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94 Ranger 2.3L electrical issue

3K views 13 replies 0 participants last post by  Dave... 
G
#1 ·
I have a 94 Ranger 2.3 (splash if that makes ANY difference whatsoever) it
doesn't seem to charge the battery anymore. A few weeks ago the volt meter
started getting lower and lower, especially with the AC fan on high. The
lights dim and flicker, worse at idle. I replaced the alternator, the old one
was still good (bearings were dying so it needed swapped anyway) and the new
one has good voltage (14.3 average) at the alternator. The battery is good.
The voltage is low (10.5v at the battery), don't know why... it's been
running like a piece of $hit lately too... basically all of a sudden. Driving
at night, lights on, ac blowing and stereo on will nearly drain the battery
in an hour. It's getting some charge, just not enough.
 
G
#2 ·
If the voltage is 10.5 at the battery, the battery is *not* good. You may
have a shorted cell. Check your battery cables and connections for excessive
resistance/corrosion. You should get about 14 volts at the battery with the
engine running, 12 or so with it off.

"Dave..." <some.poor.schmuck@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:Xns96AF86A76B09A42069earthlink@207.217.125.201...
> I have a 94 Ranger 2.3 (splash if that makes ANY difference whatsoever) it
> doesn't seem to charge the battery anymore. A few weeks ago the volt meter
> started getting lower and lower, especially with the AC fan on high. The
> lights dim and flicker, worse at idle. I replaced the alternator, the old

one
> was still good (bearings were dying so it needed swapped anyway) and the

new
> one has good voltage (14.3 average) at the alternator. The battery is

good.
> The voltage is low (10.5v at the battery), don't know why... it's been
> running like a piece of $hit lately too... basically all of a sudden.

Driving
> at night, lights on, ac blowing and stereo on will nearly drain the

battery
> in an hour. It's getting some charge, just not enough.
 
G
#3 ·
On Thu 11 Aug 2005 01:34:10p, gw assaulted the computer and came up with
this:

> If the voltage is 10.5 at the battery, the battery is *not* good. You
> may have a shorted cell. Check your battery cables and connections for
> excessive resistance/corrosion. You should get about 14 volts at the
> battery with the engine running, 12 or so with it off.
>


I get that even without the battery being connected (at the leads). The
battery is new, and even though there are DOA's this one is good. It's been
tested and can run the ac, lights and truck for about an hour without any
real trouble. 2 hours and it's slow to start.
 
G
#4 ·
A 10V battery WOULD run your lights for a couple hours. A new battery
should have 12.6 VDC, six cells of 2.1 V. It sounds like your new
battery is not good accourding to your own checks and observations. And
when your voltage is low the truck will run badly as it depends on
normal voltage to fire the injectors and so on.

You seem to be in denial about this truck. First the alternator was not
bad, but the voltage kept dropping and the bearings were shot. Now the
battery is not bad, but it only shows 10 volts when it should be 12.6V.
GEt a good battery and you will probably be OK.
 
G
#5 ·
On Thu 11 Aug 2005 05:26:18p, Al Bundy assaulted the computer and came up
with this:

> A 10V battery WOULD run your lights for a couple hours. A new battery
> should have 12.6 VDC, six cells of 2.1 V. It sounds like your new
> battery is not good accourding to your own checks and observations. And
> when your voltage is low the truck will run badly as it depends on
> normal voltage to fire the injectors and so on.
>
> You seem to be in denial about this truck. First the alternator was not
> bad, but the voltage kept dropping and the bearings were shot. Now the
> battery is not bad, but it only shows 10 volts when it should be 12.6V.
> GEt a good battery and you will probably be OK.
>
>


I appreciate where you're coming from, I do. Denial, no, it's a piece of
shit with a helluva lot of miles on it. I'm saying that even without the
battery, the output at the battery terminals is low. Even with another
battery from my parent's ford exploder it has low voltage. Testing the
points on the alternator itself there is sufficient voltage, just over 14
at idle.

Basically what I'm asking, is there any fusible links or other weird crap
that would force the voltage from the alternator to take an alternate
circuit causing a voltage drop before it reaches the battery?
 
G
#6 ·
He may have something shorting the electrical system. Maybe something like
a door switch wearing through the insulation (not a complete short, just a
weak point). Check around the starter to see if anything has gotten up into
that area.

On an older truck, I had a fuse link blown which kept the battery from
charging. The amp meter never showed a charge.

