The wife and I headed out on our longest trip since I got the truck running yesterday. The truck was running the best it has since I have owned it and I was smiling so hard I got a headache. We stopped at the beer store about 5 miles from my house. When I got back in the truck, beer in hand, it would not start - sounded like a dead battery (slow cranking and then just clicking). I looked under the hood, wiggled a few wires at the starter, battery and alternator and it started. We drove it about 15 more miles, hung out with some friends.
When we started back home, it was getting dark so about half way home, I had to turn the headlights on. We stopped again to grab some food about 3 miles from home and the truck was dead. We were about to jump start it and got it home. The starter, alternator and battery are all new within the last 6 months. Some observations and steps taken so far...
- ever since I have gotten it running, the ammeter pretty much always stays in the middle except when I hit the brake pedal (drops a little) or turn on headlights (drops a lot). The needle never moves toward the +30 side.
- I inspected all wires from alternator, starter and battery and they all appear to have solid connections and the grounds look good and clean.
- this morning, I pulled out the multimeter and the battery was at 12.2 volts. I put a charger on it for a while and it eventually tested at 12.61 volts
- I cranked the truck and hooked up the multimeter to the + and - on the battery and was reading 12.2 volts. I then put the multimeter on the white/blue wire at the alternator and it was reading 12.13 volts.
- Assuming I might have a bad alternator, I took it out to have it tested. It tested good....
I am at a little bit of a loss and any thoughts are appreciated.
- Farrell
When we started back home, it was getting dark so about half way home, I had to turn the headlights on. We stopped again to grab some food about 3 miles from home and the truck was dead. We were about to jump start it and got it home. The starter, alternator and battery are all new within the last 6 months. Some observations and steps taken so far...
- ever since I have gotten it running, the ammeter pretty much always stays in the middle except when I hit the brake pedal (drops a little) or turn on headlights (drops a lot). The needle never moves toward the +30 side.
- I inspected all wires from alternator, starter and battery and they all appear to have solid connections and the grounds look good and clean.
- this morning, I pulled out the multimeter and the battery was at 12.2 volts. I put a charger on it for a while and it eventually tested at 12.61 volts
- I cranked the truck and hooked up the multimeter to the + and - on the battery and was reading 12.2 volts. I then put the multimeter on the white/blue wire at the alternator and it was reading 12.13 volts.
- Assuming I might have a bad alternator, I took it out to have it tested. It tested good....
I am at a little bit of a loss and any thoughts are appreciated.
- Farrell