help Dead battery low voltage 2001 explorer sport

[giorgioa]

I need help. My battery light just popped up one day and the battery gauge is very low. I had a diagnostic run and it came back that my battery was no good but my alternator was fine. So they put the new battery in. The light is still on and the gauge is still on low. I checked all the fuses they seem fine. I don't know what to do next ? I appreciate all and any advice.

 

[ifixairplanes]

well, sounds like they were wrong and its the alternator that bad. thats the only other thing it can be.

sean

 

[RickOTR]

Check your connections first and make sure they are clean. I would suspect a faulty regulator before I would the alternator. I've also heard that the brushes from the regulator stick sometimes, so you might want to take the alternator off and see that the brushes are moving freely. It could also be a bad gauge or gauge connection.

 

[spindlecone]

1/4 mile, 3.8 secs, thats cool, Rick, is that on pump gas?

 

[KPT]

I've always wondered this.... if your battery is still good but almost totally discharged, won't the testers autozone/advance auto/ etc use show the battery is bad?

Put a voltmeter on the battery when the truck is running. Then put the voltmeter on post coming out of the back of the alternator. If the alternator is showing around 14 volts and the battery is not its wiring. If the alternator isn't around 14 its bad.

 

[Alec]

yes, you should always test a battery when it's fully charged.

This may mean you have to trickle charge it overnight before testing it.

 

[RickOTR]

Yep.... But I have to be real good as the CHP loves stopping fast little sports cars. I wanted to get a cold air intake but for it but there's no place to put it in the engine bay. Also, If you think working on your Explorer's is difficult try working on a Porsche.

 

[Mbrooks420]

You must have a typo in your sig. Rick. I noticed that the other day. Porsche or not, it doesn't run the 1/4 in 3.8 seconds.

 

[RickOTR]

whoooooops.... Sorry I'll have to change that. Glad you said something or I would never have noticed. It should read 0-60 in 3.8 secs, but hey... wouldn't 3.8 in 1/4 mile be something