If you disconnect the battery completely, will it start normally after the
same two hours?

Clark
 
G
#7 ·
On Thu 11 Aug 2005 07:56:05p, Clark assaulted the computer and came up
with this:

> He may have something shorting the electrical system. Maybe something
> like a door switch wearing through the insulation (not a complete short,
> just a weak point). Check around the starter to see if anything has
> gotten up into that area.
>
> On an older truck, I had a fuse link blown which kept the battery from
> charging. The amp meter never showed a charge.
>
> If you disconnect the battery completely, will it start normally after
> the same two hours?
>
> Clark
>
>
>
>

Thanks for your replies, they're all good. This one has what I believe I'm
looking for... It only drains the battery while it's running. it will
slightly charge with no extras on, like wipers, lights, a/c and fans,
stereo... with those on it just pulls everything down. driving at night in
the rain while it's 98°F with the a/c and radio going isn't a smart thing
to do in the past month. I don't see any fusibles in the open, so if there
are any, they're buried in the harness right?

On another note, I charged the battery up and drove it, still runs like
crap, so that's probably another issue altogether.
 
G
#8 ·
When you crank the truck up, does the voltage showing at the battery go up
to 14 or so or stay at the 10 volts you stated earlier?

As far as there being some type of fuse, I heard once those things were in
the alternator, but I don't have any manuals to check. The truck I was
referring to was a 1956! You might want to take it somewhere to get the
electrical system checked. As was mentioned earlier, the book I do have,
mentions corrosion on battery cables can keep it from charging. Make sure
the cable is giving you a good ground.

Otherwise, maybe move some wires around, look under the dash. One of the
hardest things to find is a broken wire inside the insulation. It may be
completely severed, or have only a partial connection. Moving it might
help, but you have to be watching something to see if it changes. It would
seem logical a situation like this would need a major cable, like maybe a
battery cable.

Have you added any equipment lately? Maybe some type of voltage regulator
could be messed up. I am just guessing about this stuff, someone with the
right equipment could probably tell you quickly.

Clark

"Dave..." <some.poor.schmuck@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:Xns96AFE8464B93142069earthlink@207.217.125.201...
> On Thu 11 Aug 2005 07:56:05p, Clark assaulted the computer and came up
> with this:
>
>> He may have something shorting the electrical system. Maybe something
>> like a door switch wearing through the insulation (not a complete short,
>> just a weak point). Check around the starter to see if anything has
>> gotten up into that area.
>>
>> On an older truck, I had a fuse link blown which kept the battery from
>> charging. The amp meter never showed a charge.
>>
>> If you disconnect the battery completely, will it start normally after
>> the same two hours?
>>
>> Clark
>>
>>
>>
>>

> Thanks for your replies, they're all good. This one has what I believe I'm
> looking for... It only drains the battery while it's running. it will
> slightly charge with no extras on, like wipers, lights, a/c and fans,
> stereo... with those on it just pulls everything down. driving at night in
> the rain while it's 98°F with the a/c and radio going isn't a smart thing
> to do in the past month. I don't see any fusibles in the open, so if there
> are any, they're buried in the harness right?
>
> On another note, I charged the battery up and drove it, still runs like
> crap, so that's probably another issue altogether.
 
G
#9 ·
When you crank the truck up, does the voltage showing at the battery go up
to 14 or so or stay at the 10 volts you stated earlier?

As far as there being some type of fuse, I heard once those things were in
the alternator, but I don't have any manuals to check. The truck I was
referring to was a 1956! You might want to take it somewhere to get the
electrical system checked. As was mentioned earlier, the book I do have,
mentions corrosion on battery cables can keep it from charging. Make sure
the cable is giving you a good ground.

Otherwise, maybe move some wires around, look under the dash. One of the
hardest things to find is a broken wire inside the insulation. It may be
completely severed, or have only a partial connection. Moving it might
help, but you have to be watching something to see if it changes. It would
seem logical a situation like this would need a major cable, like maybe a
battery cable.

Have you added any equipment lately? Maybe some type of voltage regulator
could be messed up. I am just guessing about this stuff, someone with the
right equipment could probably tell you quickly.

