I need help!

[JohnnyUhlar]

i recently got a new battery and a new alternator but my truck just died on me and my power gage is reading zero. i havent got a single clue as to what might be the problem but maybe you do. its a 1997 ford ranger single cab 2.3l motor with a manual trans. i need this this by tomorrow for school. if anyone knows what could be wrong, please message me on here or email. Johnnyuhlar@yahoo.com.

 

[Mark_88]

why did you replace the battery and alternator recently? Was it because of the same or similar issue where the battery was dead or not being charged?

I'd pm you here but it's not the way the forums work best...because you might get 50 of the same question and answer...posting here helps things progress and eliminates repeats...but it is your time...

Anyway...did you install it or someone else? If you did, check that the ground wire is connected to the alternator (or wherever)...I seem to recall they have a ground on the back of the newer ones...and if that is connected and not loose, check for an open circuit if you have a tester...if not...take it to the guy who installed it and ask them to check it...could be a bad alternator (I've had two bad ones from the same store in the same week)...

 

[JohnnyUhlar]

yeah i istalled both of them myselfd. but the reason why i did the alternator wasd because it had a bad bearing. the battery wasd replaced because i took it to the shop, had it tested, and they said it was no good. i might have gotten suckered into that but i assumed he was being honest. the truck sat for two weeks cause it needed a new fuel pump. i did my fuel pump, got it to run, with my new battery, and my battery light came on. i figured alternator( the alternator at this time was also making a horendous sound) so i replaced it too. its been a day and as i was on my way home from school, all my gages exept mph drop to zero, but my truck didnt shut off. i drove the rest of the way home and when i went to start it again just to see if it could, it wouldnt. i checked all the wires on the back of the alternator, and they are all in proper position. i however do not have a tester.

 

[JohnnyUhlar]

the letter "d" on my keyboard is broken. sorry about the typos.

 

[alexpmcmurphy]

you might start by seeing if you got a ground somewhere in your system, pull the negative cable and check to see if you have continunity between the positive terminal and the negative cable, then go from there




ps if you pull the battery cable with the car running and it dies its the alternator

 

[JohnnyUhlar]

ps if you pull the battery cable with the car running and it dies its the alternator[/QUOTE]

positive or negative? because ive looked over every bit that i can and i cant come up with anything.

 

[alexpmcmurphy]

should be either, the truck can run off alternator or battery or both, pulling any side of the battery cables off shouldn't kill the truck if the alternator is putting out

i could be completely wrong about pulling the ground to see if it dies, but it will definately die if the alternator is not putting out and you pull the positive

 

[JohnnyUhlar]

ok pulled the posi and it died immediately. bad alternator then? i bought the damn thing brand new yesterday from the shop.

 

[alexpmcmurphy]

take it back and have them put it on the bench, but im pretty sure thats gonna be the issue

 

[kkjb4x4.0]

And make sure all the cables from the battery are in good condition including grounds.

 

[jhammel85]

take it back and have them put it on the bench, but im pretty sure thats gonna be the issue

Check the connection and wiring to it too! You might be able to save yourself a lot of time if it's just a loose connection.

 

[snake]

There is a small fuse (10amp I think) as well as a mega fuse for that alt- make sure it didn't blow this smaller fuse. On an F-150 it is off of a white wire from the alt to the firewall and the fuse is hidden in a black fuse holder at the firewall behind a plastic cover- its a fuse holder with a lid- not sure where it is on a ranger. it should be the single wire off of the alt, follow where it goes and u should find it.

Also, turn on your headlights with the engine off, and wiggle the hell out of your battery cables from the battery on down- see if you can get the headlights to go out or flicker. If they do you have a bad connection somewhere which is what I'm thinking this is. They can corrode underneath that nice plastic covering and be screwed up internally.