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is it my alternator??? #6489463
03/13/19 08:38 AM
03/13/19 08:38 AM
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 4,673
Illinois
foxkidd44 Offline OP
trapper
foxkidd44  Offline OP
trapper

Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 4,673
Illinois
okay gang......I noticed my battery light + - came on last night while driving to work............when I gave it some gas...it went off......when I let off......it came back on.........so I unhooked the cable while running......and truck died.....today its not coming on...like no issues at all.......is the alternator failing?? my first guess is yes.....................but I hate to replace it if its not.........those aint cheap


Stand by your principles, Stand by your guns, and victory complete and permanent is sure at last.
Abraham Lincoln
Re: is it my alternator??? [Re: foxkidd44] #6489464
03/13/19 08:39 AM
03/13/19 08:39 AM
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 229
Grand Rapids, MN
D
deerdragger Offline
trapper
deerdragger  Offline
trapper
D

Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 229
Grand Rapids, MN
Could just be a loose battery clamp. Check charging voltage (should be 14.something volts).

Re: is it my alternator??? [Re: foxkidd44] #6489468
03/13/19 08:41 AM
03/13/19 08:41 AM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 2,108
mo.
N
nate Offline
trapper
nate  Offline
trapper
N

Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 2,108
mo.
Yes. You can get them checked as well but it's the altinater.

Re: is it my alternator??? [Re: foxkidd44] #6489470
03/13/19 08:43 AM
03/13/19 08:43 AM
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 4,381
Perham Minnesota 54
R
racerboy108 Offline
trapper
racerboy108  Offline
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R

Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 4,381
Perham Minnesota 54
I would say yes on the alternator.

If your battery is old I would replace as well.

Under power current is hard on all electrical components.

Re: is it my alternator??? [Re: foxkidd44] #6489483
03/13/19 09:12 AM
03/13/19 09:12 AM
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 14,804
Greene County,Virginia
R
run Offline
trapper
run  Offline
trapper
R

Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 14,804
Greene County,Virginia
Maybe the alternator belt is worn out. I'm not a mechanic.


wanna be goat farmer.
Re: is it my alternator??? [Re: foxkidd44] #6489499
03/13/19 09:30 AM
03/13/19 09:30 AM
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 294
worcester co MD
L
lady123 Offline
trapper
lady123  Offline
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L

Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 294
worcester co MD
check the belt for tension first. cables for tightness and corrosion . then if you dont have test equipment go to advance auto of some place that will test alternator and battery for free. I would start will belt tension first it sounds like something is slipping .dont know what kind of vehicle but older models have a voltage regulator . newer ones are built in to the alternator. hope that helps

Re: is it my alternator??? [Re: foxkidd44] #6489500
03/13/19 09:31 AM
03/13/19 09:31 AM
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 6,501
Wi.
D
Diggerman Offline
trapper
Diggerman  Offline
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D

Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 6,501
Wi.
Voltage regulator? Most nowadays are internal but not real hard to change. There is a hole in back of the alternator that you can stick a wire in and ground it, if you hear the alt pull down then its the VR.

Re: is it my alternator??? [Re: Diggerman] #6489529
03/13/19 09:58 AM
03/13/19 09:58 AM
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 9,153
Alaska and Washington State
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waggler Offline
trapper
waggler  Offline
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 9,153
Alaska and Washington State
Tonight when it gets dark start your truck up park it about ten feet away from a wall with your headlights aiming at the wall, and turn off the engine but leave the lights on. If the lights dim when you turn the truck off that means your alternator is working okay. But if the lights don't dim when you turn it off that means your alternator or something else in the charging system is shot


"My life is better than your vacation"
Re: is it my alternator??? [Re: foxkidd44] #6489550
03/13/19 10:29 AM
03/13/19 10:29 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 29,750
williamsburg ks
D
danny clifton Offline
"Grumpy Old Man"
danny clifton  Offline
"Grumpy Old Man"
D

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 29,750
williamsburg ks
unhooking a cable is the old standby shade tree way to check the alternator. if the hot wire isn't corroded, if the belt is good, you need a new one. usually when they start going bad you need to turn on your headlights and heater blower before the vehicle dies. keep running a low amp/voltage charger your going to damage your battery. car/pickup batteries are not made to draw way down like a marine battery. it shortens their life a bunch.


Those who would give up essential liberty, to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety. Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)
Re: is it my alternator??? [Re: foxkidd44] #6489570
03/13/19 10:43 AM
03/13/19 10:43 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 21,537
Sandhills Nebraska
G
Gary Benson Offline
trapper
Gary Benson  Offline
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 21,537
Sandhills Nebraska
If you can get to the back of the alternator, you can also put a screwdriver against the center of the alternator where the bearing is..if you feel a magnetic pull grab the screwdriver, it's charging. Not a good idea though. If you touch the wrong terminal back there you will pee down your leg.


Life ain't supposed to be easy.
Re: is it my alternator??? [Re: foxkidd44] #6489574
03/13/19 10:45 AM
03/13/19 10:45 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 21,537
Sandhills Nebraska
G
Gary Benson Offline
trapper
Gary Benson  Offline
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 21,537
Sandhills Nebraska
I keep a $30 load tester/alternator tester handy. I've found many discarded batteries that were discarded for the wrong reason, and were still good batteries.


