yup your alt's toast.. should be 13.8 to 14.2....
CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.
Good replacement battery?
- Thread starter nutt7
- Start date
144 is definitely considered better in regards to longevity/construction, so if you can find that, go for it. I've not any complaint with my 130, but I am also not electrically pushing it really.
I would expect that a late year small block truck/van (2002?) would be a fairly obvious donor, and I wouldn't think that hard to find.
I don't think the adapter wiring is needed, just the plug that will come with the wrecking yard alt. There are a lot of threads on the 'net (and here) that cover wiring those things up, and I was not impressed with the adapter I bought for mine. Should have just wired it up myself.
I would expect that a late year small block truck/van (2002?) would be a fairly obvious donor, and I wouldn't think that hard to find.
I don't think the adapter wiring is needed, just the plug that will come with the wrecking yard alt. There are a lot of threads on the 'net (and here) that cover wiring those things up, and I was not impressed with the adapter I bought for mine. Should have just wired it up myself.
Installed a cs144 but...
I went to the boneyard and picked up a cs144. Went straight to O'Reilly's and it tested ok. Got it all installed today as well. I upgraded the big 3 and double checked the cleanliness and quality of all connections.
I still get the same low voltages under load. According to my ALDL Scanner Tool I get 13.7 volts idling with no major load. I get 12.5-13 with the AC on and about 11-12 with everything on. Driving with AC I am around 12.5 volts, but it jumps to 12.8 when I coast?? Ugh.
The cs144 shares the same connector as the cs130, which only has one wire, the L wire to excite the field. Mine tests at 12 volts. I read that they should be lower. I don't think I have an idiot light (if I do, it doesn't light up with key on), but I USED to have a voltmeter, but I removed it and replaced it with a crappy tach. Could this be why my alternators won't compensate for load?
I rigged up a resistor (85 ohms) to the exciter and there is no change. I used a little old fog light and it performed as it should, on with ignition power, off after the alt kicks on, but no change in performance. I even added a 4 gauge ground to the alt housing...no change.
When the vehicle is under heavy load at idle, the dome lights lightly flicker. Did I fry something by running a straight 12v to the exciter? I thought my factory wiring would supply the right resistance but removing the volt gauge may have effed it all up...BTW, I have been running w/o the voltmeter for around two years with the old alt...any ideas? I'm spent.
I went to the boneyard and picked up a cs144. Went straight to O'Reilly's and it tested ok. Got it all installed today as well. I upgraded the big 3 and double checked the cleanliness and quality of all connections.
I still get the same low voltages under load. According to my ALDL Scanner Tool I get 13.7 volts idling with no major load. I get 12.5-13 with the AC on and about 11-12 with everything on. Driving with AC I am around 12.5 volts, but it jumps to 12.8 when I coast?? Ugh.
The cs144 shares the same connector as the cs130, which only has one wire, the L wire to excite the field. Mine tests at 12 volts. I read that they should be lower. I don't think I have an idiot light (if I do, it doesn't light up with key on), but I USED to have a voltmeter, but I removed it and replaced it with a crappy tach. Could this be why my alternators won't compensate for load?
I rigged up a resistor (85 ohms) to the exciter and there is no change. I used a little old fog light and it performed as it should, on with ignition power, off after the alt kicks on, but no change in performance. I even added a 4 gauge ground to the alt housing...no change.
When the vehicle is under heavy load at idle, the dome lights lightly flicker. Did I fry something by running a straight 12v to the exciter? I thought my factory wiring would supply the right resistance but removing the volt gauge may have effed it all up...BTW, I have been running w/o the voltmeter for around two years with the old alt...any ideas? I'm spent.
Do you have a good ground from the engine block to the body?..the clue that it goes back up to 12.8 when coasting might indicate the ground improves when the motor isn't under torque..I run a 10 gauge ground right to the altenator case if I have any doubts about grounds,if it still acts strange then,its some other problem
A short usually causes issues like this if its not a ground issue,the low volts and flickering lights...the altenator should make quite a whine if its straining against a short circuit..one or more bad diodes in it can do this too..
Also,before you go too crazy,make sure the dash gauge isn't misleading you--I have been fooled by them before,making me think I has issues when there wasn't any,after checking with a known accurate meter..
I found out if I pressed against the dash,my voltmeter gauge would go up 2 volts..after replacing the altenator and wires,etc--for nothing!..
A short usually causes issues like this if its not a ground issue,the low volts and flickering lights...the altenator should make quite a whine if its straining against a short circuit..one or more bad diodes in it can do this too..
Also,before you go too crazy,make sure the dash gauge isn't misleading you--I have been fooled by them before,making me think I has issues when there wasn't any,after checking with a known accurate meter..
