Batt light coming on

[SkySki Jason]

I've had those symptoms from a bad battery. Eventually would turn over starter but no-start (low voltage). Perhaps a dead cell is what took out the other alt?? Have you had batts load tested yet?

A few people I know have had their OE alt rebuilt locally (to them) and opted for higher amp upgrade - 160a IIRC??? Cheaper and prolly better than a 'rebuilt' from autoparts...

FWIW, both my PSD's have 'new' napa alternators - over 100k on each so far.

 

[DocBar]

Today, the truck up and died on my way into a parking lot. I popped the hood and started checking harnesses. The pass side ebgine harness that goes to the UVCH has 3 wires that the insulation appears to have just baked off. It's very brittle and flaky. I taped the up as best I could, but the insulation was missing right at the plug. I pulled a 1316 inj cir idm codes code with my SCT Excalibrator. Any ideas on that? I pulled the chip off at this time.
I went to start the truck and it turned over strong, but wouldn't start. After a few tries, I realized that I wasn't hearing my fuel pump whine. IU found it had blown a 30A fuse. I performed emergency surgery on the fuse to get me to Wal-Mart so I could get a new fuse. What are the odds of both the engine harness ($600-$700 from local Ford dealer + several days waiting on it) AND my fuel pump wiring being bad? The fuel pump wiring is in a loom and secured away from any heat sources.

 

[Arisley]

I bet the fuse was the fuel heater fuse. It also doubles as the PCM fuse. You can buy new connector ends from Ford for the UVCH.

For the fuse, disconnect the fuel bowl heater and carry on.

 

[DocBar]

I bet the fuse was the fuel heater fuse. It also doubles as the PCM fuse. You can buy new connector ends from Ford for the UVCH.

For the fuse, disconnect the fuel bowl heater and carry on.

The fuse for the fuel pump is a stand alone fuse installed by DI directly to the fuel pump. It's a fuelab pump.

 

[Arisley]

Nevermind then. Oops.

 

[DocBar]

I think I've got the problem narrowed down to the engine wiring harness. Both batteries and alternator checked out good. Will this fit my truck? If anyone has an extra lying around, I need it pretty badly and would love to buy it.

 

[SkySki Jason]

I think I've got the problem narrowed down to the engine wiring harness. Both batteries and alternator checked out good. Will this fit my truck? If anyone has an extra lying around, I need it pretty badly and would love to buy it.

That is not the harness for the top of the engine - the one that connects to the alt, etc will have the 42pin connector, VC plugs, AIH and GPR's on it.

I have a BRAND NEW harness for top of engine, in a Ford box if you are interested - it includes new relays for AIH and GP's. I seriously doubt this will fix your problem though.

I am interested to know what triggers that light. How old did you say those batteries are?

 

[DocBar]

Thee batteries are less than a year old. Will that harness fit? I have a glow plug relay nut it's not a gpcm.

 

[Derek@Vision Diesel]

I put my old alternator back on and it solved the problem. Although the weird thing is this alternator makes the dummy gauge on the dash sit a little lower than the brand new one that was messing with the battery light?
Could the brand new one of been charging TOOO much, therefore making the light come on?

 

[SkySki Jason]

Thee batteries are less than a year old. Will that harness fit? I have a glow plug relay nut it's not a gpcm.

My harness will work for you, I have GPCM's in both trucks - they sent me the wrong harness when I was trying to diagnose another problem on my F350. I installed it for a minute to verify it was not a wiring issue and did not send it back because I 'used' it.

Have you checked the grounds yet? Specifically the battery-to-block, but also the block to firewall and grounds from fuse blocks, etc to body. All of the grounds to body have PAINT on the body, so minor corrosion is all it takes to create a bad connection since it is just the threads making contact...

There shouldn't be any reason ya can't remove and test your existing harness and find a problem, if there is one. I shouldn't be discouraging you from buying mine, since it has been resting on a shelf collecting dust for almost 2yrs now - but I'd hate for ya to throw money at a problem and not fix it (like I did!! :fustrate. Sending you a PM.

 

[juniort444e]

More likely than not its the alternator.

