Battery light, Volt problem 6 batteries, 3 alt later still nothing HELP HELP HELP

[drk1180]

Ok i have tried to research on prior post to see what I should do but nothing really stands out for my problem. My problem is that I bought my 01 7.3 2 and a half years ago. I take it a couple weeks after I bought it to do a roofing job in a cold weather spot (-numbers). I woke up that morning and go out side to crank my truck, starts fine, i then turned the truck back off after 15 mins of running bc we decided not to go roofing that day. I got back in the truck 20 mins later to go eat and the truck didnt start. That is where my problems started there. I called AAA and they came and jumped me off with two jump-its i drive to the closest advance and they check my alt and batteries and tell me that my alt went out. Ok i think no big deal i drive the truck home to my home town advance to get me home. I replace my alt, then a couple months later batteries go out (go figure drove and hour and half on just batteries). The next winter truck dies at work (work 24 hour shifts) have to jump it off, went to auto parts store and i replace two new batteries and alt all at the same time $$$$$$$$ just to get everything up to par together. This year same thing. I take the truck to auto parts store and they check it nothing wrong. but batteries died on me. . I dont drive my truck that much but once or twice a week so i figured i would put a trickle charger on it. Every since then my battery light flicks, and my edge tells me that my volts range from 14.4 to 9.9 driving down the road. Head lights dim and to top it all off tonight i was driving and my radio cuts it self off and wont come back on volts were at 9.9 then. I have tried everything possible that I know how to do. Maybe now that I have gave you my story of my truck problems someone can help. thanks

[JSchuricht]

9.9V is no good, you need to be 13-14.5 with the motor running.

First thing you need to do is check the batteries individually to see if there voltage is close to 12v with the truck off. If not, charge each individually to get them back to 12v. Their life will have been cut short with a discharge to 9.9v and in return, they will cut the life of the alternator by causing an extreme draw.

Once you get the batteries charged, connect one to the truck with a ammeter to check for any excessive draws with the truck off. If you have no excessive draw with the truck off, remove the ammeter and connect the second battery. Start the truck and check the voltage with a multimeter, you should be at 13-14.5v. If your voltage is good, start checking the wires. It could be a battery cable shorting out or perhaps the small wire on top of the alternator with a bad connection.

[fordmike1]

This kinda sounds like a problem that I had with my 02 7.3l. I drove from Phx,AZ to Houston,TX with my light flickering on and off on me. We left in the evening and drove all night so there wasnt a place I could stop and have mine tested at night. When we pulled into ElPaso to get fuel I was checking it out and couldnt find anything wrong and the alt. that I had was only about a month old. I went ahead and filled the truck up and decided to look at it one more time before we pulled out and this time I got a little more agressive with shaking the wires as I was a little upset with this problem and the plug for the alt. came off and I was like oh **** what the hell did I do now. Well it turns out that the plug for the alt. must have came loose some how becuse after I plugged it back in you could hear that the alt. was putting out some serious amps and the lights got brighter and all was good for the rest of the trip. I would check out your plug at the alt. and make sure that it is plugged in all the way and getting a good connection. Check the metal connections inside of the plug to make sure that they are not messed up or pushed in or are bigger then the part they have to connect to. I hope that this helps and that it cures your problems........Miike.

[drk1180]

FINALLY! I think i fixed my problem. took alt off and batteries and went and had them all check out. Found out batteries were good, alt not. I finally asked to see a belt and figured what the hell lets try this before i go to all the trouble of testing the wiring. put the new belt on, alt, and batteries and what you know 14.7 volts riding down the road. LOVE IT. lights are bright again, radio works. I believe the 50 dollar belt fixed my problems that I was dealing with for 2 years now. What I can figure is that it was just good enough to make the truck work but wouldnt produce the right amount of volts to get the batteries full and made the alt work harder than it should have, which killed it. Never thought that would have fixed my problem but it did.

[drk1180]

Finally got my truck where it keeps batteries changed (replaced slipping belt)and now my lights interior and exterior flicker, and the idle is some what rough, will actually rock the truck a little, but no battery light?? where to start?

[paulgl26]

i had to change an alternator that was charging but had a voltage spike
you could see dome light dim at idle
(some trucks will do this while the GP are on)

[drk1180]

my truck willl do this even riding down the road if i turn the interior lights on, dash cluster lights.

[paulgl26]

bad connection or bad alternator
check all your wires,grounds

[russf]

Check your voltage at the battery with a volt meter and then check at the alternator (ground on case and + on + charge terminal). If there is a big difference in voltage you got a bad connection, i've seen the positive charge wire protectant cover from the alternator to main battery melt over the terminal at the battery and cause intermittant connection. If this is case disconnect batteries cut wire and solder on new end.