What did you do to your Maverick or Comet today

More seat pics!

 

pulled the trans out today planin to put the new one in tomorrow

 

Found GT40 heads for $250 on craigslist. May buy them to replace my GT40P head for the Comet GT motor.

Rick

 

Got my new "super secret" cam and lifters from Crower today...............been a long wait since last year................also got my rebuilt MSD 85805 back. Hope to start putting the motor together next week......................have a date of Feb 3rd for the engine dyno/break-in/setup tuning............we will see.

 

Checked all the fluids vacuumed it out and I think it's ready for it's 1st show NPD's all ford show silver springs Fl...

 

DITTO.....

......

 

Check the charging sys, it sounds like the battery is carrying the entire vehicle. The charging sys "should" read 17 to 17.5 volts when the engine is running. You may also want to check that ALL grounding circiuts are making GOOD contact, (they may have corroded). If the vehicle had sat a while I'd look at the voltage regulator (external) and the diods inside the alternator (check them with an Ohm meter)
(All the above is based on the assumption you had been inside alternators before)
kafrompa (USAF 47275 RETIRED)

 

17 volts at the battery is way too high. The regulator should cut it off around 14.0-14.5. Anything over about 15 volts will boil the water slap out of the battery. 17 volts would even start blowing bulbs and no telling what else.

 

I was in the garage business for 11 years and checked out a lot of charging systems. I found that 14.3 volts was pretty much the norm

 

All the bulbs, the electronic control module, tachometer, fuel gauge and oil pressure gauge. Those are all the items I had to replace on my old Chev pick up when the regulator failed on my new alternator and it over charged. No fun!

 

Originally Posted by rayzorsharp:
17 volts at the battery is way too high. The regulator should cut it off around 14.0-14.5. Anything over about 15 volts will boil the water slap out of the battery. 17 volts would even start blowing bulbs and no telling what else.
...Looks like we were both right and wrong. I hadn't gone thru this proceedure since I retired in 1991 but I had been doing it since 1968 (The lightest vehicle I had to repair ran a CONTINENTAL LDS465-1a w/ a 24 volt starting, charging and running sys and the others were much larger and ran much heavier drive trains and electrical systems) It will take a while to re-adjust to these smaller/lighter vehicles)
Diagnostic Test: 12V alternator Output test
Essay by 1600dave, High School, 12th grade, A+, June 2005

download word file, 1 pages 3 1 votes
Downloaded 12 times
Keywords
diagnosis, recharge, crankshaft, engine speed, multimeter 0Like 0Tweet

Diagnostic Test - Alternator Output Test (12V)

Concept

The alternator is the heart of the charging system. It is an alternating-current generator mounted on the engine, which is driven by a belt from the crankshaft. The alternator develops alternating current, which is changed to direct current. Alternating current changes from positive (+) to negative (-) at a regular cycle. Direct current does not change from positive (+) to negative (-). Only direct current can be used to charge a battery. As the battery drain continues, and engine speed increases, the charging system is able to produce more voltage than the battery can deliver. When this occurs, the electrons from the charging device are able to flow in a reverse direction through the battery's positive terminal. The charging device is now supplying the electrical system's load requirements; the reserve electrons build up and recharge the battery.

Diagnosis

1. With a multimeter/ voltmeter measure the battery voltage at the battery terminals with the engine turned off. Remember that positive (red) terminal on battery always connects to positive on the multimeter

2. Now start the engine and run it as fast idle (approximately 1500rpm), and do the same test as above (but with engine still running at fast idle), measuring the voltage at the battery with a multimeter/voltmeter.

Evaluation

Reading for the first test should be approximately 12V (or slightly higher)

Assuming that the first test is ok and the battery is putting out the correct voltage, then the output with the engine running should be greater than 13.9V and less than 15.1V.

Adjustment and Repair

If voltage is less than 13.9V

· Check/test battery (may require replacement)

· Check/test alternator (may need service and require new brushes, or replacement of whole unit)

· Check fan belt tension for looseness and slippage on...

 

What part was I wrong about?

 

your cap for voltage max was a bit low

 

But you are quoting a high school senior's essay. The kid could about pass anything off on an English teacher that only knows to turn the key and drive.

 

Just need a couple more bucks for sales tax and I will have a new hoist

Gonna pull out the mock up block and maybe do a shock tower shave.