Mine was doing something close to that for a long time. Batt light come on and flicker and go off. Shut truck off and be ok then start acting up again. Took it off, and had it tested and everything came back good. Put it on kept doing it. Then one very cold day coming home from hunting the truck dies. Guess whooooo. Ya the alternator died. Put a new one on a few months later did the same thing. I replaced it immediately and knock on wood havnt had the prob since.

 

[Jeremy]

Be sure to check the connection at the battery, not the actual battery terminal, but the additional smaller wire attached to it on the passenger side battery. These can get corroded, its really a problem in the 02+ battery cable design. This causes the flickering batt light aswell.

 

[Arisley]

My problem was ended up beint the positive cable. The big one that runs from the driver side battery, across to the passenger side battery, to the starter and to a relay on the firewall. Ford wanted an arm and a leg for a replacement. I was looking at building my own, with bigger cables and better clamps. It was still going to run over a hundred bucks. Bought one from O'Reilly's. It had bigger cables, and good (not great) clamps. Fit perfect. 75 bucks. You just have to find someone that knows how to use the catalogs, it is not in the computer.

 

[Tom S]

On the OBS trucks at least there is a repair kit for the vavle cover connector, not sure about SD trucks.

 

[DocBar]

Now something new is happening. The batt light went off, but when I try to go from a stop, the truck bogs down and dies. It doesn't seem to be affected by the amount of go pedal I use.
Can I use butt splices on the injector wiring harness? If so, I'm going to cut the wires several inches back and slip some heatshrink over the bad ones.
Any advice on this?

 

[littleredstroker]

mine did the same. I was driving across town and my radio got staticy. then died. i crippled er home and went to turn the headlights on to see if they were dim and truck died. bad autozone alt with a flickering light on me too

 

[evo45]

I am having the same problem with an 02 F350 that my dad just picked up. The guy we got it from has all the recepts of work done and we found the recept on the alt that he put in Jan 10. The batteries were put in 5 months ago from Ford, who also did the alt. The light came on and the alt wasnt charging. Started up the truck about an hour later and it was charging but only at 12.4v and if I turned on the lights, a/c, and radio it went down to 12.1. The batteries without the truck running are at 12.6. I am thinking that the alt is bad and going to go out soon, what do you think?

 

[DocBar]

Now something new is happening. The batt light went off, but when I try to go from a stop, the truck bogs down and dies. It doesn't seem to be affected by the amount of go pedal I use.
Can I use butt splices on the injector wiring harness? If so, I'm going to cut the wires several inches back and slip some heatshrink over the bad ones.
Any advice on this?

This was from being low on fuel, I think. I had about 1/8 of a tank, filled up and no more issue with this.
Batt light is still on, alt. is charging and both batts are good. All batt connections have been cleaned and tightened. I should get the new harness from Jason today.

 

[SkySki Jason]

I should get the new harness from Jason today.

:clapping:

I would use a good dielectric grease on all connectors when ya put it together. It won't take long to swap this out, but pay attention to WHERE the harness is before you take it out. It needs to go back in the same spot(s) to fit right. Sounds easy enough, but if I didn't have another 7.3 in the driveway - it woulda been a lot harder for me. Of course, I'm just a dum redneck!!! :thumbsup:

Let us know when ya get a chance to install it. :thumbup:

 

[DocBar]

:clapping:

I would use a good dielectric grease on all connectors when ya put it together. It won't take long to swap this out, but pay attention to WHERE the harness is before you take it out. It needs to go back in the same spot(s) to fit right. Sounds easy enough, but if I didn't have another 7.3 in the driveway - it woulda been a lot harder for me. Of course, I'm just a dum redneck!!! :thumbsup:

Let us know when ya get a chance to install it. :thumbup:

DAMN THE BAD LUCK!!! Eveidently, there are some differences between the 2001 and 2002 charging systems and wiring harnesses. I have one plug that doesn't fit anywhere-it's down by the temp sending unit-, my alternators not charging, the lead going to my pass. side batt from the alt. is about 10" too long and my temp sending unit isn't working.
When I installed the harness, Ipulled the IC plumbing and the intake Y to make it easier.
Having looked in my Haynes manual, there are, indeed, some big differences between the '01 and '02. Coould this be because of the 6.0 in '03? I would think the 6.0 would use a completely different harness.
Anyone have any suggestions? The alt not charging is a huge problem as I am out of town and the truck is my only ride.