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Got Lucky!

Gunner0812

Gunner0812

A(ACLU) Agent Mini Gunner
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Location
Dayton, Oh.
Got off work last night and my battery light was on only had about 10 volts (one tick before the orange area on the voltage gauge). Had the truck doing 70 to get home fast as possible. It shifted good but my tach wasnt working and the battery light was on the whole time. God was on my side because the drive home is about 30 to 40 mins. Since the tach not working could it be the altinater or one of the batteries going bad? Right now Im going to check for corroision.
 
X4

Yup the tach on the diesels are driven by a signal from the alternator.

As long as your batteries are fairly good shape and charge when the alternator takes a poop you can drive a fair piece as long as you dont have to use the lights and keep other stuff like the AC/Heater shut off.

Once the batteries get way down the Computer will start to protest and things start getting hinky with the running and the shifting until it wil finally give up.

I am not sure how much actual power draw there is to run the injection pump, lift pump and to opperate the tranny, but it will suck the batteries in short order

Glad you made it home ok.

Missy
 
Thanks for the advice guys. Got the batteries swapped out and now I'll be shopping for alternator! I did get lucky these ohio hi way are dark as hell midnight! Had the lights on just low beams and radio.
 
I drove about a month with bad Alt. At that time, I did not know that erratic tach means bad alt. Good thing I was home when it finally would not start.
 
94K30 said:
battery sounds like a safe bet.....
Click to expand...

Alternator sounds even safer. I also drove 45minutes in mixed city garbage to get home with bad alt.

Be sure to charge your batts as your swapping the alt so you don't damage it on break-in.

FWIW on topic, A few winters ago, I limped it in a snowstorm to driveway to replace and it was dead, dead (was plowing at the time, HUMUNGOUS draw).

It just went slower, and slower , and slower, very gradually. I made it to the driveway max speed probably 5mph, had to back up and enter driveway 2 times to mow down the snowbank, (unhooked plow). Replaced it, and continued on plowing :)

rememebr the good ol' diesels that would run forever without an alternator.... Not anymore..............
 
With nothing else on to draw power and good batterys, I bet the truck would run for hours.
 
Just put in new alt. and its running good. Next project is to make the beast run as fast as Tim's truck! That truck hauls!!!!
 
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