I was driving along this morning and the truck just stopped. Ok back up, I had to put it on the charger after the head rebuild because the battery was getting weak while we were trying to start the motor. cut to this morning. Went out, damn cold, started the truck and it was a little slow turning over. I thought it ws because the battery was cold and hadn't really been run charged. Got gas, went to start and it was slow to start again. Drove about 3 miles and it just stopped. While I was driving I had the lights on and the blower on high, and stepping on the brake to slow down. Went to start it and it just turned over slow and then click'ity click'ity.

So could my battery be bad, or is the altenator going south? I thought if the truck was running the battery was out of the loop and the alt handled everything. Or am I assuming. Would a bad (weak/dead cell) battery cause the engine to just stop while running? What trouble shooting steps should I take to isolate one or the other?

thanks for the help.

 

My truck did something similar. It started up a little slow then about half a mile up the road the motor just stopped and wouldn't turn over. I still had juice in my battery but it sounded like the battery was dead as the starter would just click and not turn it over. Turned out my distributor burned out and seized. Hopefully its not that. Check your plugs etc. and try starting it with a jump or on the charger.

 

You are correct, the alt handles electrical stuff when the engine is running. Sounds to me like your alt is going bad. You were probably running on battery power until the batt died, leaving you stranded.

If you can get to an auto parts store, they should be able to test it for free.

 

Every thing and I mean everything is new tuneup wise, since I just put the motor back together.

Wouldn't the battery symbol on the dash have been lit if the alt wasn't working. It wasn't on while the truck was running?

This just sucks that I got the motor back together and running perfect for this to happen!!!

 

That's a good question. One would think the light would come on.

Did you use a remanufactured alt? If so I would get it checked anyway just because it's easy and free. On another car, I once went through 2 rebuilt alts before I got a good one.

Or maybe you have a current leak somewhere? That could be a PITA to track down. Have you checked all your grounds and electrical connections?

 

All the elec. connects have been checked before we tried to start it after the rebuild. Also the Alt is original to the truck, has never been replaced 220K on it. Time for a new one? Or can they be rebuilt cheaper.

 

Look for a local alternator / generator shop in your area - I carried mine in to the shop last year here in Knoxville and a total rebuild cost me $40.00
Advance Auto wanted 179.99 for a new one - that would have to be ordered.

Mine died just like you described but my dash lights were on and flashing
brake, battery, OD etc - they all flash

 

Ok but no idiot lights were on until the engine stopped running.

Anyway I can test either the battery on the alt on the truck before I go taking things back apart again.

 

Look to your alternator. 220K is a lot of miles on a factory alternator. Mine died last September, stranding me a long way from home. Dash lights don't always work. I got a replacement from Autozone and it has worked perfectly. My friend that works at Autozone says their Duralast alternators don't come back very often under their lifetime warranty.

 

Ok so I get home tonight and jump the truck (starts right up with help from the boost box) to pull it into the garage. Open the hood, put a meter on the bat. at idle and it is reading steady 14.56VDC. Turn on the H-beams, blower motor on high reading drops to 13.48VDC not bad. Step on the brakes and it drops to 12.29VDC. Now I think my idle was set low (don't have a tach, so I can't tell) so I turn up the idle a 1/4 turn on the screw and the reading jumps up to 13.48VDC when everything is on. So I kick on the AC and the truck dies. Try to restart and in doesn't want to turn over just clicks. Put the boost box back on and it starts back up. The whole time I was doing the test the battery symbol for the alt. never came on even when the volts on the meter dropped down into the 12's. When the motor died all of the lights came on including the battery so I know it's not burnt out.

So from that test am I safe to assume that the alt is fine and the battery is not holding a charge?
I think what happened this morning was when I went to stop the idle was to low. When the throttle came down the motor stumbled and shut off due to lack of battery power. If the idle came down to far the alt will not be putting out enough juice and the battery has to make up the difference. Which it couldn't because of being week. When it shut off I tried to restart right away and it wouldn't.

 

I would have the battery tested - the rest of that sounds fine. The ignition circuit will shut down if the voltage drops below around 11 volts - the A/C clutch could be drawing to much power. maybe ?

 

I second the battery...

 

If the charge light on the dash is working correctly and does not light up when you have problems, the battery is probably the cause. The battery is not going to make the light come on; only the alternator can do that. You can probably get a decent battery for $40 or so.