So today my 60 got a thorough workout. First I went to Uhaul and picked up 6x12 tandem axle utility trailer which weighs in at 1750 lbs. Then I towed said trailer from Lebanon NH to Burlington Vermont which is about 95 miles one way. Burlington is to the North which means its all up hill and a stock 60 with 31's on it is able to pull that galvanized uhaul nightmare at about 60 mph when its flat and drop to about 45mph when the hills come which is often. Once in Burlington I picked up an FJ80 chassis for $100 and myself and 3 other guys from the shop picked it up and placed it in the back of the trailer...I figure that chassis weighs 400 lbs or so. So tow home proved that 55 was a good max speed...anything over that the weight bias on the trailer made things squirrely.
So I was tempted to take the slower road home but decided that the continuity of no intersections on the interstate was advantageous and being passed by everything under the sun was a worthwhile trade off. I did notice a lot of cars would come up behind me and then just sit there...going 45 mph up a hill....then I guess they snapped out of their trance and would pass and disappear.
So maybe 20 miles into the 90 or so drive home i notice that the volt meter is sitting steady at 12v. Normally the needle bounces a bit and sits somewhere around the 13v position. And on the way up the needle had been in the 13-14 range. So I go through my problem check list...it takes very little time...its a short checklist. So I'm not lacking any power...at least not due to a new engine problem. If I turn the headlights on the voltage gage dops down around 10v. Its 4pm no need for lights. Unplugged the cell phone too just to save that micro amperage. So part of my brain says that the truck must be charging but its just the crappy gage...and the other part says its not charging. So I figure ok if I shut the truck off and back on with the engine off and the charge light comes on then its an alternator problem. If I do this and the alternator light is off then maybe the bulb burned out and the alternator field isnt starting. So at the next big hill I drop to neutral and shut the truck off until the engine full off and then key back on. No charge light. I pull put it in 4th and jump start the engine again (all while towing at 55 mph). I pull the fuse cover and note the charge fuse position. Too hard to pull the fuse but i give it a wiggle just to make sure its not loose. and that does nothing.
So I just kept driving. Figured all i need power for is the coil at this point and I might as well go until the battery cant keep the truck running. As luck has it I drove all the way home.....probably the full 90 miles without any charging. I shut the truck off at home and it cranked back to life no issue. With the truck off I measured the battery voltage with my hand held meter and did it again with the truck running....12.2 volts. I unloaded my FJ80 chassis but wanted to run the 25 miles back to return the trailer tonight (headlights needed).
I grabbed my alternator adjuster toolset and used it smack the alternator a couple of times. Immediately heard the engine rpm drop and charging went up to 13.6 volts. Jumped in the truck and headed to Uhaul....had to pull over every 2-4 miles to give the alternator a wack and get it to charge again...made it to Uhaul and dropped the trailer off. Had an idea.....with the engine off I wacked the alternator a couple times and got in the truck. I turned the key on and Voila! the charge light worked (so not burned out). Started the truck and it was charging and it stayed charging for about the next 18 miles which was handy because I needed the headlights. I was just starting to think that towing the trailer had some strange effect on the charging system when the needle again dropped to 12v and I new my alternator was not magically healed. Got her home and grabbed my other car.
So I know from experience that my 1999 Saab 9-5 DD can drive about 60 miles on the battery alone....learned this one winter when the alternator failed. But that car has direct ignition, computers, electric fuel pump etc. The cruiser basically just has the coil for electrical components that draw any real power needed to run. I'd wager a fresh battery could take a stock FJ60 200-300 miles without issue as long as wipers or lights were not needed. Eventually the starter would be problem....but a jump start might be enough to get quite a few more miles.
So I'll start reading up on FJ60 alternator options.
So I was tempted to take the slower road home but decided that the continuity of no intersections on the interstate was advantageous and being passed by everything under the sun was a worthwhile trade off. I did notice a lot of cars would come up behind me and then just sit there...going 45 mph up a hill....then I guess they snapped out of their trance and would pass and disappear.
So maybe 20 miles into the 90 or so drive home i notice that the volt meter is sitting steady at 12v. Normally the needle bounces a bit and sits somewhere around the 13v position. And on the way up the needle had been in the 13-14 range. So I go through my problem check list...it takes very little time...its a short checklist. So I'm not lacking any power...at least not due to a new engine problem. If I turn the headlights on the voltage gage dops down around 10v. Its 4pm no need for lights. Unplugged the cell phone too just to save that micro amperage. So part of my brain says that the truck must be charging but its just the crappy gage...and the other part says its not charging. So I figure ok if I shut the truck off and back on with the engine off and the charge light comes on then its an alternator problem. If I do this and the alternator light is off then maybe the bulb burned out and the alternator field isnt starting. So at the next big hill I drop to neutral and shut the truck off until the engine full off and then key back on. No charge light. I pull put it in 4th and jump start the engine again (all while towing at 55 mph). I pull the fuse cover and note the charge fuse position. Too hard to pull the fuse but i give it a wiggle just to make sure its not loose. and that does nothing.
So I just kept driving. Figured all i need power for is the coil at this point and I might as well go until the battery cant keep the truck running. As luck has it I drove all the way home.....probably the full 90 miles without any charging. I shut the truck off at home and it cranked back to life no issue. With the truck off I measured the battery voltage with my hand held meter and did it again with the truck running....12.2 volts. I unloaded my FJ80 chassis but wanted to run the 25 miles back to return the trailer tonight (headlights needed).
I grabbed my alternator adjuster toolset and used it smack the alternator a couple of times. Immediately heard the engine rpm drop and charging went up to 13.6 volts. Jumped in the truck and headed to Uhaul....had to pull over every 2-4 miles to give the alternator a wack and get it to charge again...made it to Uhaul and dropped the trailer off. Had an idea.....with the engine off I wacked the alternator a couple times and got in the truck. I turned the key on and Voila! the charge light worked (so not burned out). Started the truck and it was charging and it stayed charging for about the next 18 miles which was handy because I needed the headlights. I was just starting to think that towing the trailer had some strange effect on the charging system when the needle again dropped to 12v and I new my alternator was not magically healed. Got her home and grabbed my other car.
So I know from experience that my 1999 Saab 9-5 DD can drive about 60 miles on the battery alone....learned this one winter when the alternator failed. But that car has direct ignition, computers, electric fuel pump etc. The cruiser basically just has the coil for electrical components that draw any real power needed to run. I'd wager a fresh battery could take a stock FJ60 200-300 miles without issue as long as wipers or lights were not needed. Eventually the starter would be problem....but a jump start might be enough to get quite a few more miles.
So I'll start reading up on FJ60 alternator options.