Help: LS Shut Down.

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lseguy

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2002 LSE V8. 84k miles.

This morning the LS cranked a tad slow. Put the Avic-D3 (installed back in January) in Driving Dynamics mode so I could check the cars voltage. 11.1 and dropping, when it previously had been around 14.1 at 2000rpm. turned to head back home and it continued to drop down to about 9.0volts when the engine quit JUST as I made it into the driveway.

Build Date is 11/2002. Battery is original.
Alternator was replaced with a rebuilt unit last year.

I realize I most likely need to replace the battery regardless, but my concern is if its more than that.

Is it possible for the battery to be the sole culprit here? Wouldnt even a bad battery still show the 14.4 volts when the engine is running/alternator doing it's job?

I mention the alternator..because for the last 2 weeks, I've been hearing a rather loud RPM related whine from the engine compartment. Not the whine that comes through the speakers..but just something whining under there.
 
Nope. Have the battery and alternator tested. Most FLAPS can do this with the alternator still installed.

If your battery is flat, you probably won't show 14.4 volts in your system and your car will eventually die. Older cars used to could run without a battery. You could lift the neg cable to see if the car continued to run to check the alternator. That doesn't work anymore. The car will die as soon as you do that.
 
Thanks. I need to go ahead and replace that old battery regardless. I plan to keep the car 2.5 more years Minimum..and I know I'd need to replace it by then. So..may as well replace it now, and get good use out of it.

Once I replace it, I will put the digital multimeter across the terminals and see what the alternator is kicking out.
 
The alternator is what your car runs off of while it's running. The battery is there mainly to just start the car and keep the accessories going when the car is off. Sounds like your alternator :q:q:q:q the bed.
 
NYC LSC said:
The alternator is what your car runs off of while it's running. The battery is there mainly to just start the car and keep the accessories going when the car is off. Sounds like your alternator :q:q:q:q the bed.
Click to expand...

That's my fear. It was a "Platinum" brand remanufactured unit (Has Motorcraft stamped on the casing though) I got from Advance Auto July of 2006. "limited lifetime warranty" stamped on the receipt.

I can only imagine the fine print on this warranty..if it is the alternator.

We'll see. Heading out in a couple of hours to grab a new battery and do the voltmeter test.
 
Remanufactured parts are just the OEM parts cleaned up and worn parts replaced, so they will still have any OEM casting marks, like brand name, on them.

Sounds like the alternator may be dying since it should at least keep the voltage on the battery at some level while the engine is running. If the battery is at fault and it is dropping in voltage while driving, then there is something seriously wrong inside the battery, hard to imagine what. A battery not getting a charge will act like you describe.

Most shops will test the charging system and battery at no cost.

Could also be bad connections at the battery or alternator or have mercy, somewhere in the wiring from the front to trunk.

Good Luck,

Jim Henderson
 
its your alternator. did you check advance track and traction control lights come on? and did your guages do the sweep? those were the symptoms i had when mine went bad.
 
Oh yeah...ALL those lights came on, and the guages did the sweep. But that could *possibly* be the battery dying a fast, immediate death as well. But unfortunately, based upon the recent whine, as well as how it happened, Im leaning towards the alternator as well.


Took the stock OEM original battery into Advance Auto. Guy puts it on the charging/testing machine. Within 3 mins the display says "charge then retest".

The clerk checks the readout and says "yep, its bad". I question the message and he gets quite adamant. "Its def a bad battery. Seen it before"


So..I leave and call the local Lincoln dealer and price a new batt. $99.00.

On the way home, I stop at PepBoys. The guy places the battery on his machine, the readout says "needs charge first", and begins a 41 minute charging process. Clerk says he will call me when its done/after he does the post charging test.

I'll go from there.
 
a shorted cell(s) in the battery "could" overload the elec system and give your symptoms....but 99.999% of the time elec fails while the car is running it's the alternator. And if it runs your batt low too many times it'll ruin the batt too.
 
lseguy said:
Took the stock OEM original battery into Advance Auto. Guy puts it on the charging/testing machine. Within 3 mins the display says "charge then retest".

