va97runner

Hey guys - got a bit of a problem and thought I'd consult trusty Yotatech.

About 3 weeks ago, I was going out of town and left the truck at the airport. It sit for about 5 days and started immediately when I returned from my trip. Drove it about 10 miles home, changed clothes for work (45 mins) and it wouldn't start when I came back out. I got the dreadful single click whenever I turned the key. I'm pretty sure that was the same battery that has been in for the life of the truck, so I just got a new battery and everything started up fine. I was happy anyway that I had an excuse not to go into work!

Fast forward to this morning, no problems at all until today. I didn't use the truck at all yesterday, so it was sitting for about 32 hours... started fine, drove about 3 miles to breakfast... ate breakfast, came back out and no start. Didn't even get the single click, but I'm positive it's the battery as the windows or locks did not work.

Am I looking at a problem with the charging system? What would cause the truck to start fine, drive fine but then have the battery die in a matter of an hour? I hitched a ride home from breakfast, so truck is still there.

What's my next step??

callmej75

Sounds like to me its a bad alternator...any battery light or did your battery guage drop any while driving?

va97runner

Battery light never came on and there isn't a gauge on in the dash...

So if it is the alternator, why haven't I had a problem on the new battery until now?

callmej75

it takes a day or so to run a new one down....my alternator went dead and I ran over 70 miles on the battery before it finally started raining and I had to use my lights and wipers...then it would just barely run on flat ground! I'd have the alternator checked out by your local auto parts store...advance or auto zone and see if the alternator is charging. If it is...sounds like a short or maybe a fuse for the alternator.

va97runner

Hmm so the little battery carts they have can test the alternator?

Also, didn't think about the alt fuse... I'll give it a look..

Thanks for the help!

toy_tek

Sure your battery light bulb is working properly?

callmej75

yep them little carts are what helped me in my decision last week...had to replace my brushes in mine. no problem...

va97runner

That's a possibility - but do you have to pull the dash to get to it? Or is there an access panel on the dash, I forget?

toy_tek

yeah its a pain to get to. If you have jumper cables on for a start, when you turn the ignition switch to 'on' (before 'start'), all the lights should light up. Obviously you won't see any lights if the battery is dead and you don't have an alternate means for electrical power.

And to answer your question, I recall taking the gauge panel out to replace bulbs in there.

edit: the battery light is the 3rd from the left. Seatbelt/AT temp/Battery

Also, You should be able to take a voltmeter across the battery terminals after the truck is running. If you have more than 12V, the alternator is working. If less and dropping... well you know what the problem is.

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

Bad alternator or bad connection at posts.

Check both.