Car Keeps Dieing With System Hooked Up

[newls1]

I have had a Ford service dealership take a look at it ($80 an hour for an hour and a half) his conclusion was that the alternator wasnt big enough and it was bogging it down. but he also said he can't be certain because the alt was testing fine for 80+ amps of current draw.

The local mechanic i took it to said it had to be something electrical but he couldnt pinpoint it. he didnt charge me since he couldnt find a problem.

My alternator was "rebuilt" by a local shop. besides replacing the core, what else on the alt could be bad?

EDIT: not in GA, stuck in Oklahoma. Thanks though

Lots of fords use "fusable links" for the charging system, along with a fuse type setup. Locate the wire B+ wire coming off the alt, and follow every bit of it. You might run into a fusable link, which should become BEFORE the wire enters the fuse box. If you do, and the "LINK" looks to be ok, DONT REMOVE IT, but run a 8ga power wire along with it, and screw secure it in place, and see if this corrects your issue. If it does, then replace this 8ga wire with 0ga, when you do the big3. Also for good measure, run a ground from the batt "-" to the frame. Make sure you bolt it to the FRAME, and not a bolt head on a fender or something like that. Your car is a uni-body car, really only the front part of the engine cradle area has a frame. Make sure it is secure.

Edited May 23, 2009 by newls1

[hotshot27]

Lots of fords use "fusable links" for the charging system, along with a fuse type setup. Locate the wire B+ wire coming off the alt, and follow every bit of it. You might run into a fusable link, which should become BEFORE the wire enters the fuse box. If you do, and the "LINK" looks to be ok, DONT REMOVE IT, but run a 8ga power wire along with it, and screw secure it in place, and see if this corrects your issue. If it does, then replace this 8ga wire with 0ga, when you do the big3. Also for good measure, run a ground from the batt "-" to the frame. Make sure you bolt it to the FRAME, and not a bolt head on a fender or something like that. Your car is a uni-body car, really only the front part of the engine cradle area has a frame. Make sure it is secure.

its funny you mention the fuse, i had to mess with it before when i had alternator problems. I will try it with a straight link.

So far the ECM cutting off the fuel pump seems to be the most likely thing, since the car always starts fine without the system hooked up. the car will start perfect, and about 2-3 seconds after turning over, it will just die unless i give it gas. then i unplug the fuse on the power wire, and it starts fully normal. i have checked my voltage during all of this, and it never drops below 12.2 with the car off and 13.9 with the car on.

as a side note, in the mean time, i have been running the amp in my room, powered by a 750 watt PSU. it works like a champ, so its not the amp.

[newls1]

12.2 is still VERY LOW. Different companies will have different parameters, you know what I mean. DO NOT BY PASS A FUSE WITH A STRIGHT PIECE OF WIRE!!! IF I understood what you typed above, that is a BAD IDEA, and are just looking for a fire.

[hotshot27]

Lots of fords use "fusable links" for the charging system, along with a fuse type setup. Locate the wire B+ wire coming off the alt, and follow every bit of it. You might run into a fusable link, which should become BEFORE the wire enters the fuse box. If you do, and the "LINK" looks to be ok, DONT REMOVE IT, but run a 8ga power wire along with it, and screw secure it in place, and see if this corrects your issue. If it does, then replace this 8ga wire with 0ga, when you do the big3. Also for good measure, run a ground from the batt "-" to the frame. Make sure you bolt it to the FRAME, and not a bolt head on a fender or something like that. Your car is a uni-body car, really only the front part of the engine cradle area has a frame. Make sure it is secure.

ok, so basically do an extra 8ga run in parallel to the b+ wire, and do NOT do a run in parallel with the fuse

edit: its been raining outside for about 2 hours so i thought it would be a good idea to not work on my electrical out in the rain i'm just gathering ideas to try once it stops

Edited May 23, 2009 by hotshot27

[tacomabanga1986]

try puttin a switch on the remote wire, cause if its hooked to acc it gets current anyways n i kno a lil 18guage wire aint gunna stop a car from starting, n if it dies when u dont give it gas u need to adjust the idle speed, thats what my geo does with or without system and still with big three, u might just halfto adjust the idle cause ur electrical is fine, aint no way a 80amp alt with only 300w is gunna stop it from runnin, i had a mtx 500d runnin @ 1lohm on 2 rockford punch he2 12's on 4guage n it was pullin around 80-100amps with a 1f cap n it would pull so much my headlights would bout cut off n shit but car never cut off, n my truck only has a 70amp alt i think n im runnin 1000w sub amp, 300w mids n highs amp, and 300w midbass amp on 2 batterys with big three in 0guage n everything 0guage and nothins wrong with anything n doesnt hesitate to start

then again it might be ur starter if it doesnt want to start, or maby just needs idle adjustment, if its not idleing high enulf it wont run right, my geo idles at like what sounds like 500rpm, i halfto rev it to keep it goin, so that might be ur prob

[Guest KyleCannon]

for the record, you would NOT burn the alternator up if you disconnect the PLUG from the alternator and the B+ wire... it would think the car is OFF. you're telling me i can burn an alt by spinning it around while not installed? LOL!

i was saying to disconnect it that way to take have the alternator freely turning to see if thats what was making it bog down and it was.

oh and btw, yes the alt can stop the car from starting.... if the alt overpowered the engine

/end discussion.

Edited May 25, 2009 by KyleCannon

[newls1]

for the record, you would NOT burn the alternator up if you disconnect the PLUG from the alternator and the B+ wire... it would think the car is OFF. you're telling me i can burn an alt by spinning it around while not installed? LOL!

i was saying to disconnect it that way to take have the alternator freely turning to see if thats what was making it bog down and it was.

oh and btw, yes the alt can stop the car from starting.... if the alt overpowered the engine

/end discussion.

Dude, chill out, and your incorrect about an alt stopping a car from starting. You might want to call your "GUY" that you advertise on here like crazy, you know, our forum friend Rob @ DC Power, we himself will tell you to NEVER remove the B+ wire while the car is on, this is just common sense. I need you to explain your idea behind what you said here, " oh and btw, yes the alt can stop the car from starting.... if the alt overpowered the engine." That makes no sense at all. Im not here to argue WITH ANYONE HERE, and don't want to piss you off, however my knowledge in automotive is somewhat high (No machanic, just more then normal wrenching knowledge) and im left scratching my fucking head with how an alt can over power the engine..... Not going to happen.

Edited May 25, 2009 by newls1

[mr.p]

an alternator can stop a 100 horespower motor?

oh noes my big alt might stall my explorer :\

[newls1]

an alternator can stop a 100 horespower motor?

oh noes my big alt might stall my explorer :\

Thats what I mean, it WILL NOT HAPPEN.

[Guest KyleCannon]

put the 280sp in your 100 hp car and i bet you it will stall it (but the alternator has to be under high load). lol. and i never said to remove it with the car on.... lol. show me where i put that please. if the b+ wire is disconnected with the alternator plug it will only act as a pulley and nothing will fry....but if you leave the alternator plug on while the b+ is off it will cook it. feel free to call robbie and he will tell you the same thing i just did. anyways, it's not worth arguing over to me and im over it.

To the OP glad you got it figured out.

Edited May 25, 2009 by KyleCannon