Charging problem- Help, I'm at the track!!

[trekkor]

1999 Ford ZX2- ( I'm sorry )

Came in after a session yesterday and the water was boiling over into the overflow and the cooling fan was not running.

The temp gauge was not showing hot and the tach had been acting funny, bouncing up and down from my revs and being stuck at zero.

The car was very slow cranking.

I had my nephew bring me a new alternator and a voltage meter.
The battery was very low ( Optima Red Top ) and the old alt did nothing.

I swapped in the new alt, while I charged the battery off my running F-350.
The battery had 12.2 volts and started the car, but no charge and the battery started draining down.

Both alternators are going back to town for testing today.

Any ideas?
Is there a fuse in the charging circuit I may have overlooked?

Thanks.

I'll be checking in all day between student sessions.
I'm hoping to get it running today so I can get some laps in and run all day tomorrow.



KT

[Targa Me]

Kind of sounds like a short is causing your troubles (all that other weird stuff going on), i think the "no charge" is just a symptom.

[DUK]

Check ALL grounds first. All connections of the battery cables. Look for any heated or burnt wires. Also make sure the battery is fastened down tight. Not so important with the optimas but still can cause some funky electrical gremlins.

Just throwing out ideas to you.

[Mrmerlin]

the fords are plagued with faulty charging systems the charging system runs through the computer so it may have taken a dump, but check the grounds first and the wires connected to the grounding lugs and the power wires connected to the lug connectors. if they get loose they can cause these charging issues

[mattdavis11]

Cooling fan is shot and drawing current.

[trekkor]

Any and all ideas welcome!!

Thanks


KT

[red-beard]

Does it have an external voltage regulator? That could do it.

[lm6y]

Hope it helps!

[trekkor]

Thanks, I'll use that.


KT

[trekkor]

Word is: Both alts tested BAD.
My old one and the 'new' one.

Replacement 'new' one is being tested first and delivered to the track this afternoon!

I should get some laps today. Yay!!


KT

[trekkor]

**UPDATE**

The auto parts stores in Reno are staffed by people that do not know how to test alternators...

After they tested ALL of the replacement alts at the neighboring stores as BAD, someone got the bright idea that maybe they we're doing it wrong.

Turns out, my alt is good after all, which makes my situation worse.
Now I have to catch the gremlin in the engine bay.

Back to square one.


KT

[9dreizig]

I'm home all night if you want to trailer it here and work with some light and get a shower

[TerryBPP]

Originally Posted by mattdavis11

Cooling fan is shot and drawing current.

This is very common on Contours and Escorts. The module goes bad and the fan just keeps running until it kills the battery.

[trekkor]

Thanks for the offer, Todd, but that's a lot of work to break down my entire pit.

I'll do my best to figure it out here today/tonight.


KT

[trekkor]

Cooling fan does not come on at all.


KT

[Joe Bob]

Ground and hot wire the fan......if it works it's in the wiring.

[trekkor]

Turns out it was the electrical cut-off switch that was bad.
The alternator charge back circuit was off when the switch was off or on.

I moved the wiring over to bypass the switch and then went out and blew the transmission...

Heading home in the morning.


KT

[Mrmerlin]

lucky you didnt damage the differential or the the serpentine belt

[trekkor]

I'd like to be driving, but this will be just what I need to focus my attention on the 914 again.


KT

[trekkor]

Still had some fun. 100mph at turn in!


KT