Well,
I fried my battery (I think) because I forgot to tighten the alternator wire down. I forgot that I just put the nut on the end, so the contact was not good.

After I was done flushing the system, my truck would not start. When I tried to jump it, it would start, but only stay on when I put the gas down.

That means the alt is fine but the battery is dead. It is not completely dead, but not enough juice to run a MSD and the injectors.

I am going to see if I can get the battery tested tomorrow. I wonder if any auto parts stores are open.

Also, i am getting a light and it is "Check Gauges" I am guessing it is telling me to notice that the battery voltage is low. I never have seen that, even on my 1996. Maybe they went to that in 2001.

If anyone thinks it is not the battery, then let me know.

Thanks,
Dan

 

its common for the truck to not idle right anytime the battery is weak. with the alternator wire loose, i can see the battery going dead, but i wouldn't think it would hurt it any. if anything got damaged, i'd suspect the alternator. you should be able to test alternator output and find about 14 volts.

have you got a battery charger that you can connect and leave on overnight. see if that fixes it.

 

yeah make sure the charger is on trickle. my dad left a battery on a charger on the start mode all night and blew the battery to hell. good stuff, ruined alot of stuff

 

I have a trickle for my harley davidson. I could try that. THey are both 12v batteries.

--Dan

 

That will work just fine.

Chances are, your alt is toast though.... if your voltage gauge was reading low, that means the alt isn't putting out. (not sure if a dead battery on a dodge will cause that...... for the most part, if the battery is dead, and the alt is good..... if should run just fine, just won't start without help.) The low voltage would in turn mean the computer was getting wrong signals from its various sensors..... So, truck runs like crap.

 

Well, put on the battery tender. It stops trickling when it is fully charged. This is the first time I am doing this with a car battery. I use it for motorcycle batteries.

--Dan

 

I am thinking alt as well. Loose connection does bad things.

Anyone know any good brands of alts? I got a duralast from autozone a while back for my 1996. But i don't think it was stock specs in terms of amps. No complaints though.

--dan

 

Find one that has the same, or better, amp rating as your stock unit, and comes with a lifetime warranty.... I tend to keep my vehicles (the ones I really like...) for YEARS, if not decades..... and most of them, I go thru at least two.... pay for one, don't worry about it again.

 

Yeah, i ran a 90 amp duralast with my 1996, and it came with a 117 amp. I am not gonna skimp on this one. Came with a 136 amp alt.

I was just wondering if anyone would recommend oreilley's over autozone. They both have nippondenso alts for the (same price, 151) with limited lifetime warranties.

Autozone gives a 10% discount for military and i am a rewards member. So I will probably go there.

Unless the trickle charge helps. But I think the alt is done. Only good at high RPMs.

 

check the fuse in the pdc its the big one thats screwed in...iv heard of people popping that and thinking there alternator's gone