 Alternator failing....
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 3,954
Loquacious
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OP
Loquacious
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 3,954 |
Well, I finally got to go for a decent ride to celebrate getting a new job (no more temp job crap!!!), so I rode 2 hours up to Frisco and back, and my headlights started dying out about 10 miles from home in the middle of I-25 in the pitch black. And it started dying like to the point that I couldn't keep up with the 80+mph traffic. Better yet, I was in the left lane because I HAD been passing everyone, so had to a 3 lane dash to the right shoulder with failing lights and lackluster acceleration. I shot across to the left shoulder with semis honking madly at me (yeah, I know what I'm doing, I know you're there, honking aint helping!!!!) I rode along the right shoulder, with a dim headlight, hitting all of the tread casings littering the shoulder, and finally limped home wiht a flickering speedo light and dim headlights and no turnsignals. TO me, that says the alternator is gone and I'm running on the battery, any ideas?
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Re: Alternator failing....
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 12,964
Stickman Yogi
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Stickman Yogi
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 12,964 |
Would it turn over after you got home?
Live to love, love to live.
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Re: Alternator failing....
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Joined: May 2007
Posts: 5,068 Likes: 1
Saddle Sore
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Saddle Sore
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 5,068 Likes: 1 |
Have you checked the voltage ? I had the same, was the R/R crapping out.
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Re: Alternator failing....
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 12,964
Stickman Yogi
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Stickman Yogi
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 12,964 |
Live to love, love to live.
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Re: Alternator failing....
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Joined: May 2012
Posts: 46
Greenhorn
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Greenhorn
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 46 |
I've been diagnosing my charging system myself. Not the same symptoms, but I've all but determined that my R/R has failed. You can narrow some things down pretty quickly with a multimeter. Lots of good how-to threads here and on youtube, etc.
Frisco, eh? Beautiful - I used to live there. Miss it!
Mike
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Re: Alternator failing....
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 3,954
Loquacious
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OP
Loquacious
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 3,954 |
Yep, fired right up! What's an R/R
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Re: Alternator failing....
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 3,954
Loquacious
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OP
Loquacious
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 3,954 |
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Re: Alternator failing....
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 4,072 Likes: 80
Loquacious
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Loquacious
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 4,072 Likes: 80 |
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Re: Alternator failing....
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Joined: May 2007
Posts: 5,068 Likes: 1
Saddle Sore
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Saddle Sore
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 5,068 Likes: 1 |
Quote:
Wade, what's an R/R?
Chy's faster than me. Sorry. If ya look in "Performance Mods" there is a thread called "regulator mod done" and it's got all you need to know about how to fix that.
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Re: Alternator failing....
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 3,954
Loquacious
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OP
Loquacious
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 3,954 |
Quote:
I've been diagnosing my charging system myself. Not the same symptoms, but I've all but determined that my R/R has failed. You can narrow some things down pretty quickly with a multimeter. Lots of good how-to threads here and on youtube, etc.
Frisco, eh? Beautiful - I used to live there. Miss it!
Mike
Where are you now Mike?
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Re: Alternator failing....
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Joined: May 2012
Posts: 46
Greenhorn
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Greenhorn
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 46 |
Quote:
Quote:
I've been diagnosing my charging system myself. Not the same symptoms, but I've all but determined that my R/R has failed. You can narrow some things down pretty quickly with a multimeter. Lots of good how-to threads here and on youtube, etc.
Frisco, eh? Beautiful - I used to live there. Miss it!
Mike
Where are you now Mike?
Maine. Here are a couple of tutorial videos that may help. If you check the R/R be aware that the input wires are black with a blue line. I confused one for the Neg. output wire and my readings seemed off, but when I noticed the error and re-checked, they were fine.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5v2LtHlvcqI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDx3zgOLShY
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Re: Alternator failing....
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 3,954
Loquacious
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OP
Loquacious
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 3,954 |
Whereabouts in Maine. Wifes family has a place in Sargentville, between Ellsworth and Deer Isle. Love it up there....
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Re: Alternator failing....
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 3,954
Loquacious
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OP
Loquacious
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 3,954 |
OK, folks, here is another question, if I'm seeing 11.5-12V at idle from my battery I should not need to check each leg of my alternator stator for damage, right? I'm still planning on doing the mod, but am assuming that if I had leg to leg damage on the Stator, I would not be seeing normal charging voltage at idle.
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Re: Alternator failing....
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 23,186 Likes: 55
Fe Butt
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Fe Butt
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 23,186 Likes: 55 |
11.5 to 12V is not normal charging voltage.
I learned all I need to know about life by killing smart people and eating their brains.
Eat right ,Exercise ,Stay fit, Die Anyway!
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 Re: Alternator failing....
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Joined: May 2012
Posts: 46
Greenhorn
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Greenhorn
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 46 |
Quote:
Whereabouts in Maine. Wifes family has a place in Sargentville, between Ellsworth and Deer Isle. Love it up there....
Portland. Yes, it's nice. Not Summit County nice, but nice. 
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Re: Alternator failing....
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Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 2,212
Oil Expert
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Oil Expert
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 2,212 |
Quote:
11.5 to 12V is not normal charging voltage.
Ditto, should be 12.5 or better i should think at idle higher at 2500 and 3500 respectively.
2007 Speedmaster and miss it!
2013 T-Bird Storm and Luvin it!
Catching a yellow jacket in your shirt at 70 mph can double your vocabulary
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