Dyno troubles???

[BillyGman]

I recently had my car dynoed, and I deliberately went to a different Dyno than I had in the past due to the fact that the last place went and hooked the tie-down straps to the rear shock absorbers!!! needless to say, they broke one of them, and bent the other.

However, at this other dyno that I brought my car to, as soon as the guy did the first dyno pull, my battery light went on, and he had to charge the battery in order to do another dyno pull. It's strange that this happened during the dyno pull, because for the past two days I had been watching my voltmeter closely, since I had just purchased that plug-in voltemter that MAC recommended(a great meter BTW). And the day before the Dyno, as well as that same day on the way to the Dyno, the votage was fine. Right at 14.4 volts.

So it turns out that the voltage regulator is fired, and since my Marauder only has 11K on it, I'm trying to figure out why. the electrical place that I brought it to is baffled about this also, despite their extensive tests that they've performed on the alternator, and the rebuilding of it that they also performed.

So my question to everyone here is this:

because I'm wondering if the guy at the dyno might have hooked up any wires wrong just before the first Dyno pull that he did, can there be any way possible, that something that he did, fried the voltage regulator in the alternator? Also, can anyone tell me exactly what the dyno place does as far as electronics, and exactly what electrical wiring on the engine that they connect things to prior to a Dyno test?

please keep in mind that this was NOT a Dyno tune being done, it was merely an dyno test to check HP, and TQ, along w/an Air/Fuel ratio done too. I would really appreciate any knowledgeable input in this matter, since I need to go back to a Dyno (I think it will be yet another one this time!!) in order to have another air/fuel ratio done since the lean condition that this last one inicated might have only been due to low voltage because of the alternator voltage regulator not working properly. I don't know how I get myself into these things!!! :shake:

BTW, I can't go to the dealer w/any of this since they will likely tell me to hit the bricks as soon as they open the hood, and see the Supercharger. Yep, that's the chance that us S/cer guys take, but I still don't regret it, cuz this car flies. But that's another story for another thread.

[Dr Caleb]

So it turns out that the voltage regulator is fired,

Man, that Donald Trump character is everywhere!

IIRC there was some talk that the WOT aspect of the alternator was programmable - could the first dyno tuner turned it off, and forget to turn in back on??

It is possible to destroy the regulator by ehtier putting way too much voltage through it, or grounding or shorting it at an inopportune moment. Could just be a bad regulator . . .

[Paul T. Casey]

You're a lucky man Billy, tie downs hooked to shocks wise. I konw little about the electronic aspect of dyno's, but there are some big (10%) differences shop to shop with the numbers they give you. Like Dr. C says, the only way I know to fry a regulator is to short accross it, and I can't see how they would.

[Paul T. Casey]

BTW, there are "mods friendly" dealers in New England.

[BillyGman]

LOL...yeah Dr.C, I meant to say a "fried" regulator, not a "fired" one. Another case of my terrible typing I guess. Some day maybe I'll give in to things like spell checkers. Anyway, i guess that all we can do about this is to speculate, but I was just wondering if anyone here knows exactly what they do electrically speaking, and what wires they mess with while preparing your car for a Dyno pull.

As far as "mod friendly" dealers, I tend to doubt that even any of the most mod friendly ones will overlook things like Nitrous Oxide injection, or a Supercharger.

[SergntMac]

The wires connected under the hood are to monitor spark for the RPM. Only one plug needs to be connected and it doesn't matter which, but #1 seems preferred. This shouldn't have anything to do with your altenator/regulator, neither should the dyno. IMHO, it's coincidence.

[BillyGman]

I knew about them hooking up to the coil wires that leads to one of the plugs for monitoring the RPM's like you've stated MAC. I just didn't know if there was anything else that they do under there. Thanks for the explanation. Perhaps this is coincidental like you said.

