Not Charging!!! What have I missed?

[FoMoCo_67Ranger]

Ok I know this has been a topic on here one on more than one occasion but I can't figure this thing out. I have replaced(all new) the following battery, alternator, regulator, starter relay, and the starter. My question was if anyone knows if I am missing something or and doing something wrong. Oh and I did print off a wiring diagram from here for refrence and still no luck. Please someone fill me in this thing is driving me crazy!!!!

[fordman]

so its not charging the battery or the guage isnt working so that i tlooks like its not charging the battery? maybe the wires got crossed when you changed the alt out. or maybe those parts are dead from the parts stroe. did you have your old parts checked before you just started throwing parts at it? maybe there is a bad wire someplace that burnt in two. let us have some more info please.

[FoMoCo_67Ranger]

so its not charging the battery or the guage isnt working so that i tlooks like its not charging the battery? maybe the wires got crossed when you changed the alt out. or maybe those parts are dead from the parts stroe. did you have your old parts checked before you just started throwing parts at it? maybe there is a bad wire someplace that burnt in two. let us have some more info please.

The problem is that the battery wont charge and the alternator that was in it was bad so i replaced it and i figured if you replace the alternator you might as well replace the alternator regulator. That didnt work so i figured it was the starter so i bought a new one the old one I never tested but it was only $40 so i went ahead and bought it. Im thinking that its most likely a wiring issue somewhere but im not sure which wire goes where(a few loose wires behind the instrument gauge) i will try to get some pics on here tomarrow.

[fordman]

ok i see. the losse wire behind the cluster could be it. you have to make sure they go back in the right places. the alt wire to the guaege cant be backwards. that could be a possible problem if they were rehooked up wrong. i'll wait for your pics of that area and maybe i can help or send pics of another cluster that hasnt been changed wiring wise.

[Dragon]

ok i see. the losse wire behind the cluster could be it. you have to make sure they go back in the right places. the alt wire to the guaege cant be backwards. that could be a possible problem if they were rehooked up wrong.

at didnt work so i figured it was the starter so i bought a new one the old one I never tested but it was only $40 so i went ahead and bought it. Im thinking that its most likely a wiring issue somewhere b

If you crossed the gauge wire the gauge would just work backwards. They come from the same point on the truck starter solenoid and the gauge has nothing that limits the current direction. The gauge moves one way when the battery discharges and the other when charging. The difference in the actual length makes the wires act like a current shunt to drive the gauge.

You did not mention battery cables. My truck would die after it warmed up and it would then only die after I drove it. The Ground on my truck goes to the fender at the radiator support top from there it goes on another cable to the block all 2 ga. The slight corrosion got between the two cables at the fender and killed the engine. Well that would have shown up (if my gauge wiring was fixed) as no charge.

[fordman]

thats wierd. you can pull a battery out of a running truck and it will still run off of the alt. dont do this to a computerized truck. it will run like crap and blow black smoke until it sees the battery again.

[My427stang]

This is going to sound silly, but how are you testing if its charging?

If you dont have a purpose built tester, use a volt gauge and tell us what its putting out at idle, should be 13.9 to about 14.5

The next step if it doesnt charge is to bypass the regulator. You put a 12V jumper wire to the field wire at the regulator plug (after unplugging it)

Then if it charges, it was the regulator.

If it still doesnt charge, it can only be three things, you forgot to hook the BAT wire to the alt or to the solenoid, the engine isnt properly grounded, or its a second bad alternator

The alternator wiring is very easy.
1 - Heavy wire from BAT terminal to solenoid on the battery cable side, this is where the juice comes out to charge the bat
2 - Field wire (FLD) to regulator, it is an INPUT, meaning when the regulator sends juice TO the alternator, its telling it to charge
3 - Ground - Grounds the alternator

There is a 4th, STA - Stator, and its an OUTPUT, but usually isnt used and doesnt need to be used to charge

So as you can see, if the gound is good, and the BAT is connected, all that is left is to tickle the field, and you can do that manually with a jumper

Last, look for any fusible links, there may be a couple in the harness, they look like little rubber pieces wired in. They can burn out, and in the field or BAT wire, a burned one will cause it not to charge.

