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    #1

    3G problems

    I've been dealing with a charging issue for a week and a half now and I'm out of ideas, I need a little guidance on what to check.
    About a week and a half ago I noticed my voltage was a little low on my way to work and didn't think too much of it, I had seen that my alternator charge wire was showing signs of overheating and was planning on replacing it.
    When I went to finally replace it, I started the car and the AMP light was on which it hadn't been before.
    I swapped the alternator with another I had waiting to go on and the light stayed on, new wires going between alt and battery.
    I looked through my wiring book and saw that there was a fuse connected to the G/R wire on the alt that goes through fuse 18 in the dash, I looked at that today and it was blown, I replaced it and nothing changed.
    I have to be missing something but I don't know what.
    Any help would be appreciated, thanks.
    1989 Country Squire - Twilight Blue, 347 stroker


    2005 Crown Victoria Sport - Black - Stainless Works full exhaust with Borla Pro XS mufflers, BBK 75mm TB, Accufab plenum, CVPI airbox, Heinous control arms, etc...
    Tags: None
    #2
    Does the idiot light work? If so, that circuit is probably OK.

    Have you verified battery voltage at the charge stud on the back of the alternator, and at the battery reference wire (the yellow one) going to the voltage regulator plug?

    If all that checks, and you know for sure that the alternator case is solidly connected to the bracket, no paint or rust or whatever, try jumping the I terminal (green wire) to battery + through a small 12v light bulb. If it starts charging, the batt light circuit is messed up despite the light working. They don't like LED bulbs, so if you've swapped it you may need to un-swap it.
    86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
    5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

    91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

    1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

    Originally posted by phayzer5
    I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

    Comment

      #3
      Have you verified the condition of the main ground(s) between the engine and body/battery?

      Originally posted by gadget73 View Post
      They don't like LED bulbs, so if you've swapped it you may need to un-swap it.
      +1 that an LED amp light will not work. The amp light will stay lit solid and the alternator will not charge. I think I still had something over 12V when I tried this, so it's like it was outputting something, but definitely not working properly.

      Panthers: 83 GM 2dr | 84 TC | 85 CS | 88 TC | 91 GM
      Not Panthers: 85 Ranger | Ranger trailer | 91 Acclaim | 92 Jaaag | 05 Focus
      Gone: 97 CV | 83 TC | 04 Focus | 86 GM      ​ |​ Junkyards

      Comment

        #4
        I didn't put an LED in the AMP light because I heard about them not liking that. I'll double check the grounds and go through the connections.

        LOUD EXHAUST IS FUN! AM I SHOUTING?
        1989 Country Squire - Twilight Blue, 347 stroker


        2005 Crown Victoria Sport - Black - Stainless Works full exhaust with Borla Pro XS mufflers, BBK 75mm TB, Accufab plenum, CVPI airbox, Heinous control arms, etc...

        Comment

          #5
          How many grounds are there supposed to be on the engine and where are they?
          Anyone have a pic showing the grounds for the engine?
          I thought there was one on the back and I don't see it now, I know there is one on the passenger front and that is still there but the connection point on the engine is a little dirty so I'll clean that up and put that one back on and out of the way.
          1989 Country Squire - Twilight Blue, 347 stroker


          2005 Crown Victoria Sport - Black - Stainless Works full exhaust with Borla Pro XS mufflers, BBK 75mm TB, Accufab plenum, CVPI airbox, Heinous control arms, etc...

          Comment

            #6
            I'm pretty sure there's a rear one also, but can't put my memory on where it goes on the engine. Passenger side hood hinge area is the body end of it.

            End goal is:
            -ground between alternator and engine
            -ground between engine and body
            -ground between battery and engine
            -ground between battery and body

            Those don't need to be 4 separate wires, of course, they can be shared...but all those links need to exist or weird and/or dangerous things can happen.

            Panthers: 83 GM 2dr | 84 TC | 85 CS | 88 TC | 91 GM
            Not Panthers: 85 Ranger | Ranger trailer | 91 Acclaim | 92 Jaaag | 05 Focus
            Gone: 97 CV | 83 TC | 04 Focus | 86 GM            ​ |​ Junkyards

            Comment

              #7
              Not everything had all that. My 86 has no battery to body ground. The one from driveline to body is a ground strap at the tail of the transmission. There is one cable from battery to engine, thats it.

              I did once repaint my brackets and the paint on the bracket was insulating the alternator from the bracket. No ground. I had to take the gasket grinder and polish up the ear on the alternator and the bracket where it mounted. I did the lower point since it involved less messing around. If you suspect something like that, a jumper cable between the alternator ear and battery ground will rule it out easy enough.
              86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
              5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

              91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

              1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

              Originally posted by phayzer5
              I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

              Comment

                #8
                Originally posted by gadget73 View Post
                Not everything had all that. My 86 has no battery to body ground. The one from driveline to body is a ground strap at the tail of the transmission. There is one cable from battery to engine, thats it.

                I did once repaint my brackets and the paint on the bracket was insulating the alternator from the bracket. No ground. I had to take the gasket grinder and polish up the ear on the alternator and the bracket where it mounted. I did the lower point since it involved less messing around. If you suspect something like that, a jumper cable between the alternator ear and battery ground will rule it out easy enough.
                Right, of course. But those need to exist electrically via some path or things don't work properly. E.g. no quality ground from block to body and all accessories are poorly grounded even though the battery charges perfectly.

                That's more what I was getting at, that one should be able to test each of those points with a meter and find them all near zero resistance.

                Panthers: 83 GM 2dr | 84 TC | 85 CS | 88 TC | 91 GM
                Not Panthers: 85 Ranger | Ranger trailer | 91 Acclaim | 92 Jaaag | 05 Focus
                Gone: 97 CV | 83 TC | 04 Focus | 86 GM                ​ |​ Junkyards

                Comment

                  #9
                  So...I started digging in and replaced the ground wire at the front of the engine since it wasn't giving a good constant signal. I was testing wires and was getting voltage where it should be and I checked to see that the alternator was grounding through the bracket(it's powdercoated so I wasn't sure) and it is. I took everything off and thought maybe the charge wires were no good since I wasn't getting a signal through them, tested with a bulb and it would not light up...then I removed the circuit breaker I had in the middle and all was good. I chose a breaker so it would trip rather than melting wires, it was new but apparently junk. I'll toss a fuse in there and hopefully be good.
                  I'll get that in either tomorrow or Monday, I hate when I miss simple things like that.

                  LOUD EXHAUST IS FUN! AM I SHOUTING?
                  1989 Country Squire - Twilight Blue, 347 stroker


                  2005 Crown Victoria Sport - Black - Stainless Works full exhaust with Borla Pro XS mufflers, BBK 75mm TB, Accufab plenum, CVPI airbox, Heinous control arms, etc...

                  Comment

                    #10

                    I found an old stereo fuse holder and a fuse big enough for the new alternator and put it all in with new charge wires and all is good.
                    1989 Country Squire - Twilight Blue, 347 stroker


                    2005 Crown Victoria Sport - Black - Stainless Works full exhaust with Borla Pro XS mufflers, BBK 75mm TB, Accufab plenum, CVPI airbox, Heinous control arms, etc...

                    Comment

                      #11

                      Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. -- Albert Einstein
                      rides: 93 Crown Vic LX (The Red Velvet Cake), 2000 Crown Vic base model (Sandy), 2003 Expedition (the vacation beast)

                      Originally posted by gadget73
                      ... and it should all work like magic and unicorns and stuff.

                      Originally posted by dmccaig
                      Overhead, some poor bastards are flying in airplanes.

                      Comment

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