TECH TIP FOR SEPTEMBER, 1994

FIRST, A REVIEW OF SOME PREVIOUS TECH TIPS:

1) REGARDING THE BATTERY GASSING/NO START PROBLEM ON FORD EXPLORERS, I HAVE HAD ANOTHER INCIDENCE OF A NO-START, RELATED TO THIS PROBLEM, REPORTED TO ME. I HAVE ALSO BEEN TOLD THAT A RECALL HAS BEEN MADE BY FORD. I DON'T KNOW WHICH YEARS ARE COVERED BY THE RECALL, SO IF THE CAR IS REASONABLY NEW, YOU MIGHT FIRST CHECK THAT IT'S NOT COVERED.

2) YOU WILL RECALL THAT I REPORTED, CHRYSLER HAD USED THE AIR PUMP MOUNTING BOLT FOR ATTACHING THE MAIN VEHICLE GROUND, ON A DODGE VAN, WHICH ULTIMATELY RESULTED IN A NO-START CONDITION. SAHAGIAN SERVICE REPORTS ANOTHER INCIDENT OF THE SAME THING, ALSO ON A DODGE VAN.

IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS THE MOUNTING PLACE OF CHOICE BY SOMEONE AT THE FACTORY, AND PROBABLY WILL BE FOUND ON MOST FULL SIZE DODGE VANS, PARTICULARLY THOSE THAT ARE 5.2L (318CID) EQUIPPED. WE KNOW WHAT THE END RESULT WILL BE, SO IF YOU SERVICE ANY OF THESE VANS, CHECK FOR THE PLACEMENT OF THE MAIN GROUND, AND IF IT'S ON THAT MOUNTING BOLT, MOVE IT TO THE BLOCK.

3) A LOCAL MECHANIC REPORTS THAT WHILE TRYING TO TAKE AN ALTERNATOR OFF "LIVE", HE ALLOWED HIS RATCHET TO BECOME JAMMED BETWEEN THE POST AND THE BLOCK. THE RESULT WAS, OF COURSE, A DESTROYED ALTERNATOR, BATTERY AND RATCHET. HE CONFIRMS MY PREVIOUSLY REPORTED POSITION, THAT IF YOU LET THE "SMOKE" OUT NOTHING ELECTRICAL WILL WORK.

IN THE LAST TECH TIP, I INCLUDED A DESCRIPTION OF HOW THE WIRING OF THE FORD IAR ALTERNATOR OPERATES. THIS ALTERNATOR IS CALLED A "2G" OR SECOND GENERATION, AND ITS MAIN IDENTIFYING FEATURE IS BLACK REGULATOR FASTENED ON THE BACK, AND THE TWO PLUG INS FOR REGULATOR AND MAIN BATTERY. IN ABOUT 1990, FORD INTRODUCED THE "3G" OR THIRD GENERATION ALTERNATOR, WHICH HAS NO EXTERNAL FAN, LOOKS VERY IMPORTISH, AND HAS A GREY REGULATOR FASTENED ON THE BACK. ALSO IT DOES NOT USE A PLUG©IN FOR MAIN BATTERY, BUT RATHER HAS REVERTED TO THE OLD FASHIONED POST STYLE CONNECTOR. HAVE FOUND THAT SOME OF THE "3G" ALTERNATORS FAIL BECAUSE OF A STUCK BRUSH. BEFORE SENDING THE ALTERNATOR IN FOR REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT, USE A T20 TORX SCREW DRIVER TO REMOVE THE FOUR SCREWS HOLDING THE REGULATOR IN PLACE, AND SEE IF ONE OF THE BRUSHES IS STUCK. IF IT IS, FREE IT UP, MAKE SURE IT MOVES EASILY, RE©INSTALL THE REGULATOR AND ALTERNATOR, AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS. WHILE IT IS POSSIBLE FOR A "HUNG" BRUSH TO DESTROY THE REGULATOR, BUT, MY EXPERIENCE IS THAT THIS REGULATOR WILL USUALLY SURVIVE.

