Battery Problems after Rebuild

[48fordnut]

Quit going to a parts house to ck the components. go to a alt /battery shop. they will know how to ck the parts. might cost, but worth it.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks- I just bought the manual on eBay for $3!
Good thought about the cables...
After I first got the car I had "issues" with starting- turns out the starter to ground cable had corroded, but was only visible after the cable was removed and inspected on my bench. Replaced them all for good measure a few years ago.
Marc

Nice score on the Haynes manual for $3! You won't regret it.

 

[MercuryMarc]

Thanks Everyone-
Today took the car to work (over two bridges and made it over both) and here is the update...
Battery Voltage after Charging last night: 12 v
Battery Voltage after sitting overnight: 12 v
Voltage guage while idling: 13 v
Voltage guage while driving at 65 MPH: 11.9 v
Voltage guage while idling, fan, radio and lights on: 11 v
Voltage guage while driving at 25 mph fan, radio and lights on: 12v

Went to a different Kragen and the manager helped me-
Cold crank test fine
Alt votlage while idling fine 13 v

Will wait for the book in the mail and maybe look for an alt shop.

Could the new high energy coil, plugs gapped to 0.045, and duraspark 2 be pulling too much current for my alternator on the highway?

Marc
63 Comet
70 250/C4
82 Durapark2 dizzy/module, Flamethrower coil

 

[BIGREDRASA]

Actually, I suspect your alternator is too small. You really should have at least a 45 amp, 60 amp would be better.

 

[Anonymous]

Yeah, I agree, I was pretty surprised when you mentioned the alternator is a 30amp unit. Some of the numbers you witnessed on your volt meter while driving seem low, too.

I'd say, swap it out for a bigger unit.

 

[Anonymous]

Could the new high energy coil, plugs gapped to 0.045, and duraspark 2 be pulling too much current for my alternator on the highway?

No - and I am mystified why it charges at idle but not at speed. that is strange, it is usually the other way around.

 

[addo]

There's either a dodgy solder joint on a diode, or the internal regulator has hassles. There are other, much lesser possibilities but those appear most probable.

 

[Lazy JW]

Actually, I suspect your alternator is too small. You really should have at least a 45 amp, 60 amp would be better.

Try tightening the belt. I agree that a bigger alternator would be nice but lots of cars came OEM with 25-30 amp units that worked fine. They just won't run lots of high powered accessories. There is simply no useable ignition sysstem that will overload that alternator if it is working properly. I have driven my Volkswagens for hundreds of thousands of miles with a lowly GENERATOR that never gave a minutes worth of trouble.
Joe

 

[Anonymous]

I have driven my Volkswagens for hundreds of thousands of miles with a lowly GENERATOR

My old 1953 Piper Tri-Pacer had a 15 amp Delco generator that never charged at less than 70% throttle and a tube type radio that probably drew at least ten amps!
If you tried to glide very far with the power pulled back the radio would quit (tubes cooled off)

 

[61Futura]

Your alternator must be bad. You should get a minimum of 13.8 volts with the engine at any RPM over idle. A shorted diode in the alternator will cause the voltage to drop at higher RPM's, and not reach 13.8 volts at any RPM. Did you jump start someones car by reving your engine while they turned the key? That will burn out most alternators in a second or 2. If that isn't something you did, keep it in mind for the future. When I give a jump start, I have the other person sit in my car while I hook up the cables, then get into my car and slightly rev my engine to get the voltage up to near 14 volts. I do that for a minute or 2 while chatting with whomever it is and then have them go start their car after I idle down my engine. I haven't had an alternator fail in 30 years using that method. I ruined a few alternators before I learned how to properly jump start another car.

Steve

 

[WhitePony]

Off topic for a second.....

Linc's 200, Tri-Pacer eh? My dad had a 1959 PA-22-160 for several years when I was a kid, until he moved WAYYYY up to a Cessna T206 in the mid 70's. I bet I flew 500 hours in that little plane.

 

[Nathan289]

Steve,
there are possiblities other than a bad alternater.
I think it was said that this was a chrome unit. I would suspect the belt might be slipping at the higher rpms.
Check the belt tension and see if it looks glazed. Shiney where makes contact with the pulleys.
If everything checks out with the belt then suspect the alternater.

