The_Epsicle
New Member
- Joined
- Mar 2, 2015
- Messages
- 387
- Reaction score
- 2
- Points
- 0
- Location
- State of Boredom (Nebraska)
- Vehicle Year
- 1994
- Make / Model
- Ford
- Engine Size
- 4.0 Pushrod V6
- Transmission
- Automatic
- My credo
- All hail the mighty ziptie!
Charging system problems (RESOLVED!)
I drive a 1994 Ford Ranger 4.0, auto 4x4, auto tranny. I was recently doing some A/C work that failed catastrophically and now my battery light is on, I had to engage the clutch for the A/C with a jumper wire and I ended up having a high pressure line explode and spray refrigerant everywhere.
I tested between the red alternator wire and the positive side of the battery with the negative disconnected and I was reading 0.2 OHMs, when the engine is running the alternator reads as putting out 10 - 11 volts and it does not increase or decrease depending on engine speeds. with the engine off I read 12 volts at the battery. There is a yellow wire on a connector for the alternator that has no connection to the negative terminal of the battery at all and I think it might be grounded out somewhere along the wire or there's a fuse, I had no issues with the charging system prior to yesterday. I replaced the alternator today to no avail, it was still reading 10 volts with the engine running. Help please I need this truck to run by the weekend. .
UPDATE: The alternator is good, the ignition switch is good, the battery is good, no fuses are blown, the fusible link is good, the car starts and runs fine for several miles, the light is still on I sent it to a mechanic to have someone double check my work and everything came back the same. I am making 12.6 volts with the car on, I am currently focusing on the instrument cluster and so far have not found any issues with it. I will be checking all the pigtails and wiring again when I get the chance, when I test the wiring again I will break the harness apart and visually inspect every wire contained inside and if I find any issue I will replace the entire wire.
RESOLVED: This is an instance that shows I shouldn't doubt my instincts, the green/red striped wire was grounded out between the alternator and the instrument cluster, I ran a jumper wire between the two connectors and the light went off, checked the voltage and I was getting 14.2 . Special thank you to RonD for all the help he gave, he knows his stuff.
EDIT: I took it for a brief ride around town today and noticed that the engine sounds a lot stronger than it did before, my erratic idle seems to be mostly gone and many of the rough stumbles I've had on take off have disappeared as well. I think that wire was putting a drain on the system for awhile and only recently triggered the charge light.
UPDATE (8/12/2016): I took off the wiring harness today and discovered a mouse had chewed the wire.
I drive a 1994 Ford Ranger 4.0, auto 4x4, auto tranny. I was recently doing some A/C work that failed catastrophically and now my battery light is on, I had to engage the clutch for the A/C with a jumper wire and I ended up having a high pressure line explode and spray refrigerant everywhere.
I tested between the red alternator wire and the positive side of the battery with the negative disconnected and I was reading 0.2 OHMs, when the engine is running the alternator reads as putting out 10 - 11 volts and it does not increase or decrease depending on engine speeds. with the engine off I read 12 volts at the battery. There is a yellow wire on a connector for the alternator that has no connection to the negative terminal of the battery at all and I think it might be grounded out somewhere along the wire or there's a fuse, I had no issues with the charging system prior to yesterday. I replaced the alternator today to no avail, it was still reading 10 volts with the engine running. Help please I need this truck to run by the weekend. .
UPDATE: The alternator is good, the ignition switch is good, the battery is good, no fuses are blown, the fusible link is good, the car starts and runs fine for several miles, the light is still on I sent it to a mechanic to have someone double check my work and everything came back the same. I am making 12.6 volts with the car on, I am currently focusing on the instrument cluster and so far have not found any issues with it. I will be checking all the pigtails and wiring again when I get the chance, when I test the wiring again I will break the harness apart and visually inspect every wire contained inside and if I find any issue I will replace the entire wire.
RESOLVED: This is an instance that shows I shouldn't doubt my instincts, the green/red striped wire was grounded out between the alternator and the instrument cluster, I ran a jumper wire between the two connectors and the light went off, checked the voltage and I was getting 14.2 . Special thank you to RonD for all the help he gave, he knows his stuff.
EDIT: I took it for a brief ride around town today and noticed that the engine sounds a lot stronger than it did before, my erratic idle seems to be mostly gone and many of the rough stumbles I've had on take off have disappeared as well. I think that wire was putting a drain on the system for awhile and only recently triggered the charge light.
UPDATE (8/12/2016): I took off the wiring harness today and discovered a mouse had chewed the wire.
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