why does this stuff always happen in the pouring rain?
Posted: August 29, 2019, 12:08 am
Got in the truck Monday morning to go to work and the engine would barely turn over. That's odd. Battery?
Kept at it for a bit (it was pouring down rain) and it finally cranked sluggishly. So I take off down the road and notice the wipers are barely crawling across the windshield and the turn signals aren't working. Great. Electrical issue.
I turn around and go back home. Grabbed the multimeter and put it on the battery. It shows 10.5 volts with the engine running? This alternator was rebuilt last year by a great local shop, so I'm suspecting voltage regulator. I look at it and see the voltage regulator connector hanging half-way out of it. Doh!
I pushed it back in and heard the engine change sound. Put the multimeter back on the battery and now it's running 13 volts. Been a happy camper since.
So, a few zip ties were in order:

I'm assuming the string wasn't a factory part.
Kept at it for a bit (it was pouring down rain) and it finally cranked sluggishly. So I take off down the road and notice the wipers are barely crawling across the windshield and the turn signals aren't working. Great. Electrical issue.
I turn around and go back home. Grabbed the multimeter and put it on the battery. It shows 10.5 volts with the engine running? This alternator was rebuilt last year by a great local shop, so I'm suspecting voltage regulator. I look at it and see the voltage regulator connector hanging half-way out of it. Doh!
I pushed it back in and heard the engine change sound. Put the multimeter back on the battery and now it's running 13 volts. Been a happy camper since.
So, a few zip ties were in order:

I'm assuming the string wasn't a factory part.