Battery/Alternator Question

[trukman1]

I am asking this for my Father who needs some help on an electrical question. He purchased an '89 Mercury Grand Marquis...I know, the Furd thing...but he bought the car from my uncle before he died who was a decorated and severley injured soldier in WWII so please, no jabs on the Ford thing. While readying the car for a trip for another dying family member my Father had the car running and removed the positive battery cable to clean the post and the car died. I explained that the newer cars need to have battery power to the control module for the vehicle to run (at least I think it does). He was used to using this method to determine if the alternator was working right (I told him that was old school [and me with a '67 Chevy 4x4]) Anyway, am I right or is this really an indicator of a bad alternator? Thanks for your help. Trukman1

 

[big83chevy4x4]

i have started my dads 94 safari up and removed the battery and it stayed running.
have done the same to my moms 94 lumina, sisters 92 grandprix and they all stayed running

so i would guess that its a bad alternator, and you can test it the same way as the old cars and trucks.

 

[hawkeye649]

[ QUOTE ]
I am asking this for my Father who needs some help on an electrical question. He purchased an '89 Mercury Grand Marquis...I know, the Furd thing...but he bought the car from my uncle before he died who was a decorated and severley injured soldier in WWII so please, no jabs on the Ford thing. While readying the car for a trip for another dying family member my Father had the car running and removed the positive battery cable to clean the post and the car died. I explained that the newer cars need to have battery power to the control module for the vehicle to run (at least I think it does). He was used to using this method to determine if the alternator was working right (I told him that was old school [and me with a '67 Chevy 4x4]) Anyway, am I right or is this really an indicator of a bad alternator? Thanks for your help. Trukman1

[/ QUOTE ]

If the altinator wasn't bad, then it is now.
There IS a difference between a generator and an altinator, that's why they have different names! /forums/images/graemlins/whistling.gif

 

[hi pinion]

i just went trough this yesturday, i hope this helps ya http://coloradok5.com/forums/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=1211603&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=7&fpart=1

 

[diesel4me]

I see even experienced mechanics do that to "test" the altenator,but its one of the worst things you can do to one,to run it without a load,and the voltage spike can kill the diodes and rectifier bridge in the altenator,not to mention the computer and other sensitive electronics in late model cars(CD player,digital dash,etc)--its best to use a voltmeter on an altenator.I'm suprised that more altenators dont fry getting "tested" this way than they do. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif