It seems like my truck doesn't want me to play softball on Thursday nights. She's my daily driver. In just the four weeks that I've owned her I've already put 1500 miles on her. She's broken down twice. The first time was the Clutch Master Cylinder and Slave, which was two Thursday nights ago on my way to our first Winter season game. Tonight, on my way to our second game, "CHG" light came on. When it happened I had no clue whatsoever what it meant. I had been meaning to read my owner's manual since I bought the truck, but just never found the time. I bet you I read it tonight! Anyhow, with the engine still on I pulled off the freeway and read my Owner's Manual. Discharge Warning Light. "Indicates that the battery is being discharged...." Text messaged the manager of the team, then turned around and headed for home. But there was traffic. Tons of it. Luckily work is along the way from the ballpark to home. Something told me to stop by the warehouse/work, as opposed to dying right there in the middle of all that traffic. Just a block away from work........she dies. (Trust your instincts. ) I have no tools on me. So I couldn't do any real testing. I figured my battery was on it's last legs. I turned the lights off and tried to start her up. Vroom! She starts. Without any headlights I take her a block down the road and pull into work. With all my tools at home I'm going to wait till tomorrow to roll up my sleeves. I'm guessing it's the alternator. 30 year old truck...original alternator....just my guess. But I'll do all the little tests tomorrow to make sure. Got a ride home. Here, now, about to read my manual. Oh, and yeah, I resigned from Thursday night softball. I'm stupid-sticious in that way. Breaking down twice, both times on my way to my games - I'm not going to push for a third time. Plus, it was throwing off my timing when it came to my Wednesday night baseball games anyway, not to mention my truck has yet to break down on my way to play baseball.
Wow man thats nuts! Yea id check the charging system first. Put a Voltmeter across the battery with it running and it should read upwards of 14.5ish Volts. If its down around 12.6ish Volts id say the altenator is done. But check the Alt fuse too. I have had those blow and the alt be just fine.
Alternator Fuse! Good call, I'll check for that, too. Hadn't thought about that one. Yeah, it's nuts. But I just had to laugh. What else could I do? I really love this truck and obviously as old as she is, there are going to be some issues along the way. Kinda gotta expect these sort of things, I guess. Thanks, man.
Any time dude. Once you drive it for a bit all the little issues that are gonna come up will fade out and youll be ready to go!
She's Fixed! $58 (3yr. warranty) out the door for a reman (Made in the U.S.) alternator from Napa Auto Parts (Hayward, California). I did all the testing I could do at the truck with everything still intact and it all pointed to a bad alternator. I had Napa test it on their machine.....12.4 was the reading, so my initial hunch was right... 30 year old truck.....original alternator...even at 98,000 original miles, I figured the alternator might have taken a beating just sitting all those years, hardly being used. Quite possibly parked outside in the heat. Pretty simple fix and not too bad on the wallet.
