i drive a 94 mustang gt manual and last wed the battery light poped on, my battery gauge read around 10 and i figured i just drained it with my radio or somethin, well i started it up multiple times in a row with no prob. so i figured it was just a fluke but on friday before leaving my dorms to go home it wouldnt start, i got a jump from a friend thinkin i'll let it run and the alternator will recharge it and i'll atleast make it home to my buddies shop, well about 5 min later while drivin down the road the cd player went dead followed by the clock and then one by one the gauges all stoped workin, i rolled the windows up quick as i could while it was still runnin, and then it had a real rough idle at stop lights so i kept it reved up and finally just before pullin into a parkin spot it cut off and i managed to make it to a parkin spot, has anybody had anything like this happen to them, i had a friend tell me that i could be the ground going from the block to the frame but i dont know where thats located, im gonna start with throwin a new battery on it and gettin it started so i can see if its the alternator or a ground or something more serious, any thoughts?

 

most likly a ground, could be an alt. how many miles on the car? and if the cars a manual y didn't u just push start it??? you wouldn't happen to goto UNO would you i saw a guy jumping a red 94-95 gt

 

your alternator is dead. the battery guage actually refers to the voltage that the alternator is putting out. after that explanation, i'm positive. been a tech 8 yrs runnin now. get yourself a hi-perf alt from ford racing

 

what he said

 

the gauge reads the voltage at the positive wire, thats y if the ignition is on it reads 12 and if the engine is running is readys 14.6 or so... and a high perf. alt is just going to put more load on the motor (worse MPG) unless you have a system a high perf. alt is just a waist


not trying to say the i know more than the 8 year tech. since i am working on becoming a tech myself

 

it wont put more load on the motor. hi performance alternators only have more of a load capacity, able to handle higher draws. they're not putting out all the amperage unless its called upon them.

 

I believe the 94 has a improved alternator form the foxes, so I think a factory 130 amp will be fine. I also agree that the alternator is on its way out. Don't get a new battery before you check the alternator.

As said above, the gauge accually does read the voltage out put of the alternator when the car is running, and if the alternator is bad, then it will show the battery charge(that is why yours was lower than normal)

BTW, I dissagree about losing MPG for upgrading your alt.(haven't seen it myself anyway)

 

true, ive got about 160,000 miles on the car, and just before the car gave out on me the battery gauge did drop to the red of about 8, it died while i was drivin so i didnt even try push startin it, how do you do that anyway? and what is UNO? i go to Lander University in Greenwood, South Carolina, thanks for all the input, i also have pipes, rims, a cold air, and short shifter on it, with it being kinda high milage what would ya'll suggest as a next upgrade, somethin not too expensive or powerfull cause i want to get a new motor before i really build it but just something to make it jump on the competition a little bit.

 

the MPG is only like a 1-3 MPG difference nothing magor but i know some people want ever MPG they can get... and i'm not going to argue the motor draw at all (waist of time) and you right about it only putting out whats needed so unless he has a reason to need the high perf. alt. y spend the exrta money?

 

it's a college and as for a next mod BOOST. i have 130k on my motor and i'm putting a KB on it. if it don't hold i'll get a dart block and start my motor project sooner than expected