Charging problem....

[knowlegeable1]

ok heres the story, The other night we were getting ready to cruise, and i go to my buddys house. everything was fine. WE get ready to leave his house, and my car wont start... hm... So i try again and it makes this weird like rapid fire clicking noise. My buddy said it might be the starter but we try to jump it anyways. Jumping it didnt work. I didnt want to leave my car at his house (not safe) So i suggest push starting it. It worked! i get it home and park it for the night. The next day i bought a starter solenoid on the way home just to see if thats the problem (took my other car), so when i get home i try to start it just for kicks. It started right up. i let it run, turn it off, try to turn it on again, and no go. same clicking noise. i then replace the solenoid. try again, and nothing. So, i take the starter off, get it checked at kragen, and starter is good. im thinking its a bad wire, i replace the wire from the starter to solenoid and problem sovled... BUT, heres where i make a NEWBIE mistake. While tighting the battery cables, i was using a long wrench and i touched + to - and Big spark. Ugh. car still started and everything was good. Later that night, im crusing around, and my voltage is way down... then the battery light comes on. The car eventually didnt start back up, we jumped it, and started it. then While driving it just died. I got it home, take the battery to sears, test it, its dead, new battery in, still low voltage light. Check alternator, alternator is ok, but theres a charging problem...What could be the problem??? any help would be appreciated... sorry for the long post, just wanted to walk you through step by step in case my mistakes could have caused something. thanks again. -Shane

 

[HISSIN50]

Shane, how was the alternator tested? Did you check the fusible links, particularily the one for the alternator?

During solenoid swapping, could the alt charge wire have been omitted from the hot side of the solenoid?

Good luck.

 

[knowlegeable1]

I just drove to Kragen and they tested the alternator while it was still on the car... Ill check the fusible links tomorrow. As for omitting wires while swapping solenoids, i was very carefull as to replace them all back to there original positions, but i will double check. Thanks for the quick reply... and just out of curiosity, if Those arent the problems, what could i check next? Thanks again. -Shane

 

[knowlegeable1]

Well, I took a look at the wired to the solenoid, and i was missing one. IT was hidden, thats why i didint see it. I hooked it up and everything is good now. Thanks for the help.
-Shane

 

[olymaster]

fords are notorious for this is it has a loose connection somewhere