 12.7 volts.
Now to my questions:
1. Shouldn't an alternator put out 14.2 to 14.5 volts all the time? Not just when the alternator is new?
And
2. Is there anything on my truck that could be killing these alternators? Or am I just unlucky in the alternator lottery?
2003 f350 6.0l single alternator. Replaced alternator a couple weeks ago with one from napa, noticed a humming with key on and the engine off . Traced it to the alternator, called napa they said it was not normal come get a replacement, put the new one on same thing. Charging in the 13.5 to 14v range the case of the alternator seems to get hot quickly when running.
View 14 RepliesOver the weekend I was driving my 2000 F350 and the alternator died (found out later). The shop said they replaced the alternator but it wasn't charging. They later told me it was because the isolator failed. My 2nd battery WAS a yellow gel battery. Before the battery (in series) was an 50 amp circuit breaker...........that blew apart.........and the battery had a melted off side terminal. It looked like the 'sealed gel battery" had been 'leaking for a while" (as there was funky acid type white corrosion deposits in a few places. Any speculation what happened here?
View 4 RepliesI just replaced my starter and on my first ride after replacing it the X started to stumble a bit, and then would stall out at almost every stop light. It threw a CE light and I pulled the code P0720. I searched here and it seems most guys say this is a C.O.P. issue. If it is a bad C.O.P. would it stall like that?
I did have the battery disconnected but I made sure the terminals were clean and tight. Is this a coincidence or did I do something while changing the starter?
We have a 1999 F-350 V10 super duty. The alt was over charging and the gauges stopped working. Replacing the alt, the guages still don't work, and the new thing is the charge light and selt belt light comes on. The fuses 29 (5amp)and 30(30Amp) which are supposed to be key on hot only are hot at the same time. With these on, it causes a drain killing the battery. Also if the truck is started, the lights go out, but when you try to turn the vehicle off, it stays running, one with the battery disconnected. The only way to shut it down is pull the fuse box power fuse, 50(amp)Some one had been in the dash before we got this vehicle and busted, burned out or removed the check engine light. I can read codes and their vehicle runs fair and does operate. Could this be a dash board? Also this problem appears when the truck is sitting, and the key removed nothing on. No fuses are blown either.
View 3 RepliesI'm working on the '73 F250 in my sig. I'm not very skilled when it comes to electrical work and I don't want to hack things. First up is I'm wiring a 7-way trailer connector with brakes. I need to tap into the brake light switch at the pedal, what is the cleanest way to do this? I was thinking of sticking a blade connector in the existing connector or adding a plug pigtail.
Also in the future I will (hopefully) be doing a 3G alternator swap and adding relays to keep my headlights from shutting off. I'm looking for suggestions on a junkyard or aftermarket fuse block that will accommodate the circuit breaker for the trailer brake, the 100 amp fuse for the 3g swap and the relays for the headlights.
So I recently got APR stage 1 low output (93 octane v1.2) installed and loving it so far on my '15 GTI. I went with the low output tune after hearing many clutch slipping issues and since this is my daily driver and i need reliability, didn't want to risk it too much. BUT... I am starting to wonder about the regular output. Going low to high, worth it? Seems like a 20-29 hp difference would be a lot. Have the stage 1 regular tune and no clutch slipping issues?
View 24 RepliesHave got a 2006 Azera 3.3 (same engine as Sonata and have had no luck in the Azera section) which is showing Check Engine Light and P0171 code. Have cleared it but it soon returns and emissions are very high. I have tried with my limited knowledge to check the live data via a scanner but everything seems OK.
I've cleaned the MAF sensor but I'm thinking of replacing it but don't want to do this unnecessarily!
Is there anything else I could be checking? Car drives OK and there's nothing obvious symptom wise other than the emissions and the CEL.