[T0nka]

Last week i go to fire up the truck, 2 slow turns then nothing. No kick..

WTF. Took the multimetre out and measured battery 11.9V. Tried again and nope shes dead. All lights on dashboard and stereo working fine. Battery was just under 2 years old. (supercharge heavy duty)

So i jump start it from my other car, 1st attempt, nothing, no turn nothing. 2nd attempt she fired up straight away. I then wander around to the engine bay and disconnect the negative lead to the battery while truck is running, doesnt stall.

Off to battery world i go, ask for a check. He throws on all these fancy looking gadgets and tells me battery hasnt got enough cranking amps or something...

So i buy a Century top of the line $230 job. Throw it on and vroom off i go. Spent the whole weekend driving it.

Anywayyyyyyy i jumped in again today, same bloody thing!

Any ideas?

 

[Notso]

Alternater is wallaby teds brother, roo

 

[T0nka]

Doesnt the motor stall if the negative lead is removed whilst the engine is running if the alternator is stuffed?

 

[goldfinder]

The Injector pump stop solenoid only needs a retain voltage to keep the engine running. This voltage would probably be well below 12v once picked up and bugger all current. To charge the battery needs usually about 14.2-14.7 volts with the current to suit. A quick check of the alt. would be to check the charge voltage across the batt. while running at about 1500rpm. A proper method would include an alternator load test to confirm current output and charge voltage.

 

[Jamus]

Sounds like something is earthing somewhere and draining the battery or you have something connected that transforms 12v to another voltage which is in turn draining the battery.

 

[T0nka]

thanks mate, how do i check the alternator voltage?

 

[goldfinder]

Across the Batt with the engine running say at or above 1500rpm=14.2-14.7volts. If the batt is below 12.6-12.7 volts with the engine off the battery is below it's correct voltage. A 12v battery is actually more than 12volt. 6 cells at 2.1volt=12.6volts

 

[THE FERRET]

Taking the battery lead off when the engine is running is BAD for the alternator, the old holdens would stop, not too sure about cars with ECU.You need to have your alternator checked, do the headlights get brighter when you rev it a bit? and can you hear it working?

 

[T0nka]

Does ecu talk tell me?

BRB im going to have a look

 

[THE FERRET]

Dunno bout that, drop into an auto elec and they will tell you the charging rate in two secs.

 

[Jezza_1972]

Across the Batt with the engine running say at or above 1500rpm=14.2-14.7volts. If the batt is below 12.6-12.7 volts with the engine off the battery is below it's correct voltage. A 12v battery is actually more than 12volt. 6 cells at 2.1volt=12.6volts

To check if whether something is earthing and draining the bat whilst in off possition. Use your multimeter. Set the meter up to read AMPS. My meter (Cheap Auto1 unit) is capable of measuring 10Amps. Connect the black connector to the COM socket on the Meter and the red connector to the 10ADC socket.

Make sure you don't have any electrical gear on i.e fridge, interior lights, doors closed, radio/CD, GPS, IPOD/Phone charger etc. Turn everything off. Remove the negative terminal from the battery. Using the probes on the tester place the red probe on the battery neg - terminal and the black probe on the disconnected - terminal. "DO NOT TURN KEY ON" You should get a reading of approx 0.4 - 0.8amps. That would be the clock or radio clock normally. Don't attempt to turm the key on or start whilst the meter is connected. You'll fry your multimeter!!

If it's reading more than 0.4 - 0.8amps, you have an earth leakage somewhere. To find the fault do the following. Whilst checking the multimeter display pull the fuses one at a time to identify the fault. When the amps drop that could be the fault.

Hope this helps

 

[Swerve]

check all your earthiong connection from the battery to chassis, pull them all apart to check, I bought a new battery for nothing

 

[MY-TD6i]

sounds like a bad earth.

 

[RosieBear]

check alternator is charging at about 1200 rpm, multimeter across both battery terminals, should show at least 13v up to between 14.4 to 14.7v.

 

[T0nka]

ok gents, ecutalk is telling me 11.4 at 1500rpm. This is after i jump started it. before the jumpstart it was sitting at 11V.

God Bless my ecu talk.

Ok so ill check earthing tomorrow.

 

[Yendor]

Does the alternator warning light in the dash come on when the ignition is turned on and then go out when the engine is started?

 

[GRUBBIES MOBILE MECHANICS]

11.4 at 1500 i would say alternator is stuffed

 

[T0nka]

Does the alternator warning light in the dash come on when the ignition is turned on and then go out when the engine is started?

No

11.4 at 1500 i would say alternator is stuffed

Yeah i would say so too. Bloody thing is a year old from the wreckers, thats the way it goes buying 2nd hand parts i spose.

Anybody know any one who does alternator recos on the gold coast by chance?

 

[Yendor]

If the alternator warning light does not come on at all you may just have a blown bulb, this can cause the alternator to not charge.

If the light stays on then there is a good chance your alternator is stuffed.

 

[T0nka]

a bulb in the dash u mean?