The clerk checks the readout and says "yep, its bad". I question the message and he gets quite adamant. "Its def a bad battery. Seen it before"

So..I leave and call the local Lincoln dealer and price a new batt. $99.00.

On the way home, I stop at PepBoys. The guy places the battery on his machine, the readout says "needs charge first", and begins a 41 minute charging process. Clerk says he will call me when its done/after he does the post charging test.

I'll go from there.
Click to expand...

When I did go from there I think I'd go with PepBoys! The guy at advance had no interest in helping you, just selling you a battery.
 
Update:
So Pep Boys called, and said the battery "tested just fine". Going to pick it up (using other car) in an hour or so. I'll put it in, have the multimeter handy, crank the car up, and place the meter's probes directly on the ends of the battery cables and check whats being put out by the alternator.

The local Ford Dealership that I used once before (with satisfaction) is about a 6 minute drive and 4 miles away. Im going to give the battery a top off tonight and leave early before rush hour in the morning and try to get her there so I can save myself a tow.
 
lseguy said:
Update:
So Pep Boys called, and said the battery "tested just fine". Going to pick it up (using other car) in an hour or so. I'll put it in, have the multimeter handy, crank the car up, and place the meter's probes directly on the ends of the battery cables and check whats being put out by the alternator.

The local Ford Dealership that I used once before (with satisfaction) is about a 6 minute drive and 4 miles away. Im going to give the battery a top off tonight and leave early before rush hour in the morning and try to get her there so I can save myself a tow.
Click to expand...

I would take it to Advance and let them test the Alternator you bought from them. I think their test would be definitive on getting a free replacement. Still sucks that you'll be out the labor though. (Whether it is just your time, or your money.)
 
mharrison said:
I would take it to Advance and let them test the Alternator you bought from them. I think their test would be definitive on getting a free replacement. Still sucks that you'll be out the labor though. (Whether it is just your time, or your money.)
Click to expand...

Thanks.

Picked up the battery. Came with a slip of paper that showed the volts and amp numbers and load test specs. Tested fine, even at almost 5 yrs old.
Placed it back in car, cranked right up. Digital voltmeter showed 12.28, 12.20, 12.14..then I shut her down to preserve the battery life.

I'd def prefer to take it back to Advance, but it's too far for me to make it there, then take it back to a repair shop.

So..Checked my receipt. Ford dealer charged me $228 total in labor/materials (not including the actual alternator) last year for the install.

Pep Boys quoted me $78 labor.

I tried this DIY last year myself, and wasnt successful. Hot, cramped..got the lower bolts out, but she still wouldnt budge. Ended up driving it 8 miles to a different Ford dealership with the bolts REMOVED..over bumps..and that thing STILL stayed firmly in place. LOL.

So..considering its a very easy (when on a lift and with proper tools) install, Im seriously contemplating having Pep Boys do the job for me.
 
$82 total labor and about 3 hours after I dropped it off, the replacement AutoZone Duralast rebuilt alternator has been successfully installed by Pep Boys. My Avic-D3 head unit in Driving Dynamics mode reports 14.3volts charging. AND no more engine compartment whine.

Same job..no diagnostics..nothing extra, just straight alternator swap..was $228 July 06 at the local Ford dealership.

By the way..that Advance Auto alternator (the one from July 06) that has failed, is the "Palladium" labeled rebuilt unit. Cost $228 last year with a $50 core.

The Duralast was $180 with a $30 core.

Thanks for all the help. Back in business, and wondering if I will later regret not springing for the extra $150 or so to get a Motorcraft alternator from the dealership.
 
After my experiences with a Duralast starter in my poor college days, I won't buy another Duralast part. Lying on my back under the car, reassembling that !@#$ing starter that had spontaneously disassembled itself yet again in whatever oil-soaked/ice-covered/I-don't-even-want-to-know-what-this-stuff-is parking lot happened one too many times for my taste...
 
I realize it's a gamble. If I can get 2 years out of this one, I'll be fine. If not, I'll def utilize the lifetime warranty on it and swap it out with another Duralast for free (minus another $82 to Pep Boys for labor).
 
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