I had the truck running other day and the altinator has what sounds like a "dry bushing" so I took the negative batt. cable off bettery and truck died. does this mean alt is bad?
its a 1990 3.0, 5-speed truck

 

I don't know why this could possibly even sound like a good idea. Before you do any more work or trouble shooting of your electrical system I recommend you do a google search for automotive charging system basis before you hurt yourself or damage your ride.

 

They're bearings, not bushings and disconnecting the negative cable, or the other can easily blow up your ignitor module, a very expensive error.

 

For what ever reason back in the day early Sixties when ignition systems and charging systems were quite simple .

This might even have been a holdover from the days vehicles had generators


People unable to figure out how to use a simple meter thought pulling a negative battery cable off was a good way to test alternator output.

Things were simple enough things didn`t get fried although quite a few batteries did explode.

It means time to get a multimeter !!

 

wow thanks for heads up. im just realy old school on doing that to the old cars.