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Possible charging issue on 03 LX Sport?

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    #1

    Possible charging issue on 03 LX Sport?

    Wife took the Sport out today and when she got home she said that the battery light popped up for a second on the IP when it was put back in the garage. Did not stay on. I just went out and checked the battery with the car off and it's reading 12.5v on a newer Motorcraft battery. Terminals on the battery are clean. Fired it up and let it idle down and checked again (still somewhat warm engine) and I'm reading no higher than 12.9 at the posts. Battery light wasn't on while idling when I looked.

    Have never dealt with a charging issue on the Vic but shouldn't the voltage show higher than that while running? I figure it would be around 14.4 or so?
    These are highly engineered precision vehicles, the first step in diagnosing the problem is to strike the suspected offending part sharply and repeatedly with a blunt object, then re-test.
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    #2
    check for loose grounds and you may want to remove the alternator and clean the mating surfaces to the engine block. Corrosion/oxidation in that location leads to bad voltage and intermittent operation. Also check the grounds to the engine block from the battery (the fat one). While you're in there, check the rotation of the alternator. I recently had one fail by contacting the inside of the casing but would still spin enough to keep the battery light off. Changed out the alternator and have had no issues since.

    At idle, you may only see about 13.5V, but you should be seeing more than 12.9.

    Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. -- Albert Einstein
    rides: 93 Crown Vic LX (The Red Velvet Cake), 2000 Crown Vic base model (Sandy), 2003 Expedition (the vacation beast)
    Originally posted by gadget73
    ... and it should all work like magic and unicorns and stuff.
    Originally posted by dmccaig
    Overhead, some poor bastards are flying in airplanes.

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      #3
      I'll give everything a good cleaning and see what I get. The rest of the system has not been touched since it was built and it's still running the factory alt. Build date is 10/02 so the alternator is suspect but I'll give it a go before I fork out the $$ for a new one.
      These are highly engineered precision vehicles, the first step in diagnosing the problem is to strike the suspected offending part sharply and repeatedly with a blunt object, then re-test.

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        #4
        Yeah I'd say between about 13.5V to 14.5V would be normal.
        What I Own: 1993 Mercury Grand Marquis GS
        What I Help Maintain: 1996 CV / 1988 CV / 1988 Tempo

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          #5
          I've re-cleaned both battery terminals and cables, ground to front of block is good, ground to both fenders are good. Haven't crawled under it yet to check the other ground or remove/clean the alt. I tested voltage across both posts and also from the charge wire terminal on the alt itself to the case and they are both reading the same voltage with the car running or not. I never saw above 12.6V. I even pulled the RPMs way up while metering the alt to the case and the voltage at the alt never changed.

          I guess I'll pull/clean the alt and see but you would think it would give me a little more with the RPM's up.
          These are highly engineered precision vehicles, the first step in diagnosing the problem is to strike the suspected offending part sharply and repeatedly with a blunt object, then re-test.

          Comment

            #6
            Yeah, I would pull it and clean the area really well underneath it as it acts as a ground. If you then get the same readings, it would probably be new alternator time.
            What I Own: 1993 Mercury Grand Marquis GS
            What I Help Maintain: 1996 CV / 1988 CV / 1988 Tempo

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              #7
              Well, cleaned up the block and alt and ended up with the same readings. Guess I'll be calling up the dealer tomorrow and see how long it'll take them to get one in since you know, 03-04 seems to be a bastard year for the CV for some reason, lol.
              These are highly engineered precision vehicles, the first step in diagnosing the problem is to strike the suspected offending part sharply and repeatedly with a blunt object, then re-test.

              Comment

                #8
                Originally posted by FordMan77 View Post
                Well, cleaned up the block and alt and ended up with the same readings. Guess I'll be calling up the dealer tomorrow and see how long it'll take them to get one in since you know, 03-04 seems to be a bastard year for the CV for some reason, lol.
                Dealers are going to cost some serious coin. Of course, if you are like me you will want an OEM part so is there another place, near you, to get one?
                What I Own: 1993 Mercury Grand Marquis GS
                What I Help Maintain: 1996 CV / 1988 CV / 1988 Tempo

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                  #9
                  Is the battery light illuminated with the engine running?
                  Last edited by massacre; 02-14-2022, 11:29 PM.
                  ..

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                    #10
                    Might pick one up from RockAuto. They show a new one for $175.

                    I just did another test. Fired it up and let it idle with the headlights on, trunk open, hood open, rear defrost on (includes mirrors), HVAC on high, radio on and doors open. Every load I could come up with. Voltage at the alt to the case was 13.1. Across the battery terminals it was 12.9. Battery light is not on but I haven't driven it since this cropped up and the light showed up originally. Dummy gauge on the dash still on the low end. Usually in the middle. Did not pull the RPM's up just let it cold idle.

                    I would think that with it being cold out and sitting, plus the extra load on it I would see something higher than that?
                    Last edited by FordMan77; 02-15-2022, 01:30 AM.
                    These are highly engineered precision vehicles, the first step in diagnosing the problem is to strike the suspected offending part sharply and repeatedly with a blunt object, then re-test.

                    Comment

                      #11
                      Grabbed a new Remy from RA. 10 min. change out and fired it up. Voltage at the alt + to the case is showing 14.1 to 14.29 as is the battery terminals and the "voltmeter" in the car is back in the middle where it usually is. Looks like problem solved. I'll see who I can find to have the original rebuilt as I'd like to have a spare. Still not bad for 244K miles tho.
                      These are highly engineered precision vehicles, the first step in diagnosing the problem is to strike the suspected offending part sharply and repeatedly with a blunt object, then re-test.

                      Comment

                        #12
                        Bad alternators can do some funky things. My friend's Tempo's battery would almost completely die, in one day and he suffered from an erratic idle. Every test, for parasitic draws and bad alternator came up negative. The charging rates were even good. Since it was almost 13 years old we swapped it out anyway and ALL the problems went away and that was almost two months ago! Follows one of my favorite statements: "Even when you know, you don't know!"
                        What I Own: 1993 Mercury Grand Marquis GS
                        What I Help Maintain: 1996 CV / 1988 CV / 1988 Tempo

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                          #13
                          Glad to hear it was an easy fix
                          ..

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