Is it my battery or my alternator, the quintessential thread.

dttomcat said:
So it will fire up and run but it wants to and does stall unless I keep my left foot on the brake pedal and light pressure on the accelerator.
Standing voltage is ~ 12.2. It dips to about 11 when I fire it but quickly winds up at ~13.5.
The dip is what's causing it to stall.
Now the check engine light is on so I need to pull the codes and figure out what TF that's all about also. :grumpy: Replacing the alternator is a nightmare in this model so I am hoping to avoid. :grumpy:
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It may also be a constant drain that is not being turned off with the key.

I had this trouble & some electrical module needed replacement.
 
Put a voltmeter on the battery, start the engine, if the voltage goes up the alternator is good. Alternators normally charge at about 13.5 volts and the battery runs around 12 volts. Make sure the alternator is connected to a battery; if you just hook the meter up to the alternator without a load the meter becomes the load and most meters won't handle the amperage. If your voltage regulator is going out on the alternator (in some models) your turn signals will start blinking at a different speed. On some models the regulator is contained in the alternator, and on some models it is external to the alternator.
 
It looks like I'm off to the Auto Zone or Advance in the AM. I'll let you know what happens. Thanks for all of the info.
 
If everything checks out but it still has the problem, check the wiring connectors where they come out of the steering column under the dash. They do come loose occasionally. Mine did.
 
A mid 90s Ford Ranger won't idle worth a flip w/o a battery. Found that out the hard way.

If you drag your battery in to be tested, charge it up at home first. A partially discharged battery won't test properly, when you present it to the freebie testing peeps.
 
I would start by load testing the battery, batteries can read good voltage but have no amps backing it up or have internal shorts.

Some vehicles will drop as low as 9v during start up.

14.4v is peak voltage and should read such at the battery with the motor at elevate RPM. 13.2v-13.8v at idle is typical.

Motor displacement multiplied by two gives you CCA. Make sure the current battery is the proper size.

It's sounds like a alternator but electricity can be a funny thing. A load test will let you know which one it is.
 
hung-solo said:
easy take it to autozone or advance auto, they will letyou know in minutes
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Erasmus said:
A mid 90s Ford Ranger won't idle worth a flip w/o a battery. Found that out the hard way.

If you drag your battery in to be tested, charge it up at home first. A partially discharged battery won't test properly, when you present it to the freebie testing peeps.
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I took the vehicle to the local Advance this morning. The battery was too weak to test. I am hoping that the problem is the battery because the alternator is in a bad spot on this car and would require the removal of the right front axle (which also means caliper and rotor) in order to replace. My dad has a decent trickle charger so I may drive it over there tomorrow and try to charge it and then have it re-tested at Advance or some such place. The difference is ~$100 vs. ~$600 parts and labor for the alternator. I like working on cars but brake jobs have always made me nervous for some reason so I have never really done any brake work myself.
 
Did you take the battery to the auto parts store once removed or did you drive the vehicle with the issue to the auto parts store where the battery was then removed and tested?
 
Sounds like a battery.

If you charge the battery and let it rest for 24 hours it should read 12.4-12.5v any less and its bad or going bad.

To test the alternator raise the RPM's to around 3k and check voltage from alternator if possible or from battery terminals. It should read 14.4v or close, less than that I would be getting that tested too.
 
CARS - my first introduction to Love-Hate relationships.

FWIW, my experiences with my local Auto Zone over 17 years have been positive. My components have all been tested in the vehicle. In FL we have a lot of old/retired guys, some younger guys too, that really know their stuff..while I am sure we have our fair share of incompetents seem to be less than in other places we've lived.

Let us know how you wind up on your issue.
 
Alright, here goes. I have a very embarrassing confession to make. It was neither. That little red rectangle on the dash was NOT the battery light. It was the low coolant indicator. The check engine light had come on as I said so I decided to pull the trouble codes before I took it anywhere. Well, ... during the course of attempting to decipher the plethora of information that the car's computer was giving me, I referred to the owner's manual and it was there that I discovered the error of my ways. That little knob on top of the rectangle was not a little terminal. It was some idiot designer's rendition of a radiator cap. Needless to say, I feel very very stupid. It was hard to come and post this. That aside, it seems as if I will not need a new battery nor a new alternator. I could probably pour about two cups of H2O in there and solve the problem. All is not lost. This thread has provided people with useful information regarding charging systems. Thanks for the attempts at helping. My only consolation is that I WAS able to figure this out for myself. ... ... After two months ... :o :(
 
I stopped guessing at what the damn lights mean a few years ago. I just check the book everytime.
 
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