[bumpside]

This is going to sound silly, but how are you testing if its charging?

If you dont have a purpose built tester, use a volt gauge and tell us what its putting out at idle, should be 13.9 to about 14.5

The next step if it doesnt charge is to bypass the regulator. You put a 12V jumper wire to the field wire at the regulator plug (after unplugging it)

Then if it charges, it was the regulator.

If it still doesnt charge, it can only be three things, you forgot to hook the BAT wire to the alt or to the solenoid, the engine isnt properly grounded, or its a second bad alternator

The alternator wiring is very easy.
1 - Heavy wire from BAT terminal to solenoid on the battery cable side, this is where the juice comes out to charge the bat
2 - Field wire (FLD) to regulator, it is an INPUT, meaning when the regulator sends juice TO the alternator, its telling it to charge
3 - Ground - Grounds the alternator

There is a 4th, STA - Stator, and its an OUTPUT, but usually isnt used and doesnt need to be used to charge

So as you can see, if the gound is good, and the BAT is connected, all that is left is to tickle the field, and you can do that manually with a jumper

Last, look for any fusible links, there may be a couple in the harness, they look like little rubber pieces wired in. They can burn out, and in the field or BAT wire, a burned one will cause it not to charge.

I like the link idea. There should be one right by the solonid. It's on the main wire from the alternator.

[mouse]

to test field on most you need a 10 ohm 10 watt resister between field and 12 volts {warning: that resister might get hot}

[majlz40]

Sorry for just 'butting' in on this topic- but I see that the 'fourth' wire was mentioned. I have a black and red wire coming from the voltage regulator mounting bolt, it is not connected to anything. I am also having charging issues, can anyone shed any light on what the function of this wire is. The diagram shows it to be #26 but I have a white wire connected there because that was its original location. I have replaced the starter, solenoid, battery, and relocated all grounds directly to the motor after exposing bare metal.

[Dragon]

26 Black and Red is ground from chassis to alternator. Hook it up. I have my bat Negative cable going to the bottom bolt of the alternator so not only do I have a good engine ground I have an alternator ground.

[fordman]

Sorry for just 'butting' in on this topic- but I see that the 'fourth' wire was mentioned. I have a black and red wire coming from the voltage regulator mounting bolt, it is not connected to anything. I am also having charging issues, can anyone shed any light on what the function of this wire is. The diagram shows it to be #26 but I have a white wire connected there because that was its original location. I have replaced the starter, solenoid, battery, and relocated all grounds directly to the motor after exposing bare metal.

what year truck do you have?

[Darrman]

I am having the same problem as the original poster, in my '69 I have replaced everything, Battery, starter solonoid, regulator, rebuilt the alt and had it tested, even replaced the old 4 amp inline glass fuses with 4 amp blade fuses, cleaned all connections, checked my grounds, double, triple checked my wires and connections to make sure it was all wired up right.
The only thing I noticed was that the diagram for the truck shows a fourth hookup on the alt, the stator, and there being a fourth wire on the regulator harness, I only have three, , and after cutting the tape back on the wires, I cant see any sign of there ever being a wire there.
My dash gauge does not work, and I am not getting a charge to the battery. I put a voltmeter on the battery, starter solonoid, and alt battery connector, not running I got a 12.5, running I got a 12.3 at all the spots.
I am out of ideas, please help!

[Dragon]

What year truck do you have? Engine, Alternator amperage and Mechanical or electronic regulator?

4 wires to regulator is normal whether amp light or meter.

To all Ground the Voltage Regulator to the Alternator Wire 26 Black Red and also tie that to the chassis.

[fordman]

the older wiring had four wires tothe reg.and thenewer ones atleast 70 and up only had three wires to the reg. the blackis the ground fromt he alt to the reg hold down bolt.