Hi Everyone..

First time poster. I posted this in the Expedition section, but I am sure it applies to the F-150 too..

I just installed a new alternator and battery in my ''''04 Expedition 5.4L. Alt went belly up all of sudden yesterday afternoon. Battery was original so I replaced that also. The problem is the battery light is still on although the gauge (which is rather useless) reads just above 1/2 way. I get 14.3v at the battery with a voltmeter while running so everything seems good on the charging side. I actually ran a couple hours worth of "poor mans" load tests last night with lights ac blowers etc and the voltage stayed at 14 or above during all of it. With all that stuff off it charges back up.. The light just won''''t go out.

I am told that I had a stock 110A alternator (the determining questions for all the parts stores seemed to be whether or not I had a factory Nav system, which I do not 110=no Nav, 130=Nav) What I have now may very well be a 130A, although the parts store kept making contradicting statements about the color of the regulator being black or white. They told me they only had a 110A in stock, and considering that''''s what I should have I bought it. When I got home I saw on the back a plastic tab says 130A. I was told upgrading to 130A was not a problem so I went with it.

Either I have a 100A which is what I was supposed to have in there or I have an upgrade to a 130A.

Could this cause the light to stay on or do I have another problem?

Mike

 

i have a 110 and i have NAV and about everything else you can get on a 07 F-150 King Ranch.

 

You might want to check with a local auto parts store to see if they can test diodes. I had a diode trio go out on a car years ago, and that was the same problem. The parts store (NAPA) checked the old diode and found it bad. $20 later, I had a new diode trio and was up and running and the battery light gone. Back the diode was a small ceramic block mounted to the firewall.

 

mcleaves, your "excellent tests" tell me there is nothing wrong with your alternator and your battery is fine too. The battery light is possibly some artifact of the codes stored in the PCM when your original alternator went out.

I can't even begin to say I understand how this flippin' system works. Sometimes, these codes hang on for a few "drive cycles" and then magically go away. Other times, you have to do special things like "Key on, key off, turn the headlights on, then off, stand on one foot and shout, "Hail to Ford", kiss the truck three times and then, if the horn honks, the light will go out.

My advice, unless you want to take it to a dealer, is to live with it and monitor the condition of the battery/charging system like you did in your tests.

Smoke, I'm not trying to start an argument, but I think bad diodes would cause some real charging problems, other than the battery light. His tests sound like everything is super OK to me. And, not to hijack the thread or anything, but how's your truck? Is it all repaired and recovered from the sad things that happened to it?

- Jack

 

Ah, no problem with the diode thing. That's what I experienced "years ago", and with new technology, I could be light years BEHIND.

As far as the truck, it's was fixed, thank you. I am firmly convinced this truck hates me, though. It was delivered with a dent in the front quarter panel. The dealer had it "paintless" removed. It turned out flawless. At one week old, I took a stone to the factory windshield - major crack - had to replace it. Within the next week, I got rear-ended (mildly), but it still cost close to $600 for the new bumper and paint for it. Two days later, the lawncare at office complex scratched the freshly painted bumper with the walk-behind mower. Good luck proving that one. After that, my son noticed a leak, which turned out to be a blown oil filter that coated everything on the underside with oil so bad, I couldn't even see where it was leaking. I even checked the oil filter. Rushing it in, the dealer took care of it as it was their filter and change. Then, the actuator for the blend door almost caused me to disown my dealer (long story), and after four trips to the shop and raising the roof, they finally fixed it (well, sort of... see following). Then, I took another stone to the windshield again... third windshield. When that windshield was being replaced, the installer put a gash on the A-pillar with his sealant scraper... denied it... took money off of the install... blah, blah, blah. Now, the blend door actuator (the new replaced one) is acting up again, so it has to go back again to have the dash pulled.

Ah, yes. Other than some other stupid things like being delivered with burned out bulbs (rear license), broken armrests (rear seat), front-end out of alignment, and no speed sensitive volume on radio, all is well. I snicker because for all the miles I have driven over the years, this is the first truck to run the spectrum like this. I still love the truck even though it has a black cloud hanging over it. I sure hope the Good Lord keeps me safe in it. I haven't logged near the miles I usually do, and at close to 20,000 miles in under 5 months, I'm hoping the bugs are worked out. It is a nice truck, and although it's not a big-time hauler like my past diesels, it will do while providing a nice plush ride in comfort and style.

Got more than you bargained for there, huh, JackandJanet?

 

Good grief Smoke - if I'd had the experiences you've had, I think I would be looking for a witch doctor to take the hex off.

I'm surprised you can even stand to look at it right now. It IS a purty thing though (at least it was when you took the picture).

Wonder what mcleaves finally found out about his charging system? It would be nice if people would "close the loop" when problems are resolved so we'd all learn something wouldn't it?

- Jack

 

Hey folks,

I am still here and still have the light on. Wasn't leaving you hanging, jsut nothing new to report. So the loop is still open. Taking your advice Jack and just living with it. I even had the parts store give me another alt in case it was a bad one off the line. No change.

I will say that I swear I see some "flicker" in the interior lights when the truck is running at night and I open the door. Maybe it's just my eyes getting old or maybe I really do need a 130A? The box says I have a 120A an that is SUPPOSEDLY what my model takes

But I have run my back yard charging tests several times and it's all holding up..

M