Alternator? (with pics)

[ghettoracer]

I just discovered that I may have a faulty alternator but I'd just like to confirm and see what it may be. I have a 97 EB with 170K miles, 5.4L. Everything works fine, just kinda wondering whats going on. Here are some pics.

Initial reading, with the engine off:


Engine off:


Engine On (revved to 1500rpms):


Engine On:


Engine on with the lights on:


I think it may be a failed voltage regulator.....what you think? I checked all the battery to alternator connections as well as the fuses linked to the alternator and all seems fine, even cleaned my battery terminals, same result. Thanks in advance!

 

[Marc]

Seems as tho' your alt. isn't putting out enough amps. to charge your battery. Before buying an alt., if you can remove it and take just the alt. up to O'rielly's and have it tested and make sure they hook up all the connections, first time they missed one on mine.
Anyway I took my Exp. up to O'rielly's and they tested it on the car, it was pushing the same and your's. I bought a brand new one and while I was paying to have it installed I took just the old alt. up to O'rielly's to have it tested, came out to be good. So now I have 2 perfectly good alt. and just blew a couple hundred dollars.
So now it sits at Ford, they called and said I have a bad alt., I assured them it is not the Alt. I told them the other one was in the back seat and it looked new and tested good. He said we'll probably throw that one back on. I assured him once again, it is not the alt.
The guy who installed the new one (not Ford) said it wasn't putting out a charge either, he said he followed the connections un-plugged and plugged connection back in and afterwards the alt. was charging and he couldn't get it not to not put out a charge again.
This is before Ford had it and now Ford says it's not putting out a charge. So in my case and hopefully not yours, mine lies beyond the alt. I have a post on here explaining it.
IMO electrical is the worst kind of car problems anyone can have.

BTW, mine was never tested with ignition off, never even thought about that.

Marc

 

[ghettoracer]

Thanks man, I just wanted a base reading to see if it was below 12volts. I find it awfully weird that it would run at 13.5 volts and when I ramped the rpms, it hardly moved. When I turned on the lights, it would drop to 12.8v....Im thinking it may be a bad voltage regulator but the battery hasnt been changed in quite a while so I will put a fresh one in and see if thats not the culprit.

 

[Marc]

You're welcome! Also check the alt. fuse if you haven't already done so. It's under the black cover on the firewall on the left hand side.