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OT: Question about electrical system on my truck

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Garry

07-10-2003 06:11:54




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I was on the interstate last week going about 70 mph and the truck electricla system just cut out. All the guages quit operating and the truck coasted to a stop. I cranked it back up and it ran fine. That afternoon the same thing happened. I adjusted the battery cable and it cranked up and ran fine. It has been running ok since. My question is should the electrical system depend on the battery after it is running. Seems like the alternator would still keep it running even if the battery cable does not have good connection. The truck is a 98 Chev gas burner if that matters. This is probably a stupid question and someone will ask me what color the truck is, but it does seem odd to me that it did that.

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Revredneck

07-11-2003 10:35:28




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 Re: OT: Question about electrical system on my tru in reply to Garry, 07-10-2003 06:11:54  
Garry,
I agree with Jim on this one. As a Chevy mechanic for over 25 years, I can't tell you how many people have messed up by disconnecting the battery cable with the thing running. Today's sophisticated electronics must have a good clean connection to the battery for everything to work right. Be sure to check your connections at the power box under the hood with all the relays and fuses. Also be sure that your grounds are clean and tight, especially the small ones bolted to the engine. Good Luck and God Bless, Tommy

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Jim WI

07-11-2003 10:12:23




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 Re: OT: Question about electrical system on my tru in reply to Garry, 07-10-2003 06:11:54  
'Tis a common misconception that the alternator will keep the electrical system up and running with the battery disconnected. It usually won't (I'm tempted to say never but I've learned not to).

Must be about twenty-five years ago that my mom's big old Impala had a similar problem. It would die in traffic and just refuse to restart. Just opening the hood (a really big heavy beast on that car) would fix the problem. After a few months we finally figured out that there was a cracked terminal on the battery. The vibration from driving would break the connection and then the vibration from popping the hood would restore it.

Adjusting the battery cable may be all you needed. On the other hand, remember this story if it happens again!

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JohnDeere6322

07-10-2003 19:20:14




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 Re: OT: Question about electrical system on my tru in reply to Garry, 07-10-2003 06:11:54  
Had a 94 Ford F350 w/ 351 cid engine When you got extremely low on gas electrical system would start to shut down anything electrical. wierdest thing , don't know if it was by design or not??



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Ichabod

07-10-2003 17:37:57




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 Re: OT: Question about electrical system on my tru in reply to Garry, 07-10-2003 06:11:54  
Could be a loose ground somewhere. There are quite a few of them on my truck.

Go to Chilton's and put in the year and name of your model and you can find an electrical diagram.



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John Fugit

07-10-2003 06:34:49




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 Re: OT: Question about electrical system on my tru in reply to Garry, 07-10-2003 06:11:54  
You just described what happened to me a few years ago, only it was in the dead of winter, and was at 4:00AM. I towed the truck home. The next day I got it in my shop, and went over it with a fine tooth comb. I cleaned the battery cables, checked the battery, the alternator, and anything else I could think of. After just about giving up, I noticed a wire that ran from the Pos. battery terminal, to the fuse block. It powered everything from the lights, to the "computer" ignition module. The main battery cable only set juice to the starter. It had rubbed on the edge of the alternator bracket, and wore through to bare copper, then it shorted out, and burnt the wire almost in two. There was the culprit! Take a look at that, and let us know what you do find. It might just save someone elses neck, someday.

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