allmyEXes
Elite Explorer
- Joined
- February 6, 2016
- Messages
- 2,915
- Reaction score
- 1,975
- City, State
- No. Alabama USA
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 1997 Blue Ex 4.0 SOHC
- Callsign
- KAGG 3611 (CB)
We recently purchased (2.5 mos ago) this 5.0 powered Mountaineer. It had been sitting on our path home for about 3 years. When I was able to get with the PO about it, I was able to start it with a fresh battery and what fuel that was in the tank. I drove it home from there. 1/2 mile. August 1st I picked up a budget battery from wmart. 3 weeks ago had 4 Wrangler P235-7 R15's dropped shipped from DTW ($308 delivered).
Over the past few weeks I would run the engine for about 20 minutes at a time to finish off the old gas. I then went and bought 3 galllons of 100% gasoline. (I've recently wondered if these computer controlled engines prefer fuel with 10% alcohol because I don't notice any improvement.) I also finished up what was left of the brushes in the alternator and the slip rings are spent too.
ANYWAY, back to the issue at hand. This past Saturday, I put on a good used alternator with a new reg/brush assy on the 5.0. It is charging at 14.4 and does not change. Late Monday I decided that I would start it up for a few minutes. Dead battery. Disconnected it and put the DVOM on it. 3.5 volts and climbing. I just now today charged the battery for 2 hrs. it is holding at 12.39. I thought that I would totally unhook the alternator to rule it out. It is about 70 degrees today and I can feel the back of the alternator and it feels like about 85-90 degrees. Is this normal ? And I hooked the battery up to see if it appears that the Mountaineer has a drain. Earlier I undid a hacky job of a stereo installation , so I know it's not that. Is it my used alternator ? and I did have the brushes installed in an alternator with a couple of bad diodes. Did I damage the regulator ? Or do I have a segment of the ignition switch that is malfunctioning. It has been sitting now 15 minutes with the battery hooked up and has dropped to 12.28 from 12.33. .01 volt a minute and this is with the alternator totally disconnected.
Any input or thoughts anyone ? Thanks in advance with this problem
Over the past few weeks I would run the engine for about 20 minutes at a time to finish off the old gas. I then went and bought 3 galllons of 100% gasoline. (I've recently wondered if these computer controlled engines prefer fuel with 10% alcohol because I don't notice any improvement.) I also finished up what was left of the brushes in the alternator and the slip rings are spent too.
ANYWAY, back to the issue at hand. This past Saturday, I put on a good used alternator with a new reg/brush assy on the 5.0. It is charging at 14.4 and does not change. Late Monday I decided that I would start it up for a few minutes. Dead battery. Disconnected it and put the DVOM on it. 3.5 volts and climbing. I just now today charged the battery for 2 hrs. it is holding at 12.39. I thought that I would totally unhook the alternator to rule it out. It is about 70 degrees today and I can feel the back of the alternator and it feels like about 85-90 degrees. Is this normal ? And I hooked the battery up to see if it appears that the Mountaineer has a drain. Earlier I undid a hacky job of a stereo installation , so I know it's not that. Is it my used alternator ? and I did have the brushes installed in an alternator with a couple of bad diodes. Did I damage the regulator ? Or do I have a segment of the ignition switch that is malfunctioning. It has been sitting now 15 minutes with the battery hooked up and has dropped to 12.28 from 12.33. .01 volt a minute and this is with the alternator totally disconnected.
Any input or thoughts anyone ? Thanks in advance with this problem
