Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Altmeter dropped to 0 ... help!

[FATCAT]

My wife's girlfriend's 2000 CTD truck had an incident yesterday. While driving home her Alt-meter dropped all the way to the left (0 amps) and the dash board lights (ALT) and such come on. The other gages were OK, but she kept driving it home.



What is this a symptom of? Possibly a chafed wire discharging the battery into the frame? Alternator fried up? The truck has about 60K on it.



Thanks.

 

[EBoyts]

The symptom is consistent with the alternator going out. If that's the case, no harm done-- your friend just needs to replace the alternator before the batteries drain. Anyone with a computer can diagnose the alternator and let you know the exact problem (Checkers diagnosed mine for free).



FYI-- this happened to me recently, and after scouring the web and local parts sellers for best price, it turns out my local Dodge dealer beat everybody's reman parts with a brand new (I don't remember exactly, but around $240 I think-- NAPA wanted $280 for a reman). Amazing!

 

[Snow man]

ive had that happen twice, it isnt the alt in my case,it a wiring gremlin. My check guages light also comes on at the same time. i grabbed my voltmeter whie it was runnign and put it on the battery,and it said 14. 1 volts so the alt was fine,and charging. This happened when i was plowing,so i kept plowing,after about 2 cycles of the key it was perfect again,it did it one other time in 3+yrs.

 

[FATCAT]

ive had that happen twice, it isnt the alt in my case,it a wiring gremlin. My check guages light also comes on at the same time. i grabbed my voltmeter whie it was runnign and put it on the battery,and it said 14. 1 volts so the alt was fine,and charging. This happened when i was plowing,so i kept plowing,after about 2 cycles of the key it was perfect again,it did it one other time in 3+yrs.

Well, Snowman ... this is the same thing that happened to my wife's friend. This morning she went to start the truck (hoping it would start), and it did. All the gauges were fine. The Alt-meter was right where it is suppost to be.

She had Autozone check out the Alt, and bateries for free and everything was OK ... go figure????



Gremlins must be the answer, unless there is a chafed wire somewhere.

 

[Deadbus]

Just my $. 02, but you might want to check the cabling coming out of the Alternator. Sometimes they get knocked around when changing the oil filter (sits right where a strap wrench will hit. ) I went thru 3 alternators before the dealerships it out. The last time, the cables were glowing red, it seems that all the looseness had built up quite a bit of resistence. I had the TSB performed and that lasted a while, but then either I hit it or the dealership hit it ( I know I should change my own oil, but working under the new surge deployment schedule in the Navy, sometimes you don't have time. ) It's been over 30K miles since it last happened (I know how to use the wrench now :> ).



Vinnie

 

[Billy Diesel]

Well, Snowman ... this is the same thing that happened to my wife's friend. This morning she went to start the truck (hoping it would start), and it did. All the gauges were fine. The Alt-meter was right where it is suppost to be.

She had Autozone check out the Alt, and bateries for free and everything was OK ... go figure????



Gremlins must be the answer, unless there is a chafed wire somewhere.

This happened to me a couple of times when my truck was new. Luckily my 2-meter shows volts in, so I could see that I was indeed charging. The culprit was supposedly the Cam (or Crank - I can never remember which) Position Sensor. I never replaced mine, and the problem went away. I like those problems that fix themselves... .

 

[justinp20012500]

There is a 140 amp fuse in the distribution block that sometimes goes out.

Its very common problem in the 24v trucks.

You might want to check there.

 

[WestTN]

Since that is a volt meter and not an amp meter, and you are in the north, I wonder if she just happened to look at the gauge when the grid heaters were cycling?

 

[Forrest Nearing]

on my '97, I had a crappy positive wire between the two batteries and some battery posts that needed cleaning that caused the alt light to come on.



Forrest

 

[Deadbus]

WestTN-



I want to thank you for setting me straight on the meters. The sad thing is that I am an electrician.



Vinnie