Not charging while driving

[jakebson]

Got the fuel issues sorted out on my 85 and it was driving great. Took it to the car wash last night and drove it home just fine. Woke up this morning to a sluggish start and figured it was still the gunk in the fuel working its way out. After I turned it off it wouldn't start again, but will with a jump. Part of the cover in the front passenger side wheel well is missing, and I realized I probably sprayed the alternator directly with the power washer. What should my first steps be to diagnose if its a connection issue or if it is the alternator itself?

 

[jakebson]

I took the pictured wires off the alternator and cleaned them. I cleaned the fusible links at the battery and both ends of the ground cable from the battery. I charged the battery and started the truck and then checked the volts at the battery and it is draining as it sits running.

[datzenmike]

I assume the red charge light didn't come on?

 

I've driven through deep puddles and the alternator light will come on for about 5 seconds till the brushes wipe the water off the contacts. If this alternator is under warranty get another. If you have nothing to loose take it apart and clean the brushes. It might start charging again if you keep driving it but...

 

Used to be that you could buy replacement brushes for $5 and change them yourself. I've pulled used brushes out of a junked alternator and swapped them in and kept going.

[Thomas Perkins]

I hate to say this,don't get mad at me,never power wash your engine,you will cause lot of stuff to rust.Just wipe all the gunk off with a damp rag,with dawn,then come behind it with a damp rag.Do this often?.

[jakebson]

13 minutes ago, Thomas Perkins said:

I hate to say this,don't get mad at me,never power wash your engine,you will cause lot of stuff to rust.Just wipe all the gunk off with a damp rag,with dawn,then come behind it with a damp rag.Do this often?.

 

No, I do not power wash my engine, this was unintentional. The cover inside the wheel well is missing and I was being absent minded and was just washing it. I wouldn't get mad at someone for point out my bonehead move by the way haha. I made a mistake and just wanted to confirm what I already assumed. Now I need to be on the lookout for that wheel well cover also.

[jakebson]

34 minutes ago, datzenmike said:

I assume the red charge light didn't come on?

 

Correct, the charge light is not coming on at all.

[jakebson]

I took the alternator off and took it into O'Reilly's and it tested good.

[Duncan]

You can get a cheapie Harbor Freight multi meter for (usually) under $10.  When the car is running, check the voltage at the battery terminals.  If you get a reading at around 13-14 volts dc, the alternator is charging.  They are handy to have for other things, too..

 

 

[banzai510(hainz)]

2 hours ago, jakebson said:

checked the volts at the battery and it is draining as it sits running.

 

did you check the ignition fuse?

 

sometimes the alternator will ck POK at the store unless they have a Load tester.  No load it still might give over 13volts.

[jakebson]

25 minutes ago, Duncan said:

You can get a cheapie Harbor Freight multi meter for (usually) under $10.  When the car is running, check the voltage at the battery terminals.  If you get a reading at around 13-14 volts dc, the alternator is charging.  They are handy to have for other things, too..

 

 

 

Yes, I am checking at the battery while it is running and it was only reading 11.6 initially and was going down as I let the truck run. Just pulled the negative battery cable off and it has some serious corrosion. Going to go grab a cable and see if that may just take care of it. Should have checked that first. I initially only checked the ends, it has a ground in the middle of the cable and there is a ton of corrosion there.

[jakebson]

24 minutes ago, banzai510(hainz) said:

 

did you check the ignition fuse?

 

sometimes the alternator will ck POK at the store unless they have a Load tester.  No load it still might give over 13volts.

 

Ignition fuse is good

[Thomas Perkins]

2 hours ago, jakebson said:

 

No, I do not power wash my engine, this was unintentional. The cover inside the wheel well is missing and I was being absent minded and was just washing it. I wouldn't get mad at someone for point out my bonehead move by the way haha. I made a mistake and just wanted to confirm what I already assumed. Now I need to be on the lookout for that wheel well cover also.I never had the covers on mine.It was that way when I bought it.Never in the 30 years I've never had a problem with not having it.The engine stays clean on both sides.