[Black Terror]

The only hookup that should be done is Induction Pickup for Coil-over-Plug unit, should be no direct Electrical connection to Battery Leads. This has been my experience with Dyno-Jet type Dyno''s. Some Air/Fuel Ratio checks are made using bung in Exhaust System, again not being a direct power connection.

[Racerx88]

Mercury/Ford can't void your warrantee on the alternator or battery because of the S/C. Unrelated systems.

[BillyGman]

Mercury/Ford can't void your warrantee on the alternator or battery because of the S/C. Unrelated systems.

They might try to since the alternator is turned around backwards in the Trilogy set-up, and therefore they might attempt to evade their responsibility to cover the alternator under warantee since the alternator id noe being spun in the opposite direction, and therefore atleast in theory they can claim that the cooling fins will not cool the alternator as intended.

I doubt that this is actually the problem since none of the other 27 Trilogy owners have had an alternator problem such as this. So I'm assuming this is just an isolated incident. But I'm sure that this is what the dealer would say.And I don't need the extra hassle. I'm turned off to dealers as it is.

[Racerx88]

............since the alternator is turned around backwards in the Trilogy set-up, and therefore they might attempt to evade their responsibility to cover the alternator under warantee since the alternator id noe being spun in the opposite direction, .............
Good point. I had forgotten about that little aspect.

[jparrie]

They might try to since the alternator is turned around backwards in the Trilogy set-up, and therefore they might attempt to evade their responsibility to cover the alternator under warantee since the alternator id noe being spun in the opposite direction, and therefore atleast in theory they can claim that the cooling fins will not cool the alternator as intended.

I doubt that this is actually the problem since none of the other 27 Trilogy owners have had an alternator problem such as this. So I'm assuming this is just an isolated incident. But I'm sure that this is what the dealer would say.And I don't need the extra hassle. I'm turned off to dealers as it is.

Hi Billy,

If the voltage was at 14.4 the day you took it to the dyno, and the previous day, I would say that the battery had a good full charge.

That said, the battery should have had more than enough reserve capacity to run a couple of pulls with no charging system whatsoever.

Something either put a huge load on the battery to discharge it so quickly, or there is something wrong with the battery itself.

GM had a problem a few years back with plates in the battery breaking down and causing a intermittent short in the battery. I lost a few alternators to this problem before it was brought to my attention.

Be sure to check related harneses for signs of high heat also.

Good luck.....

[BillyGman]

Sorry.....I shoulda updated everyone on this problem......

a couple weeks ago I got this all ironed out. The thing that started this all was that the votage regulator was cooked. Why? I don't know. And the automotive electrical place where I brought the alternator to couldn't tell either when they dissassembled it.They said that there wasn't any signs of the alternator overheating.

So they simply replaced the voltage regulator which ofcourse is inside the alternator, and re-assembled it. That's what really confused me when I get the thing home, put it back on my car, and the battery light still remained on, however the voltage was perfect. Carfixer then sent me an e-mail stating that for some reason Ford alternators need to be replaced all together as one assembly instead of replacing parts in it or rebuilding it.

That wouldn't have sounded right to me, however in light of the fact that I checked everything else I could think of, including a thrown computer code which Frank (aka "Ultravorx") checked for me w/his SCT handheld programmer, faulty alternator wires, a bad engine ground (there was 0.0 ohms of resistence which is perfect) and made sure the battery was perfect, I was willing to try what he said by purchasing a whole new alternator. Frank checked the alternator by installing some diagnostic electrical equippment to it while it was on my car, and he said that he suspected it was still the voltage regulator despite the fact that the electrical place that rebuilt it swore it was fine.

So I went to the Mercury dealer where I bought the car, and bought a new alternator from the parts department. When I installed it, the battery light stayed off, and that was early in May, and it's been fine. So i brought that rebuilt alternator back to that place to give that guy a little piece of my mind.

