P38 Alternator Blues

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Glenbob

Member
Posts
11
Hi,
This is my first posting. Have read with great pleasure, and some success, on solutions you folks have for P38 probs, there are some very clever guys out there. But this one has me stumped and living on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland doesn't help, trust me.

First of all, my fault, left the headlights on for about four hours. Started again ok but day and a half later different messages appeared, gearbox failure, traction failure, the engine laboured as though low on tranny fluid, speedo went to zero etc. Eventually just died, no cranking. Read several posts and replaced the battery, thinking I'd cooked the old one (calcium, 100ah). Day later and same thing occurred.

It's a 1999 HSE, 4.6 with a 150 amp Bosch alternator, 160,000 k's. I checked the output with a multimeter and the battery (newly charged) was about 13 volts but quickly subsided. No charge was coming in from the alternator, hence only lasting a couple of days.

Could leaving the headlights on have caused this? Have checked all fuses, earths seem solid, terminal contact is good. The old battery holds a charge and seems fine. Living where I do resources are skinny. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

In all other respects it's a fantastic automobile.
 
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