 

Edited November 12, 2024 by Thomas Perkins

[datzenmike]

I don't expect a fuse to blow just from wetting the alternator and unlikely the battery cables decided to have a problem at the same time.

 

Is the red charge light on with ignition on engine running and not running???????? 

[jakebson]

14 minutes ago, datzenmike said:

I don't expect a fuse to blow just from wetting the alternator and unlikely the battery cables decided to have a problem at the same time.

 

Is the red charge light on with ignition on engine running and not running???????? 

 

No the red charge light is not on with the ignition running. Just started it and the volts at the battery read 12.8 after charging the battery and installing the new cable. After running for 10ish minutes it's reading 11.9.

[datzenmike]

But it comes on with ignition on and engine not running????

[jakebson]

19 minutes ago, datzenmike said:

But it comes on with ignition on and engine not running????

 

The battery light on the dash? It's not coming on at all. Running or while starting.

[banzai510(hainz)]

24 minutes ago, jakebson said:

The battery light on the dash? It's not coming on at all. Running or while starting.

turn the key to ON does the IGN or Batt light come on?  If not thats why I said ck the fuse. is the fuse good for sure? Maybe get another fuse.

 

re check the T connection at the alternator.

 

Your truck is newer but my 521 would pop ign fuse cause of a bad  external volt reg. once it popped the ign light would NEVER come on  even with key to ON and running and battery not charge.  You have a newer vehicle so the volt reg is in the alternator and I guess they say its good.

[datzenmike]

49 minutes ago, jakebson said:

 

The battery light on the dash? It's not coming on at all. Running or while starting.

 

I didn't say while starting.

I said ignition on, engine not running only. Does it come on at all????

 

DOES YOUR HORN WORK? If not, the BLACK fusible link is blown or not making contact.

[jakebson]

1 hour ago, datzenmike said:

 

I didn't say while starting.

I said ignition on, engine not running only. Does it come on at all????

 

DOES YOUR HORN WORK? If not, the BLACK fusible link is blown or not making contact.

 

With the ignition on, engine not running, there is no charging light. It is not coming on at all. The horn is working.

 

I did notice their is a ticking sound coming from around the fuse box when the key is in the ignition even before turning it to ACC. Not sure if that is related, but thought I should mention it.

[datzenmike]

Well the light should be on with ignition and go off when started and charging.

 

Pull the plastic two wire plug out of it's socket and ground the White/Blue stripe wire. Turn ignition to ON. Red charge light should come on.... does it? It should, if the wire is good and bulb not burned out. It's very important that the light work as it sort of 'jump starts' the magnetism in the spinning rotor.

 

 

[jakebson]

49 minutes ago, datzenmike said:

Well the light should be on with ignition and go off when started and charging.

 

Pull the plastic two wire plug out of it's socket and ground the White/Blue stripe wire. Turn ignition to ON. Red charge light should come on.... does it? It should, if the wire is good and bulb not burned out. It's very important that the light work as it sort of 'jump starts' the magnetism in the spinning rotor.

 

 

 

This will be the first thing I try tomorrow. I really appreciate all the help so far.

[datzenmike]

If the light bulb tests ok then pretty much anything else is the alternator and needs replacing.

[jakebson]

13 hours ago, datzenmike said:

If the light bulb tests ok then pretty much anything else is the alternator and needs replacing.

 

Ok, the bulb was burnt out. Now with the ignition on the charging/battery is lit. Also I double checked and the fusible link off of the positive terminal is melted a bit. I am still learning what to look for. Picture attached. Could this be the issue? How do I fix that, or do I just bypass it? Sorry for the dumb questions.

[datzenmike]

OK. That bulb HAS to be working for the alternator to charge properly. It should be out with engine running and the alternator charging.

 

The BLACK fusible link is connected to the White wire on the (red) output of the alternator. This is how the charging alternator puts a charge on the battery.

 

 

[banzai510(hainz)]

If bulb burns out  again you have a issue of to much current or soemthing loading down. Clan connections would be first if it pops again.

but your progressing