Uh-Oh!

[gwstang]

I have a 2008 F150 with 57K miles on it. I only live three miles from work so it doesn't really get charged up completely. I drive further when I'm off to do the usual chores. Yesterday swmbo "made" me go by the church to get pics made for the new church directory, then some other places further away. I noticed the battery gauge was a little below the center line the last few days. It's been cold so I figured it would catch up shortly. I put a brand new big battery in it last year because it was about 5 years old and I don't like getting stuck somewhere. At the last stop (she had to have butter milk to make something) she came out and hopped in and I hit the starter...just clicking from the solenoid. Ugh. A fellow coming out of the store gave me a jump from his nice new Dodge pickup...snickered a little at my poor Ford :ashamed: It just need a little bit to start up. On the way home, the needle got further and further to the discharge side. I charged the battery up last night and I'll try it in a little bit with my volt meter. I did a little reading last night and discovered that strange things like the airbag fuse would be tied into the charging system. A couple of guys had to replace that fuse and everything would be fine afterwards. These new fangled trucks have way too much stuff tied into other stuff now days. What use to be either the Alternator or the Battery would be bad, has now turned into it could be the computer/air bag/turn signal/whatever fuses and circuit. I'll go out in a bit and do the Jethro Bodine naught naught to try to see what it is. 26F out there right now, I like it to warm up a little before I start banging my fingers in the cold...lol :confused2:

 

[747driver]

I take it you have checked the alternator ? Maybe a bad cell in the the battery ? Sounds like the battery is not getting charged from the alternator. No fear...i have a 2010 F150 4x4.....built ford tough !

 

[Toyboy]

No fear...i have a 2010 F150 4x4.....built ford tough !

As long as isn't one of the Triton engines that spit out the spark plugs. My neighbor has one of those and has gone through all 8 of the plugs.

 

[Clint S]

I you have not checked the voltage at the battery start there. You may be overthinking this . I mean everything is essentially tied in. Air bag fuse is there so an errant jump in voltage does not set it. It's probably the alt or the battery.

 

[747driver]

No fear...i have a 2010 F150 4x4.....built ford tough !

As long as isn't one of the Triton engines that spit out the spark plugs. My neighbor has one of those and has gone through all 8 of the plugs.

No...i don't have the Triton engine !!

 

[4570Man]

I'd guess the alternator is bad. That is easy to check. I will admit to putting a generator in the back of the truck to power a battery charger. I drove about 20 miles to home like that.

 

[mostly_gas]

Check all connections on the battery cables as well. Then recheck the voltage at the battery. There are ways (on and off vehicle) to check alternator vs. voltage regulator, Figure out which way is easiest.

 

[Alien]

Probably the alternator brushes are worn down. They lose tension and the charge rate drops when they wear. Disconnect the battery and undo the nut and 2 screws that hold the Regulator in the back of the alternator and it comes out easily. Sometimes it is easier to buy a new regulator with new brushes.
Only other thing is if a diode or two have packed it in in the diode plate internally then the charge rate would drop but this is less likely.

 

[gwstang]

I went by and got a rebuilt alternator this afternoon. A check said the old one was not charging anymore. Just odd to have this happen with so few miles on it. I've had alt. last many years on a bunch of different vehicles. He also checked the batter with the load tester and it good. I'll put the new alt. on tomorrow....after I go looking for the buck that is driving me wild...lol. They are rutting real good down here and only have another week to get 'em.