Hey All,

My check gages light comes on and I look over and see that the voltage guage is reading about 16-17 - at least its out of the normal range. It stayed there for about 20 seconds then dropped down to about 14. Everything ran fine.

As Idrove home later on I noticed that my headlights and dash lights were flickering slightly. Voltage guage still hovered around 14. Came home and checked codes - all Isaw was 1594 and 1693.

Any idea what's going on?

Thanks!
--Tom

 

Ahhh, sure enough.. after Ido a search and thenpost do I find the answer....

Looks like from other posts it could be my alternator, voltage regulator, or maybe the cables going south on me?

-Tom

 

I would start by making sure all your battery, starter,and alternator connections are tight and clean.

 

check all battery cables, alt cables, and body grounds on the truck (even underneath on the frame - grounds)

check your fuses for anythat look questionable

have you added any accessories lately??

your truck is not that old, unless its been hacked up before you bought it, the problem should be pretty easy to fix.

next, go to autozone, checker, napa, etc have them bring the "crash cart" out and check your alt on the truck.


good luck!

 

I tried to start it today and I get interior dome lights but nothing from the overhead console and the only light I get in the dash is a faded "wait to start" light... everything else is dead. I do get a clicking noise coming from the dash.

No accessories have been added. I checked battery and alt cables and they look clean and 'ok'. 140 volt fuse looked good also.

I'll check grounds tomorrow...

-Tom

 

sounds like a battery malfunction. yank it and have it tested.

 

Sounds to me like your batteries have died. I would not even try to jump it. Just yank the batts and you can have them tested, but it sounds to me like one of your batteries shorted thus the spike in volt then the flickering. If they are the original batts they are due. Don't replace just one, do em both.

 

yep, replaced the batteries... they were originals so it was time. Never saw such wierd reactions to dead batteries... but then again this is my first vehicle with dual batteries.

Think I'll have the alternator checked just in case. BTW, is there a schematic that shows where all the ground connections are located?

Thanks for the help...
-Tom

 

glad to hear ya figured it out!!

schematics?? yea right

pretty much use your eyes during the day and maybe a light also. there should be battery grounds, engine grounds, trans ground, and thats the jist of it.