Aftyer Carfixer wrote to me about this, I took another look in the Ford shop manual, and sure enough it simply states in there that the voltage regulator cannot be replaced by itself, and that the alternator and regulator MUST be replaced as an assembly, and that's all that it says. it doesn't give a reason why that is, but after this aggrivating experience, I know it's true.

So I hope this experience helps somebody else out along the way. I had that alternator of 5 times!!!! Thanks to carfixer, I was able to get to the bottom of this, and remedy the problem.

[rumble]

Bump, Bump.

Damn!! I really miss posts like these.

Billy, will you PLEASE go buy another Marauder?

[RCSignals]

Bump, Bump.

Damn!! I really miss posts like these.

Billy, will you PLEASE go buy another Marauder?

:stupid: Yes Billy, get yourself another Marauder.

From recent posts, I understand you can find them with half vinyl roofs, cheap. :eek:

[MarauderMark]

Mann i thought this was his chevelle.I wanted to read what happened.Yes bill you do need to get another MM.Loved reading your posts:up:

[BillyGman]

Wow did you guys bring back some memories with this thread! What can I say? Some day, hopefully, I'll be able to get another Marauder, yes. But it just ain't in the cards right now. I just don't have the cash to be able to afford two bank-account-draining muscle cars. I have my hands full with one of them, and it isn't even running yet! :eek:

Thanks for the memories though. ;) It's nice to know that I haven't been forgetten.

[2DMAX]

Sorry.....I shoulda updated everyone on this problem......

a couple weeks ago I got this all ironed out. The thing that started this all was that the votage regulator was cooked. Why? I don't know. And the automotive electrical place where I brought the alternator to couldn't tell either when they dissassembled it.They said that there wasn't any signs of the alternator overheating.

So they simply replaced the voltage regulator which ofcourse is inside the alternator, and re-assembled it. That's what really confused me when I get the thing home, put it back on my car, and the battery light still remained on, however the voltage was perfect. Carfixer then sent me an e-mail stating that for some reason Ford alternators need to be replaced all together as one assembly instead of replacing parts in it or rebuilding it.

That wouldn't have sounded right to me, however in light of the fact that I checked everything else I could think of, including a thrown computer code which Frank (aka "Ultravorx") checked for me w/his SCT handheld programmer, faulty alternator wires, a bad engine ground (there was 0.0 ohms of resistence which is perfect) and made sure the battery was perfect, I was willing to try what he said by purchasing a whole new alternator. Frank checked the alternator by installing some diagnostic electrical equippment to it while it was on my car, and he said that he suspected it was still the voltage regulator despite the fact that the electrical place that rebuilt it swore it was fine.

So I went to the Mercury dealer where I bought the car, and bought a new alternator from the parts department. When I installed it, the battery light stayed off, and that was early in May, and it's been fine. So i brought that rebuilt alternator back to that place to give that guy a little piece of my mind.

Aftyer Carfixer wrote to me about this, I took another look in the Ford shop manual, and sure enough it simply states in there that the voltage regulator cannot be replaced by itself, and that the alternator and regulator MUST be replaced as an assembly, and that's all that it says. it doesn't give a reason why that is, but after this aggrivating experience, I know it's true.

So I hope this experience helps somebody else out along the way. I had that alternator of 5 times!!!! Thanks to carfixer, I was able to get to the bottom of this, and remedy the problem.

Well, I guess I must be only the second Marauder owner that had an alternator fail on the dyno. I replaced the original unit with a New one from PA performance, confirmed it was for a Trilogy S/C application, (their part no. (130A 4G Ford Alternator - Marauder Only #2538) I ran it for 40 miles, did the first pull on the dyno and after a spark and smoke show, found out there was an internal failure. Seems like a bearing, but obviously didn't take anything apart for warranty reasons and sent it back to PA. Waiting for their tear-down and inspection to find out what it was.
PS. ...the alternator was installed by someone different than the shop that did the dyno, just cause I know I will get some feedback on that issue.