Clark

"Dave..." <some.poor.schmuck@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:Xns96AFE8464B93142069earthlink@207.217.125.201...
> On Thu 11 Aug 2005 07:56:05p, Clark assaulted the computer and came up
> with this:
>
>> He may have something shorting the electrical system. Maybe something
>> like a door switch wearing through the insulation (not a complete short,
>> just a weak point). Check around the starter to see if anything has
>> gotten up into that area.
>>
>> On an older truck, I had a fuse link blown which kept the battery from
>> charging. The amp meter never showed a charge.
>>
>> If you disconnect the battery completely, will it start normally after
>> the same two hours?
>>
>> Clark
>>
>>
>>
>>

> Thanks for your replies, they're all good. This one has what I believe I'm
> looking for... It only drains the battery while it's running. it will
> slightly charge with no extras on, like wipers, lights, a/c and fans,
> stereo... with those on it just pulls everything down. driving at night in
> the rain while it's 98°F with the a/c and radio going isn't a smart thing
> to do in the past month. I don't see any fusibles in the open, so if there
> are any, they're buried in the harness right?
>
> On another note, I charged the battery up and drove it, still runs like
> crap, so that's probably another issue altogether.
 
G
#10 ·
On Fri 12 Aug 2005 08:08:56a, Clark assaulted the computer and came up with
this:

> When you crank the truck up, does the voltage showing at the battery go up
> to 14 or so or stay at the 10 volts you stated earlier?
>


the more i use the starter the farther it drops... it's getting electricity,
I just think it's taking an alternate route.
 
G
#11 ·
You misunderstand what I am asking. Take a voltage reading with the truck
shut down. Then take one with the engine running. The alternator should be
charging the battery so the voltage should show higher than the 12 volts.
If it is showing 14 or something close, the battery is probably being
charged. Take all readings from the terminal posts, and not the cable.

Have you changed out your voltage regulator?

Clark

"Dave..." <some.poor.schmuck@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:Xns96B06CB32934242069earthlink@207.217.125.201...
> On Fri 12 Aug 2005 08:08:56a, Clark assaulted the computer and came up
> with
> this:
>
>> When you crank the truck up, does the voltage showing at the battery go
>> up
>> to 14 or so or stay at the 10 volts you stated earlier?
>>

>
> the more i use the starter the farther it drops... it's getting
> electricity,
> I just think it's taking an alternate route.
 
G
#12 ·
On Fri 12 Aug 2005 12:19:22p, Clark assaulted the computer and came up
with this:

> You misunderstand what I am asking. Take a voltage reading with the
> truck shut down. Then take one with the engine running. The alternator
> should be charging the battery so the voltage should show higher than
> the 12 volts. If it is showing 14 or something close, the battery is
> probably being charged. Take all readings from the terminal posts, and
> not the cable.
>
> Have you changed out your voltage regulator?
>
> Clark
>
> "Dave..." <some.poor.schmuck@earthlink.net> wrote in message
> news:Xns96B06CB32934242069earthlink@207.217.125.201...
>> On Fri 12 Aug 2005 08:08:56a, Clark assaulted the computer and came up
>> with
>> this:
>>
>>> When you crank the truck up, does the voltage showing at the battery
>>> go up
>>> to 14 or so or stay at the 10 volts you stated earlier?
>>>


at the moment, while off, it's 12.98v -- haven't used a/c, stereo or
lights, just been tooling around town. It's developing more and more
issues, maybe it's at "that point in its life" where everything's gonna go
wrong. 230,000 miles. I've only done tune ups, timing belt, and other basic
tune-up stuff to it... and bought it an alternator.
 
G
#13 ·
Dave, if you do have something that is shorting to ground while
running, that would be passing a lot of current. You might be able to
spot something by feel. The shorted area should be very hot. Also, try
removing fuses for circuits not needed to run the engine and see if you
find one that brings the voltage back up.
Don't let this simple, yet aggravating, problem make you give up on
that beauty.
 
G
#14 ·
On Fri 12 Aug 2005 06:19:50p, Al Bundy assaulted the computer and came up
with this:

> Dave, if you do have something that is shorting to ground while
> running, that would be passing a lot of current. You might be able to
> spot something by feel. The shorted area should be very hot. Also, try
> removing fuses for circuits not needed to run the engine and see if you
> find one that brings the voltage back up.
> Don't let this simple, yet aggravating, problem make you give up on
> that beauty.
>
>


I am pretty sure I found it... the starter solenoid was corroded as all @#
$k! I cleaned it off and get proper voltage at the battery now.
 
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