Life ain't supposed to be easy.
Re: is it my alternator??? [Re: Diggerman] #6489593
03/13/19 11:02 AM
03/13/19 11:02 AM
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 6,190
Kansas
Pawnee Offline
trapper
Pawnee  Offline
trapper

Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 6,190
Kansas
Originally Posted by Diggerman
Voltage regulator? Most nowadays are internal but not real hard to change. There is a hole in back of the alternator that you can stick a wire in and ground it, if you hear the alt pull down then its the VR.


That’s my guess too. We got 60 miles from home on our trip and my alternator shot craps. Luckily O’Riellys auto parts was open. I walked in and told them I was confident my voltage reg was out. They tested for free and said it was. Bought a new one and they let me borrow some tools and 10 minutes later we where on the road. First time I was in one of their stores. Great people


Everything the left touches it destroys
Re: is it my alternator??? [Re: foxkidd44] #6489611
03/13/19 11:13 AM
03/13/19 11:13 AM
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 1,306
Maine
J
Jonnytrapper Offline
trapper
Jonnytrapper  Offline
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J

Joined: May 2016
Posts: 1,306
Maine
You shouldn't unhook the battery in a modern car. It's capacitance is used like a filter for the voltage coming off the alternator for the sensitive electronics in modern vehicles. The voltage regulator can be internal, external (mostly older cars) or in the vehicles computer.

Belt, battery connections, alternator connections, voltage regulator, alternator. Should have around 14v at the battery with the car running and lights on. If your alternator ends up being bad make sure your battery is good. Weak battery can tax an alternator and cause it to fail.

Last edited by Jonnytrapper; 03/13/19 12:06 PM.
Re: is it my alternator??? [Re: foxkidd44] #6489680
03/13/19 12:31 PM
03/13/19 12:31 PM
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 613
Northern Missouri
Northmocats Offline
trapper
Northmocats  Offline
trapper

Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 613
Northern Missouri
Get a volt meter. Test the battery with the Vehicle off... Start the Car test the battery while running. That will tell you if she is charging or not.

Re: is it my alternator??? [Re: foxkidd44] #6489687
03/13/19 12:36 PM
03/13/19 12:36 PM
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 6,501
Wi.
D
Diggerman Offline
trapper
Diggerman  Offline
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D

Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 6,501
Wi.
I think he already established the not charging part.

Re: is it my alternator??? [Re: foxkidd44] #6489721
03/13/19 01:18 PM
03/13/19 01:18 PM
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 10,308
MT
S
snowy Offline
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snowy  Offline
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S

Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 10,308
MT
Start it then disconnect the hot lead from your battery. If the engines dies it is the alternator.


Give me a fish, I will eat for a day. Teach me to fish, I will eat for a lifetime
Re: is it my alternator??? [Re: foxkidd44] #6489936
03/13/19 05:55 PM
03/13/19 05:55 PM
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 4,673
Illinois
foxkidd44 Offline OP
trapper
foxkidd44  Offline OP
trapper

Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 4,673
Illinois
thanks for the tips guys.......I didn't know they had a portable tester............i'm still old school.......take it off...put it on a machine to test.........lol.

went to o'reillys and they put a tester on it.............alternator is fine...........passed the test...........belt was slipping.......I dismissed the belt at first because I replaced it 2 years ago.....................but with closer examination.......that seems to be the culprit


Stand by your principles, Stand by your guns, and victory complete and permanent is sure at last.
Abraham Lincoln
Re: is it my alternator??? [Re: foxkidd44] #6489990
03/13/19 06:53 PM
03/13/19 06:53 PM
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 10,787
Asheville, NC
C
charles Offline
trapper
charles  Offline
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C

Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 10,787
Asheville, NC
I was 100 miles from home one cold winter night when my headlights started to fail. Made it to a service station. Two young kids on duty. They had the altonator I needed and an hour later had mine replaced. Gave them my credit card and paid. One kid then said "we never checked to see if the belt was slipping". They put my original alternator back on and snugged the belt. They test machine said it was perfect. They reversed the charge and apologized. Made me a happy motorist. Also fill up there now when passing through.

Wonder what their dad said the next day.

Re: is it my alternator??? [Re: foxkidd44] #6490287
03/13/19 10:55 PM
03/13/19 10:55 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 29,750
williamsburg ks
D
danny clifton Offline
"Grumpy Old Man"
danny clifton  Offline
"Grumpy Old Man"
D

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 29,750
williamsburg ks
their dad probably taught them to be honest. may have barked a bit cause they didn't check the belt and the hot wire first


Those who would give up essential liberty, to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety. Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)
Re: is it my alternator??? [Re: foxkidd44] #6490291
03/13/19 10:59 PM
03/13/19 10:59 PM
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 20,914
North East Kansas
Marty Offline
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Marty  Offline
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Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 20,914
North East Kansas
tagged


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'Honey Badger Militia'
Sleep, the anti woke adote.
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