High Engine Load?

[Ranger4x4newb]

So watching my live data on my code reader my calculated engine load is between 34 and 37 percent at idle and 47 while I'm cruising down the road at about 35 and going uphill it pushes close to 73 and that's without the AC running too. I'm having trouble with my battery staying charged and my alternator almost kills the car when I load test it. I've tried all the usual stuff,new o2 sensors, throttle position sensor, maf sensor, cleaned the. IAC and throttle body. I've also tried mopar combustion chamber cleaner, gumoit multisystem tune up (the kind in the seafoam like can), seafoam, Lucas oil and afterwards I changed the plugs wires and coil with motorcraft plugs and an accel coil and there is still no change at all.
Does any else have any siggestions to try?


Vehicle is a 98 4.0 OHV 4x4 auto

 

[RonD]

Not sure I am following the diagnostics here?

If your battery voltage is below 13.6v at idle then your problem is alternator.
If you raise RPMs, to 2,000 for example, voltage should go above 13.6v then drop back down to 13.6v while maintaining engine RPM of 2,000, this is the voltage regulator doing it's job.

If you have 13.6v at idle and turn on head lights and heater fan to high voltage should drop then come back up to 13.6v, voltage regulator doing its job.
If voltage stays down below 13.6v then 1 or 2 of the 3 Fields in the alternator have failed.

The 13.6v is the maintenance charge the voltage regulator uses, it should be approx. 1volt above battery voltage when engine is off.
Just after starting an engine alternator will use 14+ volts to recharge battery, this higher voltage would "burn up" a battery over time so voltage should drop to 13.6v after a few minutes.

Key off battery voltage is:
12.7v = new battery
12.5v = 2 to 4 year old battery
12.3v = 5/6 years old, time to shop for battery sale
12.2v = battery can only hold 50% charge and next cold morning will get you the "click, click, click" no start

 

[Ranger4x4newb]

I mean the actual load on the engine as calculated by an obd 2 scanner, not an electrical load but a mechanical. I put the info about my alternator in there in case it may change the diagnostics.

 

[RonD]

In your original post you said, "I'm having trouble with my battery staying charged and my alternator almost kills the car when I load test it."
That would be the first problem to address since voltage effects sensor data.

So what is your question about engine load as read by OBDII scanner?

Good read here on OBD II scanner data: http://www.motor.com/article.asp?article_ID=889

Engine load on a scanner is a combination of several sensor's data, so any slight fault in one will effect the calculation.
Yours don't look that far off, check vacuum at idle, should be 17-21".
vacuum gauge is $25 and one of the better tools to have in the tool box.

 

[Ranger4x4newb]

Vacuum was normal, no changes during rev and steady idle etc. I've already replaced both upstream o2s, tps sensor and maf. Cleaned iac and did a decarbon treatment but it's still saying my load is high. I'm just worried that it's putting more stress on the engine that there needs to be.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

It seems to me that your alternator is at fault. Take it off and go test it.