Marc,
the alternater should deffinately be cranking out more volt at higher rpms than idle.
You said it was a one wire unit or did you install a aftermarket one wire regulator? If you did install the aftermarket one wire Reg. Check the wiring to see if its wired correct.

Nathan

 

[MercuryMarc]

So this afternoon I went to the Speed Shop and talked to the parts guys (all are serious gear heads and great guys). They agreed that even a high voltage coil would not outdraw the alternator, and then sugested a local alt/gen reapir shop in Daly City that rebuilds these units.

It worked in the morning fine, and even on the way back from the speed shop to my office. But on the way home from my office, I needed a jump start.

Plan for tonight:
Charge the battery
Tighten and inspect the belt for slippage
Plan for Thursday:
Drive to the Alternator rebuild shop and talk to them.

So I now found the receipt fo mry alternator...
4/8/02
Powermaster Chrome Alternator
Ford 1G One-wire
Output: Idle/Max 40/60
Part Number 170781

Thanks again for everyone's infinate patience!

 

[MercuryMarc]

Steve,
there are possiblities other than a bad alternater.
I think it was said that this was a chrome unit. I would suspect the belt might be slipping at the higher rpms.
Check the belt tension and see if it looks glazed. Shiney where makes contact with the pulleys.
If everything checks out with the belt then suspect the alternater.
Nathan

Nathan- your're the man!

I recharged the battery (again) last night and inspected the belt. The belt looked fine and tight, and the pulley surface was shiny in the groove. I tightened the belt even more and this am...

Battery Voltage at rest: 12v
Voltage on guage, idle: 13.7v
Votage guage, freeway: 14v

I think the belt was slipping more at faster rpm's. Seems to be just fine now. I still have the jumper cables on my passenger seat, just in case...

Thanks for all the help!
Tightening the belt is cheaper than a new alternator!!!

Marc
http://mercurycomet.net

 

[BIGREDRASA]

Thanks for all the help!
Tightening the belt is cheaper than a new alternator!!!

Marc
http://mercurycomet.net

That only goes to prove Tony's First Rule of Shadetree Mechanics: Check and/or replace the cheapest thing first.

 

[Nathan289]

Marc,
Was the belt glazed?
a slipping belt produces more heat and glazes the rubber of the belt, which will cause it to slip even more.
I'd might replace the belt if I were you, but thats just me.
Glad everything is looking ok.

Nathan

 

[BIGREDRASA]

Marc,
Was the belt glazed?
a slipping belt produces more heat and glazes the rubber of the belt, which will cause it to slip even more.
I'd might replace the belt if I were you, but thats just me.
Glad everything is looking ok.

Nathan

Another thing, if the belt is glazed and required excessive tension, it can ruin the alternator and water pump bearings.

 

[Nathan289]

Ford recommends checking belt tension with this nifty tool that I've never found anywhere and wouldnt want to spend butt loads of money on.
I usually check belt tension with a straight ruler/edge and my fingers.
you want a 1/4" of defelction. Or in shadetree English if you cant push down on the belt more than a 1/4" then its too loose.
I think the book says 1/2" but I find that the belt slips using that recommendation.

Yeah too tight isnt a good thing either.

Nathan

 

[Anonymous]

Actually, I suspect your alternator is too small. You really should have at least a 45 amp, 60 amp would be better.

Try tightening the belt. I agree that a bigger alternator would be nice but lots of cars came OEM with 25-30 amp units that worked fine. They just won't run lots of high powered accessories. There is simply no useable ignition system that will overload that alternator if it is working properly. I have driven my Volkswagens for hundreds of thousands of miles with a lowly GENERATOR that never gave a minutes worth of trouble.
Joe

Well just so you guys know i have a new ammeter installed (says how many amps the alternater is putting out) and mine is rated as a 70 amps alternater but, only puts out a max of about 55 amps. At idle its around 30 amps. In other words beware of factory ratings. They seem to be kind of like factory speaker ratings (in otherwords complete bs most of the time). I have a pioneer amp rockford punch 5/14 round door speakers, a 10in pile subwoofer, and 2 small 6 1/2 woofers and small horn tweeters, with all that running at about 3/4 volume and all the lights on it still produces plenty of power to keep my battery charged.

 

[Anonymous]

Don't buy crappy belts, either.
Go to Napa and get the good stuff.

If you have to choose between cheap and expensive, run away from the cheap junk. Stay away from the discount stores.