Diagnostic help

jdfelice

New LVC Member
Joined
May 7, 2008
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Location
Manchester
I know many others have seen similar issues as mine, but I didn't see any threads where the thread starter actually posted what fixed his problem. Maybe I missed it. Anyway

Here's what I saw this morning. I went outside and started my '02 V8 to let it warm up. I started normally. I did not notice anything out of the ordinary, although I reached in from the passenger door and simply turned the key, so if there was something out of the ordinary, there is a good change I would not have noticed it. After I came out to leave, the car was warmed up, and I noticed the displayed said "check traction control' also the abs light was on. I didn't think too much about it, I started to drive off, then stopped in the drive way, turned the key off and tried to restart, because this works on the clockspring I haven't replaced yet, maybe it would work on this too. When I tried to restart, the engine cranked once very slowly and the solenoid simply clicked as if it were a weak battery. I have also seen this before on another vehicle when the starter was bad.

I checked battery voltage, it was 12.7V not running.

With engine running the Voltage seemed high at 15.5 volts with radio and blower motor both turned on.

I was able to jump start the car, but it seems very odd that the battery voltage would be 12.7, but not enough to start the car. Should I start by having the battery only checked, or the alternator? Could this high voltage have ruined the battery, and/or cause these other odd lights "abs" and "traction control" to be illuminated? or is it just coincidence?

Since they all happened at once I think I need to figure out the charging/starting problem first, then maybe the others will fix themselves I hope. What do you think?
 
mine always reads 15.5volts... after you start the car it slowly drops to 12.7. i think it is normal.. my 2000 lincoln did the same thing.. i have no problems at all with my car
 
Assuming that your meter is accurate, 15V and over is too high. You will need a new battery and a new alternator. (Verify the wiring to the alternator before replacing it.)
 
Hmmmmm

It's not the volts but the amperage that you want to check. Amperage moves the volts. If you have not replaced the battery in and 02, then it's most likely the battery starting to fail.
 
It's not the volts but the amperage that you want to check. Amperage moves the volts. If you have not replaced the battery in and 02, then it's most likely the battery starting to fail.


+1

When the battery is failing on the LS they tend to get weird electrical
warnings.
 
I agree, but usually a battery will be noticeably weaker when cold weather begins. Yesterday it was the coldest day yet this fall, but the car started fine. It was after it was warmed up and I shut it off, when it would not restart. I will remove the battery and alternator both tonight and have them tested tomorrow.
 
no the 15.5 volt is normal.... you put a new battery in the ls and drive the car and check it agian in the same day it will be 15.5 and falling... it because of all the computers and :q:q:q:q on the cars...
 
Sounds like a bad regulator on the alternator which is overcharging the battery and killing it. 15.5 volts is too high.
 
no the 15.5 volt is normal.... you put a new battery in the ls and drive the car and check it agian in the same day it will be 15.5 and falling... it because of all the computers and :q:q:q:q on the cars...

May I ask what your qualifications are that enable you to make this statement? It's nonsense. Six cell, lead-acid batteries can not handle a continuous, repeated charging voltage of 15.5V. That is why all regulators are set to a maximum of 14.8V, or less.

There is a problem with the car. It is either the regulator in the alternator, or the wiring leading to it. The battery has been damaged by this problem, and will eventually fail completely.
 
It's not the volts but the amperage that you want to check. Amperage moves the volts. If you have not replaced the battery in and 02, then it's most likely the battery starting to fail.

Actually, it's the other way around. Volts are the pressure that causes the current (amps) to flow. A bad battery does not cause the alternator voltage to go too high.
 
I Had the alternator and battery checked today at Autozone. When their tester put a load on the alternator it stalled the motor on their machine. It appears the alternator is charging, but the regulator is bad. The Battery is fine, I had it tested too. Since no one sells a regulator separately, I am going to take it to a local Generator/Alternator repair shop. They should be able to replace the regulator and save me a lot of money. I am hoping this will fix all my problems. I'll post the results after I get it reinstalled sometime next week. I have another vehicle to drive, so I'm not in a big rush.
 
15.5 is normal on both my LS's my cert. is A6 ASE certified! it will peak at 15.5 and like the last guy said with the car of 12.6 and at most 13Vremember the battery has to over come the 10 foot battery cable...
 
The eternal fight between the engineers and the technicians.
 

Members online

No members online now.
Back
Top