I found out if I pressed against the dash,my voltmeter gauge would go up 2 volts..after replacing the altenator and wires,etc--for nothing!..
I have been using a scanner to the aldl port. I havent added a new engine to firewall wire yet, it still has the little strap. Using my dmm, I got over a volt more at the battery than inside at the aldl port. While testing, the voltage dropped a little more as it warmed up. The voltage at some fuses almost matched the battery, while others were lower.
I began testing the feeds from the engine bay, and I had butt connected a new fusible link from the wire at the firewall jct a long time ago not realizing how much power that thing carries. The connector was HOT. So was the other feed from the alt (not the charge lead), but that one wasn't as bad. I soldered a new one on, and the interior voltage went up 1.5 volts. Fully loaded, the battery tests 13.8 volts, while cruising the interior voltage is 12.9-13 volts, pretty close to what it is at idle. Unloaded it sits about 14.2 volts at the battery.
Much better, but shouldn't it be around 14.4? It also drops a few tenths while driving, and jumps back up when coasting. What's up with that? Battery is at 12.24 volts with engine off.
I began testing the feeds from the engine bay, and I had butt connected a new fusible link from the wire at the firewall jct a long time ago not realizing how much power that thing carries. The connector was HOT. So was the other feed from the alt (not the charge lead), but that one wasn't as bad. I soldered a new one on, and the interior voltage went up 1.5 volts. Fully loaded, the battery tests 13.8 volts, while cruising the interior voltage is 12.9-13 volts, pretty close to what it is at idle. Unloaded it sits about 14.2 volts at the battery.
Much better, but shouldn't it be around 14.4? It also drops a few tenths while driving, and jumps back up when coasting. What's up with that? Battery is at 12.24 volts with engine off.
as I mentioned.. alt output should be 13.8 to 14.2
Thanks, I should have looked up! Is the voltage drop to the inside normal?
eh, short more than a volt at the fuse box is a bit light imo.... I would check your wire ends/connection at the buss by the booster and your fuse/junction block plug.. the junction block/fuse block plug will often have green growing... disassemble, sand, clean, re-lug, whatever they all need..
Check the ignition switch contacts. If the fuses you are losing voltage on go through the switch, the contracts in it could be wearing out.
Ryoken, The fuse box and junction are clean. When I reworked that fuse box I smeared all contacts with dielectric grease. I checked and they are still all good. For some reason the cab is not being supplied with enough juice. Turning on my windstar fans hardly makes the alt flinch with the cs144, but turning on my rear ac fan drops over half a volt inside.
TerryD, I have had issues with overly hot wires when I was hunting an electrical issue in my greener days, and the lower voltage fuses are on the switched side...there may be an issue there. Maybe I can blast some deoxit in the tumbler if that's possible. If that doesn't cut it, maybe a relay or two can hold me over until I can really get in there, but I feel better now. I will post pics of the install in a new thread...Thanks everyone! I love ck5!
TerryD, I have had issues with overly hot wires when I was hunting an electrical issue in my greener days, and the lower voltage fuses are on the switched side...there may be an issue there. Maybe I can blast some deoxit in the tumbler if that's possible. If that doesn't cut it, maybe a relay or two can hold me over until I can really get in there, but I feel better now. I will post pics of the install in a new thread...Thanks everyone! I love ck5!
the ign electrical portion is rod-activated at the bottom of the column... mounted on top with a couple screws... you can light em off with a Phillips head with the switch unbolted..
you just need to find where it falls on it's face... starting thru the 10 gauge feed to the fuse block and working your way deeper imo..
you just need to find where it falls on it's face... starting thru the 10 gauge feed to the fuse block and working your way deeper imo..
I will, thanks. I am currently studying the schematics so I know who supplies what and where things start and end...
So the battery died. I accidentally wired a latching relay while redoing some things, and it died and never fully recovered .
I went with the AGM "duralast platinum" I also picked up some noco military terminals (from O'reilly; pn:TZ620 and TZ625) for the dual post to run my accessories, leaving my side posts un-hindered. The nocos are cool, except the hardware. The main clamps have two different size nuts, and all the bolts have square heads, but no proper seats for one tooled install/removals. All in all, I used 12mm, 13mm, 14mm, and 15mm wrenches to add the terminals!
. I went with the AGM "duralast platinum" I also picked up some noco military terminals (from O'reilly; pn:TZ620 and TZ625) for the dual post to run my accessories, leaving my side posts un-hindered. The nocos are cool, except the hardware. The main clamps have two different size nuts, and all the bolts have square heads, but no proper seats for one tooled install/removals. All in all, I used 12mm, 13mm, 14mm, and 15mm wrenches to add the terminals!
