Another blinker and charging system question

[zman]

I got a 69 F100 360. Had it for about a month now my brother-n-law bought it 4 moths ago had some charging system problems was trying to fix it himself fried a lot of stuff under the hood got mad couldn't fix and left it that way. I found this site read few posts and got the truck started today after 2-3 months being out of service. I had to rewire the whole charging not sure what he did but almost all the cables were melted. Its running now but the turn signals don't blink they come on but don't blink will that be turn signal switch bad after all the mess he made I wouldn't be surprised. Another thing the ALT light is on not sure why, he told me it was like that when he bought the truck. I think charging is working fine everything is new I used the diagrams from this site to rewire. If you guys have any ideas please let me know I'm trying to bring this tank back to life. Thx

[fordman]

the charge light could be on because you might or might not have an ammeter in you instruments. that could be part of that problem i am unsure on that. blikers stating on might be a bad flasher unit can behind the instrument cluster up high in the dash. or it could be a crossed wire someplace.

let us know and maybe we can help more what color wires did you replace were they there before you replaced them so forth so on.

[zman]

I used the diagrams I found on here plus the color code sheet to use correct size of cable to replace I will try to post what I used this is pretty much what I replaced all the wires to the alternator were melted ground from the alternator was melted.

[Thunderfoot]

For the turn signals, I would try a new flasher like Fordman suggested, it looks like this.. http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductDeta ... 21&PTSet=A

On the "ALT" light, use the diagram you were using http://www.fordification.com/images/sch ... rging2.jpg and follow wire (904)... this is the exciter wire to tell the alternator to start charging.
In the voltage regulator this is grounded when the alternator is not charging so this makes the light on the dash light up. Once the alternator starts charging then it ungrounds this connection and the light will go out.

[zman]

Thanks guys will try let you know.

[zman]

Thanks guys it was a bad flasher turn signals are ok now. Im still working on the ALT light

[Thunderfoot]

Good deal Glad that was an easy fix...
One question on the "ALT" light... when you first turn the key on to the "RUN' position, does the "ALT" light come on then or only after you get it started???

[fordman]

hey i got one right . if anyone is keeping score write this one down. i was guessing.

[FORDification]

The alternator idiot light does come on when the truck isn't running but the ignition switch is in the 'Run' position.

[Thunderfoot]

The alternator idiot light does come on when the truck isn't running but the ignition switch is in the 'Run' position.

Correct!!!
Thing I'm not sure of is if the voltage regulator ungrounds the line to the light (so it goes out) or if it applies voltage on the line... (which would also make the light go out)
If it applies voltage to the line from the regulator, then if somehow the wire that normally supplies the voltage was grounded (someone messed the wiring up) then the light wouldn't light until the engine was running...
Confused yet

If my truck was running I would see if I could measure this out on the regulator... but it's dead for now...

Anyway, thought I would ask ZMAN for a quick check for my crazy thought... Don't know if they would do stuff like this back then but there are modern electronics that do cancel stuff with voltage...

Sorry for those I lost here...

[rjewkes]

well i know it there to say hey dummy(hence dummy/idiot light) your alt ain't charging.

so either it is and the wiring is justr backwards telling you that it is charging with th light when its only suppossed to come on in run before you kickit over and when it ain't chargin'.

or it realy ain't charging for some reason the amps coming out the alt aren't supplying enogh voltage/ampres at the volt reg. or the volt reg has something wrong with it not telling the battery to charge or maybe even telling it to overcharge.

[zman]

Sorry for not replying in a while Thunderfoot when I put the key in a run ALT and OIL light comes on when I start the truck ALT stays on.

[Thunderfoot]

Sorry for not replying in a while Thunderfoot when I put the key in a run ALT and OIL light comes on when I start the truck ALT stays on.

Thanks for the check there Zman , I was out of town this last week...
Sounds like the power wire to the "ALT" light is wired fine so I would check on the 904 wire like I suggested in post number 4 here... Only other thing after that would maybe be the voltage regulator itself
Let us know if you find something.

[carnuck]

Just a little tip (someone may want to sticky this) but almost every Ford I worked on that they couldn't find the problem in the charging system, even after replacing everything they could, was either a bad plug on the voltage regulator (one of the middle wires burns off where you can't see it) or a missing ground wire from the battery to the body.
The ground wire to the motor is isolated from the body by rubber mounts and the power has to travel through the engine, often through the bearings (because corrosion builds up around the bellhousing bolts due to the aluminum inspection plate and steel electrolysis) to the trans, through the driveshaft by way of the Ujoints to the rear axle and finally back through the frame and body mounts to the cab.
Doesn't take much to break this chain, so I ALWAYS add another ground wire. It tends to make for MUCH brighter headlights!

[fmartin_gila1]

Yep, Ground from negative to block - block to body - block to frame - block to rad support - frame to bed. Solves a lot of problems.
Fred