Starting batteries

[carringb]

Originally Posted by bridges

It's a 05 PSD 6.0, totally stock. The house batteries are 3 month old Les Schwab (group 24? I think) It starts out at 12.3 after a night on a charger. The lowerest voltage is 11.0 after the van has been running. The red battery light is on, but I did notice that it tends to change it's brightness as I drive, kind pulsing but not at a predictible pace. Everyonce in a while, it goes off for a second or 2 which makes me think it might be a grounding issue. I plan to add house batteries soon and want to replace the atlernator anyway (since I've replaced many so engine parts anyway, why not? I LOVE the PSD 6.0!) What brand/size alternator whou you suggest? Thanks.

Pretty sure the symptoms mean you have 1 or more open diodes in the alternator. Ford may have just performed a voltage test leading them to thing the system is charging. But open diodes can cause poor or erratic charging, even if the average voltage is normal. Most battery/charging system testers will not detect this. The AAA testers will.

[bridges]

Just got my new alternator in the mail from National. We'll see how the 3 bolts and a plug remove and replace goes tomorrow. Hopefully this will solve my problem!

[bridges]

2 hours later it is in and my problems are solved. getting 13.9V while driving and 13.2 while at idle.

[daveb]

FWIW, I don't trust Ford (in my area) in testing anything. I had the same thing happen and got the same results as you. I had always wanted a new high amp alternator so I bought one. While at the alternator shop, I had them test both the new model to make sure it was working and the old one to keep as a backup...the one Ford said was good showed bad Later when the batteries gave out and were causing problems, 2 dealerships in the area swore my starting batteries were good. Even though I told them to pull each battery and check each by itself, they lied to me and said all was OK. The seperator I had at the time was automatically assisting the starting of the engine. When the smell of sulfur appeared, I knew one or both starting batteries had gone south. Took it to a friends shop where we dropped both batteries and found one good and one completely shorted out. Installed 2 new batteries and everything finally came back to normal.

Glad you singled out the problem.

Dave B

[GreyDawg]

Quick update:

Yep, the problem was an altenator in its dying days, so that has been replaced. (I've had three Ford vans, and two have had a bad alternator about 60K miles -- and the mechanic, an Econoline van-head, wasn't surprised.)

Now getting 14.xV + on the idiot cigarette plug meter when the van is in motion! Hooray!

Replacement battery was the "Extreme" best model from O'Reilly auto parts. 84 month warranty, $122. Hope it holds up for another couple of years. Meanwhile, I'm resolved to drive the van at least once a week, even if it is just local.

Thanks!