So I bought a new alt and voltage regulator for my maverick swapped them all out everything looked good,as I was driving it all my lights in my insturment cluster started to dim and once I came to a stop it just died,I know I hooked up everything right to it,my friend came and gave me a boost but of course it did it again and again,so next day went to go get the batt charged and I swapped out my alt and voltage reg for my broinlaws since we both have mavericks,and it still did the same thing idk what it can be,the wiring harness?? Solenoid?? I have no idea but that alt just isn't charging the batt,can someone please help me?? Oh and my alt light comes on in the dash too.
Check the alternator fuse link. It is connected to the starter switch B+ terminal. It may look ok,but these will go bad and appear fine. You should have B+ power at the large cable terminal on your alternator. If you don't,it's more than likely the fuse link. Unplug the regulator and with the engine running jump the A and the F terminals in the plug. If the alternator now charges,the regulator is bad or you have a bad connection somewhere in your wiring. The A terminal should have B+ power all the time. If none of this helps,try moving the wiring harness around with the engine running,and see if you get charging intermittently. Check all your connections because sometimes the little terminals in the plugs will go bad. Good luck,it shouldn't be too much to fix!
Check and make sure you have 12 volts to the hot terminal on the back if the alternator. I have seen many times when a fusible links burns out at the solenoid. It would be the fuse wire going to the alt. If you gave no voltage there change the fuse link. The yellow wire going to the voltage regulator should also have 12 volts. The small wire beside it (green with red stripe I believe) should have voltage when the key is switched on. If not, you may have ignition switch problems...or a broke wire.
You should also check your battery. It may have an internal short or a bad post. If there is black sulfate between the posts and cables it will not charge correctly even though the alternator is putting out the proper voltage and amperage. Check belt tension - a slipping belt will not allow the alternator to charge, Here is how to trouble-shoot it properly: With the engine running…… With a volt meter (multi-meter on volt settings) place the Red lead on the alternator battery terminal and the black lead on the alternator case. You should see more than battery volts with the engine running. If you see a charge then move the black lead to the engine - the volts should be the same - if not then ground the engine to the frame and try again. If it still doesn’t charge then ground the alternator to the engine, Engine to the frame and frame to the battery negative. If the grounds check out OK then with the red lead on the alternator battery terminal place the black lead on the positive battery post (not the cable terminal). If it shows more than 0.5 V the move the black lead to the cable terminal. If it shows more than 0.5V then move the black lead to the terminal on the solenoid (relay). If that shows more than 0.5 volts then move the black lead to the alternator battery wire on the same post. If that shows more than 0.5 volts then replace that wire or the fusible link. If at some point along the way the voltage goes below 0.5v repair the previous connection or replace the wire or cable. This test check for open or partially open wires and connections. As soon as you get less than 0.5V you are at a point where the rest of the connections are good so your problem is the last place that you found more than 0,5V.
Charging quick check This is a good trick to check charging on the old car setup... with the motor running.. dis-connect the battery cable.. if the motor stops.. then the alternator is not charging .. which supplys voltage to the motor for ignition etc.. if it keeps running then the charging is good.. and it is not getting to your battery.. one wire alternators are the best thing out there.. saves alot of trouble.
Do NOT disconnect the battery cables with the car running...Ever...This will fry the alt/reg for sure... The voltage spike created by disconnecting/re-connecting the battery with the car running is is too much for the system to handle...Dont do it... Properly test all components as Paul S stated. Definitely get the battery tested to be certain its good. New dont allways mean good. Good luck man!!!
ok it turns on inside the dash alt light does turn on, and i have no idea what "A" and "B" are on there unless they say, when i had it off i would see if it gets power with the volt meter and its getting around 11 volts on each wire i touch on the alt,ill try to touch it whens its on tommorrow when i get the battery charged,also i checked the pigtails that connect to the voltage regulator and one of them werent reading but one of them did read also idk if its suppose too
Ok so I got a new pig tail for the volatage regulator and it still does the same thing..am I better going and getting a new harness for the whole wiring?? Cause I think I might have a spare on my parts maverick
alternator trick// the trick that I said to do was to only do it for a moment.. and if you do not have tools for testing.. what are you doing to do??? a person has to think when they do things. you can test the hell out of things and if you do not know what to do and the tools to test.. you would be at the mercy of the rip off artist.. yes buy the wire wire alternator.. this is a simple alternator.. it just hooks up to the battery and it senses the voltage needs of it and charges according.. as long as your cables are good and things are clean.. it will work.. if someone wants to get technical beyond most people abilty then you are only confusing them.. I do not mean to offend the more technical people on this site.. .. only trying to keep it simple and help... just like the person who offer to sell their 1 wire alternator to the person posting the post
all it requires is a heavier charge wire from the alternator to the battery.Its a gm style unit that i drilled the mounting hole to match the ford bolt size (7/16) it's brand new Ive ran it on my car for maybe 30 minutes and it puts out 14.5v at the battery in my car. (It just doesnt put out the amperage i need to run 2 electric fuel pumps,fan,waterpump and ignition and the car too) heres a link to the one i have Auto Zone #DL7140M its the singe wire hookup http://scooper77515.fordmaverick.net/jpgs/onewirealternator.jpg (this is scoopers pic of the same style case but his is 3 wire) http://scooper77515.fordmaverick.net/april2006.htm