THE WIRING FOR THIS ALTERNATOR IS VERY SIMILAR TO THAT OF THE "2"G, IN THAT THE "I" TERMINAL IS STILL THE TURN©ON AND A LOSS OF SIGNAL AFTER THE ALTERNATOR HAS STARTED CHARGING WILL HAVE NO EFFECT UNTIL THE VEHICLE IS SHUT OFF. THE "S" TERMINAL IS STILL THE SENSE AND A LOSS OF SIGNAL WILL TURN THE IDIOT LIGHT ON, BUT THE ALTERNATOR WILL STILL CHARGE. THE "A" TERMINAL MUST HAVE EXACTLY THE SAME VOLTAGE ON IT THAT THE MAIN BATTERY TERMINAL OF THE ALTERNATOR IS SEEING OR THE CHARGE RATE WILL BE WRONG. THE SAME PROBLEMS THAT CAN APPLY TO THE "2G" ARE APPLICABLE HERE. BEFORE YOU ASK YES THERE IS A "4G" BUT I HAVEN'T SEEN ONE YET. CHRYSLER TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN, SEPTEMBER/93, REPORTS THAT ON 1990_94 (BD) LASER/TALON VEHICLES, MOST SERVICE MANUALS OMIT FORM THEIR "TROUBLE SHOOTING" SECTION FOR THE CHARGING SYSTEM THAT THESE CARS ARE EQUIPPED WITH A "GENERATOR CIRCUIT SUB FUSIBLE LINK". THIS LINK IS LOCATED IN THE RIGHT SIDE ENGINE COMPARTMENT RELAY BOX. BEFORE REPLACING ANY CHARGING SYSTEM COMPONENTS, CHECK TO SEE THAT THE BLACK 80AMP LINK IS IN PLACE AND WHOLE.

CHRYSLER ALSO REPORTS THAT FOR 1993(AS) CARAVAN/GRAND CARAVAN/CARAVAN CV VOYAGER/GRAND VOYAGER/ TOWN & COUNTRY VEHICLE BUILT BETWEEN FEB. 8, 1993 (MDH 0209XX) AND MAR. 26,1994 (MDH0326XX) THERE CAN BE PROBLEM RELATED TO A BAD RELAY OR RELAYS.THE RELAYS AND THE PROBLEMS CAUSED ARE LISTED BELOW:1) AUTO SHUT DOWN RELAY  VEHICLE WILL NOT START.2) FUEL PUMP RELAY VEHICLE WILL NOT START.

3) RADIATOR FAN LOW SPEED RELAY A/C DOES NOT COOL (COMPRESSOR    CLUTCH DOES NOT ENGAGE), ENGINE OPERATES AT A HIGHER THAN        NORMAL TEMPERATURE BUT DOES NOT OVER HEAT (RADIATOR FAN DOES     NOT OPERATE AT LOW SPEED).

4) RADIATOR FAN HIGH SPEED RELAY ENGINE OVERHEATS WHEN UNDER     HEAVY LOAD (RADIATOR FAN DOES NOT OPERATE AT HIGH SPEED), A/C    CUTS OFF BECAUSE OF HIGH PRESSURE.

LOCATE THE RELAYS AND MOUNTING BRACKET ASSEMBLY MOUNTED TO THE LEFT FRONT INNER FENDER, AND INSPECT THE RELAYS NUMBERED 4557540 FOR A BUILD DATE 0113 (11 DAY OF 1993) AND 0373 (37 DAY OF 1993). IF ANY ARE FOUND IT WILL BE NECESSARY TO REPLACE THEM WITH RELAYS WITH A BUILD DATE OUTSIDE OF THESE PARAMETERS. THE BUILD DATE IS THE NUMBER STAMPED BELOW THE PART NUMBER.