Can you help me figure out or gimme an idea what is wrong with my truck?
Asked by ericadoubleU Mar 22, 2012 at 08:20 PM about the 2001 Ford Explorer Sport
Question type: Maintenance & Repair
ok so i have a brand new alternator AND a new batter AND a new serpentine belt on my 2001 ford
explorer sport 4.0 6 cylinder. It seems that the truck is just running off the battery. the guage says that
its low everything is new...and before i take it in i wanna maybe get an idea of what it is. PLEASE HELP
3 Answers
First use a meter and check that the alternator is charging at 12.4 volts with the engine running. If not the alternator is bad or belt installed wrong. Clean and reinstall the battery connections on the battery cables. Check to make sure there is a good ground connection on the negative side of the battery to the vehicle.
Correction. The voltage with the engine running should be about 14.5 volts, not. 12.5 volts. Now, with the engine running turn on everything electrical inside the vehicle, radio, a/c, lights, etc. Now read the voltage. It should be about 12.5 volts. The voltage regulator in your vehicle in intergral, inside the alternator, I believe. So changing it requires that you change the alternator. There is a possibility the ECU bad, but I doubt it.
It is possible you have a faulty new Alternater. Yes i would check the Alternater voltage but also check the Amperage both loaded and unloaded. And definately check all the engine Earth straps and connections. Finally check you have fitted all the wires to the alternater and battery, it easy to missplace one!
