charging system problems

[Purple1995Pony]

I need some ideas what to check for a charging system problem... it's not charging the battery!!!


obvious or not so obvious......any ideas at all would be appreciated

new alternator & battery already installed in my '94 GT :banghead:

[coupe]

I've seen "new" alternators that were bad. If you got it at an autoparts store, take it off and have them check it on their machine...or take it to Advanced Autoparts and they'll check the Alt. for free. They have a built-in regulator...sometimes it's not set where it needs to be.

Also, something could be just not grounded well...or the lead-wire to your battery could be too small of a gauge.

[Blown 5.0]

Im not sure what model you are talking about. But on the older mustang it does have a internal regulator, but it also has a exciter wire also. key on wire will be what you are looking for. I have seen this wire break on other Ford products.

[QWKSNKE]

I agree with the others on checking all wires including the "little" ground wires

[Purple1995Pony]

Thanks! I'll be crawling under and fishing around checking those little wires and big ones too

[TheJeanyus]

I had to replace the negative (IIRC) battery cable in the Thunderbird a while back when it was doing the same thing. In my dad's driveway (it started at the mall, but we managed to jump it off and as long as you didn't turn it off, it was ok), in the rain, and in the dark. :notnice: The cable wasn't broken, but it was really corroded.

[Catang5oh]

well, if an internal regulator, you can start the car and unhook the positive cable, car should run if alternator is good, if it dies then alternator is not working. another old trick is to take a screwdriver and place near the rear bearing in the center of the case, if it is making voltage there will be a magnetic field ceated near the bearing which will pull the screwdriver to the alternator, if it does and you still dont have any charge, then the internal regulator may be bad( to quote earlier response)

[Italian LX]

I had to replace the negative (IIRC) battery cable in the Thunderbird a while back when it was doing the same thing. In my dad's driveway (it started at the mall, but we managed to jump it off and as long as you didn't turn it off, it was ok), in the rain, and in the dark. :notnice: The cable wasn't broken, but it was really corroded.
Yeah, I had a similar problem. The cable looked fine upon a quick visual inspection, but on the underneath, the insulation was split and allowed the inside of the cable to corrode excesively. A new baterry and a new alternator will do you no good if this is your problem.

It's a pretty short cable and only a few bucks at an auto parts store -- I'd replace that first and go from there.