alternator warning light in 1990 LX 7up?
07-08-2012, 07:29 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Germany
Posts: 21
alternator warning light in 1990 LX 7up?
Gentlemen, first of all I want to say hello as this is my first post.
I stumbled in because my car has charging troubles and I am looking for the cause.
Unfortunately I have no owners manual. So here is my question: Does this car have an alternator warning light in the dashboard? Either mine is dead or there is none.
Greetings from Munich, Bavaria
Ray
BTW
There is a volt gauge on the left top of the instrument cluster...
I stumbled in because my car has charging troubles and I am looking for the cause.
Unfortunately I have no owners manual. So here is my question: Does this car have an alternator warning light in the dashboard? Either mine is dead or there is none.
Greetings from Munich, Bavaria
Ray
BTW
There is a volt gauge on the left top of the instrument cluster...
07-08-2012, 08:43 AM
#2
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: ohio
Posts: 3,628
I dont think you have a light that tells you its not charging that would be the job of the voltage gauge in the cluster. Are you having trouble with the car having a weak battery?
You can use a simple volt meter to check at the battery with the car running to see that you have between 14 and 15 volts coming from the alternator to the battery. If you show good voltage at the battery and your gauge is reading low it is probly a bad gauge. It could also be a bad battery not taking a charge it its not turning over.
If you could tell us a bit more about the trouble you are experiencing Im sure someone could point you in the right direction.
You can use a simple volt meter to check at the battery with the car running to see that you have between 14 and 15 volts coming from the alternator to the battery. If you show good voltage at the battery and your gauge is reading low it is probly a bad gauge. It could also be a bad battery not taking a charge it its not turning over.
If you could tell us a bit more about the trouble you are experiencing Im sure someone could point you in the right direction.
07-08-2012, 09:11 AM
#3
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Germany
Posts: 21
I think it is the alternator, probably its regulator brushes.
What happend is last night I went home and suddenly noticed the lights are getting dimmer. Looked at the voltage gauge and it was 10V and dropping.
Engine rpm did not increase the voltage.
The battery was strong enough so I reached home with battery power.
Today I am troubleshooting and want to eliminate all other sources for undercharging, like the dash bulb and the wiring. Motorcraft alternators need two weeks from USA through the customs to Germany. Have already ordered one, but wished I could get her running earlier...
What would You recommend? The car is absolutely stock and otherwise in pretty good shape.
CU
Ray
What happend is last night I went home and suddenly noticed the lights are getting dimmer. Looked at the voltage gauge and it was 10V and dropping.
Engine rpm did not increase the voltage.
The battery was strong enough so I reached home with battery power.
Today I am troubleshooting and want to eliminate all other sources for undercharging, like the dash bulb and the wiring. Motorcraft alternators need two weeks from USA through the customs to Germany. Have already ordered one, but wished I could get her running earlier...
What would You recommend? The car is absolutely stock and otherwise in pretty good shape.
CU
Ray
07-08-2012, 09:32 AM
#4
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: ohio
Posts: 3,628
lol d**N foreign cars hah just kidding.
Not to sure on the parts and stuff over there or what kind of parst are available to you but here you can buy the brushes the regulator and the diodes and rebuild it yourself. If you cant get the parts to rebuild it you pretty much stuck waiting on the alternator. In the mean time take this opportunity to clean and check all the connections from the alternator to the battery and all the ground straps. You could get lucky and have a bad wire. Trace all the wires to the alternator check for inline fuses and check all the fuses in the power block and under the dash. It would be well worth it if you found a blown fuse or a bad connection somewhere and you have plenty of time.
Not to sure on the parts and stuff over there or what kind of parst are available to you but here you can buy the brushes the regulator and the diodes and rebuild it yourself. If you cant get the parts to rebuild it you pretty much stuck waiting on the alternator. In the mean time take this opportunity to clean and check all the connections from the alternator to the battery and all the ground straps. You could get lucky and have a bad wire. Trace all the wires to the alternator check for inline fuses and check all the fuses in the power block and under the dash. It would be well worth it if you found a blown fuse or a bad connection somewhere and you have plenty of time.
07-09-2012, 12:07 PM
#5
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Germany
Posts: 21
I only know of fuses under the dash, what and where is the power block You are referring to?
Fords are not completely foreign over here, there is a big plant in Cologne, but they build other cars than in Dearborn. They only stock parts for the cars built in Europe, USA parts have to be ordered from Dearborn :-( sure wished they would all have the same alternators.
At least the 90 Mustang has a fuel pump which is also used in BMWs and all Fords I know have the same oil filter :-)
Fords are not completely foreign over here, there is a big plant in Cologne, but they build other cars than in Dearborn. They only stock parts for the cars built in Europe, USA parts have to be ordered from Dearborn :-( sure wished they would all have the same alternators.
At least the 90 Mustang has a fuel pump which is also used in BMWs and all Fords I know have the same oil filter :-)
07-09-2012, 12:35 PM
#6
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Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: ohio
Posts: 3,628
Sorry I dont think you have one on that model and year under the hood. It looks like all you have are some fusible links in the wiring. Im curious about weather there is any place there where you could take you alternator to be tested. Over here in the states just about any auto parts store will test them for free. Then you would know for sure its the alternator and not a bad wire or link
07-10-2012, 06:30 AM
#7
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Germany
Posts: 21
They all have test benches for Bosch alternators, some can test Delco but they are all too lazy to fabricate adaptors for Motorcraft alternators.
They say only once every five years somebody comes with one...
They say only once every five years somebody comes with one...
07-10-2012, 01:29 PM
#8
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Germany
Posts: 21
Cured. It was the brushes. I extracted a pair of my old drill press, resized them and fitted them and everything is alright again. Have ordered some on ebay and when they arrive I'll be prepared for next time.
Thank You, Gents, for helping me.
CU
Ray
Thank You, Gents, for helping me.
CU
Ray
