marooned

deamon3 · 04-29-2010, 08:22 PM

So basically my explorer isn't running to great and I'm marooned at my own house. Not the worst place to be marooned but I have to go to work tomorrow so I'll need some kind of solution.

Basically my exploder battery was running low it seemed. The gauge on the dash was reading like 10 volts. I figured the battery was going bad because it was my deep cycle boat battery and I had it in there for a few months. So I bought a brand new battery and it worked fine for one day , but then on my way home the meter was going lower and lower till my check engine and battery light turned on.

I'm immediately thinking the alternator is broken. Is there anything else it could be before I go out and pay money for an alternator? Because after buying the battery I'm almost broke and have a very limited number of time before the explorer depletes the battery that's in it. Once the battery is dead I'll have no way to start or move the ex not to mention get to town or work. So I only got a single trip to town to buy the right part and come back , lol. SO I think its an alternator?

*BradR* · 04-29-2010, 08:35 PM

It's 80% likely it's the alternator then.
How old is the alternator?

MrPlumber · 04-29-2010, 08:38 PM

I would start it up and unhook the battery... If it keeps running then alternator is fine... If it dies then alternator is probably bad... But they can test at the parts sotgre for ya as well...

deamon3 · 04-29-2010, 08:41 PM

Well It dies with no battery connected. I guess the alternator is the original. It looks weathered the same and the card only has 140,000 so I imagine it was never changed.

94Gexplorer · 04-29-2010, 10:24 PM

if you had a multimeter you could check if its charging while its running
dont trust the stock guage

*BrianDye* · 04-29-2010, 10:27 PM

I trust my volt gauge, it matches up exactly with my aftermarket gauge, but yea man I would bet its your alt, OR possibly bad wiring to from the alt to the battery or something...

Anyone know if there are any fuses between the alternator and the battery that could have blown?

deamon3 · 04-30-2010, 12:47 AM

Yea I'm worried it could be something easy like a wire or fuse.

**Maniak** · 04-30-2010, 12:50 AM

There is a fuse in the underhood fuse block (physically small fuse) that allows the alternator to charge.. Its a 20-30 amp fuse..

~Mark

elbow2342 · 04-30-2010, 12:51 AM

Take your altinator to a parts house and have it tested.Before you buy one, napa or shucks, etc.
Elbow

*BrianDye* · 04-30-2010, 12:52 AM

Check that fuse, while your at it, just check them all to be safe lol.

(I use a small LED flashlight, and I dont even have to pull the fuses out to check them, just shine the light to the side of them so it shines through and you can see if its blown or not)

And if not, any local parts store should be able to check your alt for free..

deamon3 · 04-30-2010, 01:51 AM

Ok I checked all the fuses under the hood and all the ones there look fine. Which fuse is it suppose to be specifically becuase the diagram on the fuse box is very vague.

deamon3 · 04-30-2010, 12:06 PM

Anything else it could be guys?

burgundy1994xlt · 04-30-2010, 12:20 PM

My needle went almost all the way to the left and it was the alternator if that helps at all.

Found this link but after page 22 I gave up searching for the diagram:

http://illustrations.allinfoaboutaut....php?page=4270

(edit) Looking through my 1994 xlt owners manual for the under hood fuse box it says fuse number 16 is a 15amp and next to that it says alternator#3. Next to it is an open space number 15.

deamon3 · 05-01-2010, 03:53 PM

Ok all fixed , had to replace alternator, was only 21$! yay for junkyard parts!

04-29-2010, 08:22 PM	#1
deamon3 Wannabe Elite Explorer Wisconsin 94 Eddie Bauer Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 905 Vehicle Specs (Original Poster)	marooned So basically my explorer isn't running to great and I'm marooned at my own house. Not the worst place to be marooned but I have to go to work tomorrow so I'll need some kind of solution. Basically my exploder battery was running low it seemed. The gauge on the dash was reading like 10 volts. I figured the battery was going bad because it was my deep cycle boat battery and I had it in there for a few months. So I bought a brand new battery and it worked fine for one day , but then on my way home the meter was going lower and lower till my check engine and battery light turned on. I'm immediately thinking the alternator is broken. Is there anything else it could be before I go out and pay money for an alternator? Because after buying the battery I'm almost broke and have a very limited number of time before the explorer depletes the battery that's in it. Once the battery is dead I'll have no way to start or move the ex not to mention get to town or work. So I only got a single trip to town to buy the right part and come back , lol. SO I think its an alternator?

