420A Couple problems hope there easy

[BlackRaptor]

Okay guys GS is running awesome got 2 problems.

first is the lights that light up the shift points on the auto the P N D 2 L thats not lighting up and it did before i put the engine in and also worked for a bit after i put it in. is therev a fuse that runs that?

other one is i get the battery light after running the car for a bit. does this mean bad altranator? weird thing is it only comes on after the motor is running for a little while and goes over 3K RPM's it can idle all day and it won't come on.
Any ideas?

Thanks guys.

 

[BigRand]

make sure your battery and ground connections are sound.

The check the fuse box connection leads and make sure your getting enough voltage there.

make sure your dimmer switch is turned up on the way for the dash lights. And does anythign else dim when the battery light comes on?

 

[dr1665]

Pretty much what Rand said, above. Make sure your battery connections are clean and tight. Also, adjust the dimmer to see if that helps with the PRNDL light. I think there might only be one bulb down there, so don't be surprised to find the bulb burned out on you, man.

If the problem persists (the battery light, not the PRNDL, imo), take the car to Autozone and have them test your system. Worst case scenario: The voltage regulator in your ECU shit the bed and you have to replace the ECU or hardwire a regulator for the alternator (cheap and easy). Next step down from that would be that you might have to replace the alternator.

Just to give you reassurance that you're not looking at a major problem just yet.

 

[ninjai_ruken]

^^^^^^^ I agree with all above, Mine was a bad Alternator. It seems the bracket bolts have a nasty habit of working there way lose. Mine I had worn out so there was excessive play. But I got it all fixed and no way in hell is it going to work lose now.

 

[BlackRaptor]

This seems like a bad idea but i'll ask.
Someone told me to start the car and unplug the + cable and the Alternator should keep the car running. but doesn't the battery help complete a circuit?

If it's the ECU anyone have a help through on how to rewire it so i don't have to replace it i'm getting LOW LOW LOW on money.

Any other ways then started above to test the alternator without taking it to auto zone to hook it to a computer?

 

[VelocitàPaola]

I can't remember where I read this, but I recall hearing that being able to run your car on the alternator alone is just a myth, and it doesn't really help diagnose anything. I know that the alternator puts out some serious voltage, so it may actually be possible to run the car off the alternator alone in the mid- to high-RPM range, but like I said, that won't necessarily give you an accurate view of your alternator's health.

The FSM, for one, doesn't mention anything about disconnecting the battery to test the alternator. All the tests they suggest have to do with ammeters, voltemeters, etc.. It'd probably be easiest to just go to Autozone and have them do it with their specialized equipment.

If you find that it's the ECU (which I doubt it is for your charging sytem problems), then there's an external voltage regulator that you can use to bypass the ECU altogether.

 

[BlackRaptor]

Getting a tester from autozone tongiht so i'll post my findings. still confused on the center shifting lights working then not working.

But heres another one Door locks don't work. it looks like at one point one of the doors was taken apart do both sides need to be plugged in to work? seems strange that both door lockers would be dead. figured they must be linked somehow.

 

[4UH8ERS]

Getting a tester from autozone tongiht so i'll post my findings. still confused on the center shifting lights working then not working.

But heres another one Door locks don't work. it looks like at one point one of the doors was taken apart do both sides need to be plugged in to work? seems strange that both door lockers would be dead. figured they must be linked somehow.

both not working = blown fuse

 

[BlackRaptor]

Okay guys still having problems with the power heres what i know now i hope someone can help me i got stuck with it today

Okay the battery light problem.
I put a bran new altranator in the car today hooked it up made sure it was tight and the wire going to it was tight and that plug was tight on it too. started the car with a fresh carshed battery. I start driving around the battery light comes on again i'm like what in the world. So me and my friend decided to be brave and drive 20 miles to an auto zone. they hooked an OBD scanner to it and found no problems the better light was on be no readings saying power problems when i tried to start the car again once there is started very hard. I made it about 4 miles after that it the battery died and i was stuck. had to go to wal mart pick up a batter which i'll return tomorrow haha. and used it's factory charge to limp this stupid car home.

Anyone have any other ideas? I'm at a loss.
Thanks

sorry if theres bad spelling i'm super tired and half awake

 

[Talon ESI-T]

ok some mixed info here. 1st and most important thing. Alternator and OBDII scanner do not tell you anything. Thats like testing compression to explain if you have spark or not....no no no. Autozone people are not mechanics and should not be trusted like them.


As paul stated lifting the battery cable while the car running dont not tell you the condition of the alternator. All it tells you is at the given time the alternator is outputting enough amperage to support the car. MANY CARS REQUIRE THE BATTERY NOW, so dont try that with your dads Ford crown vic. It doesnt work. Ford was one of the first to require a good battery. Ok moving on.

The car while driving around, slowly drained the battery. that means the Alternator is bad or the regulator/ECU control is bad. I doubt the ECU. But your alternator is new!!! Save it, i have heard it a million times. New alternators are all remanufactured i dont care what they tell you. It can be bad especially if its an autozone. Next point, Autozone cannot fully test an alternator, they do not have the equipment. The bench testor only checks to see if it outputs voltage and cannot load test the alternator.

So how do you test it. Let me share a 950.00 secret... You need a Snap-On Microvat (or Equivelant) to fully load test an alternator and test the A/C ripple output of the alternator. In other words you need to test the amp output and verify the Rectifier is within specs. The testor cost me 950.00 and it is well worth it....for me. So for you, call around a few shops and explain to them you need to test the alternator circuit. You have a new Alternator but you suspect the output is less than reqd. They will at least have a probe to test the amperage output.

Before you get it to the shop check the fuseable links in the engine bay fuse box. They will be in the lower left of the fuse box and look like a little bead in the casing. Make sure they are good. If one blows it can cause this. Also check the wiring that bolts up to the fuse. Look on the sides of this fuse, you will see 10mil bolt heads, make sure they are clean and tight.

Make sure the Alternator plug in the side of the case is clean and making good contact. Wiring is in good shape. Next check the harness plug below the Throttlebody. This plug is what feeds the mini-harness on the backside of the block. Make sure the wiring is good there. Make sure the 8ga wire that bolts the Alternator is good as well and tight.

You can check the amperage output of the alternator if you have a amp probe, do you have a cheap one? Use a multimeter to test voltage with car idling to see what voltage you have at the battery. If you disconnect the battery with the car runnign and connect a volt meter to the bat cables, you will see the voltage the Alternator is putting out.

Terry

 

[Shadow98]

What you need to do is have AutoZone hook up the BAER to your car. It can test the battery, alternator, and you starting system while it's still in your car. And if your car wont start while you're there they should jump your car. Or at least they do it here in CoMo.

 

[BlackRaptor]

Wow thanks terry thats some good info I'll try all the things you stated above.

I was really confused when they used an OBD on the car but figured i would just let them do there thing.

also thanks shadow98 and the others who have posted.

I'll be spending my afternoon trying to get this pinned down.