So today a friend and I took our yotas out mudding near flagstaff AZ. I didn't get stuck, but I definitly hit a few good sized holes, so my engine defintly saw a little splashing etc.

Well on the highway heading home my batter light comes on. I kinda freak out about it, and pull over to check things out... Everything looks ok. Since the engine isn't making any wierd noises, or behaivng erattically, we cruize on into flagstaff.

I get to the nearest car wash and clean everything off real nice like, making sure to give the alternators and batter a good hosing. I allow it all to dry off and start her back up... The light is still on!

So what can I do / check to avoind having to go plug this thing in at the dealer? I'm hoping that the warning will go away as the truck gets to thourghly dry out overnite...

I've never had a battery warning before, so any input is greatly appreciated!

 

The alternator is all gunked up, clean it.

 

Cool. I'll get on that tomorrow... What's the best way to go about that?

 

Well you gotta wash the engine bay, be carefull not to wet the electricals to much if at all. Then use some electrical parts cleaner on the alternator.

 

Yeah I was going to use some contact cleaner I had laying around... I already gave the engine bay a good hose down when I was at the car wash, and I was careful where I pointed the pressure washer...

thanks for the info!

 

No problem. If the light doesnt go out or you notice the truck is low on power no matter how much gas you give it you fried the alt.

 

Typically, the alternator going out would turn on the Brake and Batt. lights, but seeing as you have a fairly new model....it may not be the same.

Does it seem like the battery is draining a little more each time you start it or is it holding a charge?

 

So I took a voltimeter to my battery with the truck off, and i got about 12+ volts. Started her up and read 11.5volts... The alternator isn't doing it's job...

Do these trucks have an external voltage regulator that could have gone bad?

I'm trying to cover all of my bases before I go and buy a new alternator, speaking of which... What is the best thing to get OEM? Nippondenso?