I'd suspect an open and not a short when dealing with this kind of problem. The regulater tells the alternator how much to charge. I'd suspect that the regulator is faulty or the glow plugs are going on and off for an unknown reason. Who made the regulator? Is it a cheap parts store one?
Alternator or regulator?
- Thread starter Fordsandguns
- Start date
Fordsandguns
Fords Rule
Yeah it's one from Oreilly auto. Trying to do things as cheaply as I can right now. Bought it Thursday night. I figured it had to be either the regulator or the alternator because it only does it above about 2000 rpm.
After my first post today, I checked it again with the volt meter and it dropped to battery voltage.
Could it be the regulator dropping it too far when it is protecting the battery from overcharge?
Or is it something in the alt that quits after it spins so fast?
Fordsandguns
Fords Rule
I can try disconnecting the GP's and see if it still does it.
Fordsandguns
Fords Rule
I could see the GP's causing the drop ion voltage if they were coming on, but there isn't any way for the regulator to turn them on. The systems are totally separate.
I'd suspect that regulator. The Alternator just has an armature that spins in a winding. As long as it's not spinning a billion rpm theres nothing going to change inside it.
Mine was acting weird, blinking lights and such and mine was a loose wire at the GP controller. Every time that wire would move it would tell the GP's to come on and they must pull some amps to dim the lights like they do.
You may want to try another brand of Regulator. Maybe grab a Ford one from the JY?
Fordsandguns
Fords Rule
I would get one from the jy if I didn't have to go 50 miles to get one. We have a local yard but he doesn't have any older trucks. He crushed them all and is trying to keep the newer stuff now.
I'll see what I can find.
I'll see what I can find.
Ford used that same regulator for decades! In cars too. I'm sure that you can find one. I know I could get 20+ in 15 minutes at PicAPart here If you cant find one I'd try an Echlin from Napa as a 2nd choice.
79jasper
Chickenhawk
As long as your running the factory controller, it will use the glowplugs to pull power to keep from overcharging and frying something. Of course unless you have a complete separate push button setup. I've seen people talk about it on different forums. The glowplug controller gets direct battery power and key on power doesn't it?
Just because it's not hooked directly to the alternator doesn't mean they're not tied together. Just for s's&g's, take the power wire off to the glowplugs and see if there's a change.
Also you can temporarily bypass the voltage regulator to see if that's causing it.
Fordsandguns
Fords Rule
The closest napa to me has to order it. They don't have it in stock. Same with alternators for my truck.
alienturtle
Human
the voltage regs from kragen/autozone feel like they have nothing in them. Dont rule that out. I have gotten bad parts from them before. Make sure all your grounds are good and clean. That will cause an over charging problem as well. And if you ever have a system draw on your batteries again remove the battery negative from both batts and take a 12v test light. connect one end to the battery and the other end to the battery cable you just took off. If the light lights you have a draw. Based on the brightness of that light will tell you how bad your draw is. While leaving the test light hooked up start removing things such as fuses. When you hit the circuit that is causing the draw the test light will go out and it will give you and idea where to look. In your case you could of unplugged the alt. Good luck
Fordsandguns
Fords Rule
Well I acquired another regulator from a friend and tried it. Still does it. I think it's the alt. Maybe the pulley that came on the alt is smaller and spins the alt too fast?
And I did try it with the gp's unplugged 79jasper. No difference without them.
And I did try it with the gp's unplugged 79jasper. No difference without them.
79jasper
Chickenhawk
At our rpm, I don't think you could overspin it that easy.
Alternators can be bad out of the box also. Just replaced the alternator on my girlfriends chevy aveo. Every since it went on, the headlights and dome light pulse.
Alienturtle- That's a great idea.
Alternators can be bad out of the box also. Just replaced the alternator on my girlfriends chevy aveo. Every since it went on, the headlights and dome light pulse.
Alienturtle- That's a great idea.
