just got a fox and has low volts..
12-22-2006, 01:40 AM
#1
3rd Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2006
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Posts: 711
just got a fox and has low volts..
ok i just got an 87' GT yesterday and it drove away from the guys house just fine, and i killed it once leaving the neighborhood and it started right back up. but i got home, but my plates on it and then it wouldnt start.. since then i have had the battery that was in it tested, it was 2 years old and tested a little low so i got a deal on a better battery and had it put in. this morning i had the alt tested with the new battery in it and it said that it was pushing 13.something volts. it was fine for a while but now tonight its having problems having enough power to start. the guy i bought the car from did say the car has underdrive pulleys on it and he gave me the stock ones, and i found the alt pulley in the box he gave me, and its smaller than the one thats on it right now so im assuming the stock alt pulley was left on the car. now there doesnt seem to be anything electrical running when the car is off so i dont think something is draining it. but when i drive the car the volts stay like one notch away from the red or gets right into the red on the gauge. everyonce and while the interior lights dim a little at idle but once i start moving im good.
what i dont get is if the alt tested fine, and there a new battery thats still good whats the problem?! i do have an electric fan that likes to run when im driving it and after i shut the car off it like to stay on for a minuet or two, but i dont think thats what draining the juce because like i said, the car doesnt fulley recharge when im driving it. bcause isnt the volt gauge saposed to read at about mid way?
foot notes: volts just in the red on the gauge even when driving, have electric fan dont think its the problem, new battery tested good, alt tested good. car doesnt charge while driving, gauge stays right above red.
what i dont get is if the alt tested fine, and there a new battery thats still good whats the problem?! i do have an electric fan that likes to run when im driving it and after i shut the car off it like to stay on for a minuet or two, but i dont think thats what draining the juce because like i said, the car doesnt fulley recharge when im driving it. bcause isnt the volt gauge saposed to read at about mid way?
foot notes: volts just in the red on the gauge even when driving, have electric fan dont think its the problem, new battery tested good, alt tested good. car doesnt charge while driving, gauge stays right above red.
12-22-2006, 05:16 AM
#7
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Virginia
Posts: 1,292
RE: just got a fox and has low volts..
Even with the 75 amp alt the battery should charge after driving anywhere for a while above 2k RPM's. If you have a volt meter, charge the battery (Most auto parts stores will do it for free) back to full. Then put it in and hook everything up, then test the voltage. Should be around 12.5 or so. Then come back in thirty mins, and hour and 1.5 hours. If the voltage is dropping then oyu have a drain somewhere (LIke me right now). You can easily have a drain with nothing on. If you do have a drain I can tell you how to find it. My alt is draining 5.6 volts if I leave it plugged in, but I don't have the money right now to upgrade it, so I am just unplugging it every time I drive the car until after X-mas.
12-22-2006, 05:19 AM
#8
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Join Date: Apr 2006
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Posts: 633
RE: just got a fox and has low volts..
Sorry-
3g= 3rd generation ford alternator. That's the SN-95 unit. It bolts right into the stock bracket with a slight modification (just a slight cut- I did it with a sawzall lol)
The bracket is still as strong as ever.
3g= 3rd generation ford alternator. That's the SN-95 unit. It bolts right into the stock bracket with a slight modification (just a slight cut- I did it with a sawzall lol)
The bracket is still as strong as ever.
12-22-2006, 05:26 AM
#9
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2006
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Posts: 711
RE: just got a fox and has low volts..
ORIGINAL: vt89gtvert
Even with the 75 amp alt the battery should charge after driving anywhere for a while above 2k RPM's. If you have a volt meter, charge the battery (Most auto parts stores will do it for free) back to full. Then put it in and hook everything up, then test the voltage. Should be around 12.5 or so. Then come back in thirty mins, and hour and 1.5 hours. If the voltage is dropping then oyu have a drain somewhere (LIke me right now). You can easily have a drain with nothing on. If you do have a drain I can tell you how to find it. My alt is draining 5.6 volts if I leave it plugged in, but I don't have the money right now to upgrade it, so I am just unplugging it every time I drive the car until after X-mas.
Even with the 75 amp alt the battery should charge after driving anywhere for a while above 2k RPM's. If you have a volt meter, charge the battery (Most auto parts stores will do it for free) back to full. Then put it in and hook everything up, then test the voltage. Should be around 12.5 or so. Then come back in thirty mins, and hour and 1.5 hours. If the voltage is dropping then oyu have a drain somewhere (LIke me right now). You can easily have a drain with nothing on. If you do have a drain I can tell you how to find it. My alt is draining 5.6 volts if I leave it plugged in, but I don't have the money right now to upgrade it, so I am just unplugging it every time I drive the car until after X-mas.
12-22-2006, 05:31 AM
#10
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Clovis, CA
Posts: 221
RE: just got a fox and has low volts..
If you think you might have a current drain somewhere, hook an ammeter up to the positive cable and and put the other lead on a ground. Now start pulling fuses one at a time. When you get to the fuse that causes the ammeter to stop showing current draw, that's the circuit with the drain.