Pinto Car Club of America

Welcome to FordPinto.com, The home of the PCCA => General Help- Ask the Experts... => Topic started by: r4pinto on August 20, 2004, 06:23:47 AM

Title: charging problem on my Pinto
Post by: r4pinto on August 20, 2004, 06:23:47 AM
Hey guys,

Last night I got my Pinto and it died on me from lack of a charged battery. I swapped a new battery, and the car fired right up.. While driving home at night I noticed the car has no dash lights, and none of the idiot lights come on.. If my battery light can't come on due to a blown fuse, or bad bulb will t hat cause a problem with my alternator??

If not, what else can I check??
Title: Re: charging problem on my Pinto
Post by: 80bobcat on August 20, 2004, 09:54:19 AM
I don`t know if this will help.. but I had the harness connection from the alternator fall apart on me and the main wire lost its connection.. not knowing anything I drove till the battery died..naturally out in the middle of nowhere. Now I check that connector every time I lift the hood
Title: Re: charging problem on my Pinto
Post by: r4pinto on August 20, 2004, 04:37:10 PM
Yeah, that's basically what happened with me. I was about 60 miles from home, and fortunately my dad brought a battery out of my 1985 Dodge Omni GLHT, which is brand new... The car fired right up once I put the battery in it.

I'll check that cable though.

Thanx for the tip
Title: Re: charging problem on my Pinto
Post by: Poison Pinto on August 20, 2004, 06:36:48 PM
QuoteIf my battery light can't come on due to a blown fuse, or bad bulb will t hat cause a problem with my alternator??

Thats kind of bassackwards, excuse the pseudo-French. Your battery light comes on because it's not getting a charge. Your battery would not get a charge for various reasons, one of them being a bad alternator.

It sounds like you have *two* problems to me:

1) Blown fuse for the panel lights.
2) Bad alternator.

Yes, your alternator can go bad if the electrical system is majorly messed up. More than likely, you're looking at a bad alternator that's not running your electrical system and causing your car to drain the battery in order to go.


Title: Re: charging problem on my Pinto
Post by: r4pinto on August 21, 2004, 11:57:21 PM
Found out thh alternator was bad... was only keeping the battery charged at 12.06 volts, and should be charging to about 13-14 volts.  I'm getting one off a 2.3 mustang today at the junkyard... Already cross referenced it and it's a match
Title: Re: charging problem on my Pinto
Post by: r4pinto on August 22, 2004, 12:26:03 PM
Got the alternator, and it tested good... I had to remove the whole bracket since the previous owner was stupid and used the wrong threaded bolt on the upper bracket....

Anyways, to be on the safe side is there a way to check the voltage regulator??

Since it was charging but barely I want to make sure all is ok.

Later all