04-29-2010, 08:35 PM	#2
BradR Elite Explorer Novi, MI '99 EX 4.0 OHV Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 914 Vehicle Specs	It's 80% likely it's the alternator then. How old is the alternator? __________________ '99 Ex XLT 4.0 OHV 195k '00 Mounty 5.0 175k - SOLD '00 Ex XLS 4.0 OHV 159k - Sis '03 Windstar 3.8 - Moms '02 E-450 6.8 Box - Dads '04 Silverado 3500 6.0 Utility - Dads

04-29-2010, 10:27 PM	#6
BrianDye Elite Explorer Michigan 04 CV LX Sport Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 5,607 Vehicle Specs	I trust my volt gauge, it matches up exactly with my aftermarket gauge, but yea man I would bet its your alt, OR possibly bad wiring to from the alt to the battery or something... Anyone know if there are any fuses between the alternator and the battery that could have blown? __________________ '13 Dodge Charger RT

04-30-2010, 12:50 AM	#8
Maniak Moderator-Stock 91-94 Vail, Arizona 1992 XLT 4x4 Join Date: Feb 1999 Posts: 10,729 Vehicle Specs	There is a fuse in the underhood fuse block (physically small fuse) that allows the alternator to charge.. Its a 20-30 amp fuse.. ~Mark __________________ Click HERE to see our Explorer Specs

04-30-2010, 12:52 AM	#10
BrianDye Elite Explorer Michigan 04 CV LX Sport Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 5,607 Vehicle Specs	Check that fuse, while your at it, just check them all to be safe lol. (I use a small LED flashlight, and I dont even have to pull the fuses out to check them, just shine the light to the side of them so it shines through and you can see if its blown or not) And if not, any local parts store should be able to check your alt for free.. __________________ '13 Dodge Charger RT

04-29-2010, 08:38 PM	#3
MrPlumber Wannabe Elite Explorer Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 4 Vehicle Specs	I would start it up and unhook the battery... If it keeps running then alternator is fine... If it dies then alternator is probably bad... But they can test at the parts sotgre for ya as well...

04-29-2010, 08:41 PM	#4
deamon3 Wannabe Elite Explorer Wisconsin 94 Eddie Bauer Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 905 Vehicle Specs (Original Poster)	Well It dies with no battery connected. I guess the alternator is the original. It looks weathered the same and the card only has 140,000 so I imagine it was never changed.

04-29-2010, 10:24 PM	#5
94Gexplorer Wannabe Elite Explorer port angeles, wa 94 ex Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 205 Vehicle Specs	if you had a multimeter you could check if its charging while its running dont trust the stock guage

04-30-2010, 12:47 AM	#7
deamon3 Wannabe Elite Explorer Wisconsin 94 Eddie Bauer Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 905 Vehicle Specs (Original Poster)	Yea I'm worried it could be something easy like a wire or fuse.

04-30-2010, 12:51 AM	#9
elbow2342 Wannabe Elite Explorer Lacenter wa. 1994 xlt Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 65 Vehicle Specs	Take your altinator to a parts house and have it tested.Before you buy one, napa or shucks, etc. Elbow

04-30-2010, 01:51 AM	#11
deamon3 Wannabe Elite Explorer Wisconsin 94 Eddie Bauer Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 905 Vehicle Specs (Original Poster)	Ok I checked all the fuses under the hood and all the ones there look fine. Which fuse is it suppose to be specifically becuase the diagram on the fuse box is very vague.

04-30-2010, 12:06 PM	#12
deamon3 Wannabe Elite Explorer Wisconsin 94 Eddie Bauer Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 905 Vehicle Specs (Original Poster)	Anything else it could be guys?

04-30-2010, 12:20 PM	#13
burgundy1994xlt Wannabe Elite Explorer Schmuck from dirtland 1994 XLT 4X4 Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 124 Vehicle Specs	My needle went almost all the way to the left and it was the alternator if that helps at all. Found this link but after page 22 I gave up searching for the diagram: http://illustrations.allinfoaboutaut....php?page=4270 (edit) Looking through my 1994 xlt owners manual for the under hood fuse box it says fuse number 16 is a 15amp and next to that it says alternator#3. Next to it is an open space number 15. Last edited by burgundy1994xlt; 04-30-2010 at 12:35 PM.

05-01-2010, 03:53 PM	#14
deamon3 Wannabe Elite Explorer Wisconsin 94 Eddie Bauer Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 905 Vehicle Specs (Original Poster)	Ok all fixed , had to replace alternator, was only 21$! yay for junkyard parts!