Thank you all for your ideas and suggestions on getting this charging issue figured out. I go through my full diagnostic process in this video. We also get to go for the first official drive in the new crew cab!
Followed your very detailed instructions Installed components for the one wire alternator. Found out the crank positioning sensor was not in adjustment. Thanks for all your videos. You rock
This video has so much wonderful content that covers so many aspects of electrical troubleshooting I cannot even begin to express how helpful this is! Even though your ECM/PCM was not the problem, I want to ask you about it. I have a '93 and have replaced the module once. These units are nearly impossible to find any longer. You have provided a marvelous fusable link delete video, is it even possible to find a way to eliminate the need for the PCM? I know that it is rudimentary in what it serves (alternator charging, Auto Trans, Speedometer, A/C and maybe more) which gives me hope that it could be bypassed. There must be a way to A) figure out all of what it governs and B) find and implemet work-arounds for each system. My concern is if my PCM goes out I will not be able to find another. Suggestions/thoughts??? Thanks!
I'm glad you got it fixed. So there were 2 problems not just the one. A cut start wire and the cps. This just goes to show that even older simpler things can be difficult at times.
Man thank you so much for your help! After blowing up two batteries I changed the alternator put a transpo 8315 in it changed my cps and went from a over charging problem to a no charge problem. I opened up my alternator and forgot to put rubber boot back inside the alternator and I moved the ground on the transpo to the screw you mount it to the alternator and it started working..thanks again ...time to do fuseable links next.
Thanks for the video! I found another video that just left me confused installing. I have taken my altenator of 3xs, luckily I found your video with clear detail instructions. Now I know what tab end to bend back.
@@decentgarage I can see that, also your videos have helped me tremendously with issues on my truck. Thanks for all the videos you make on a dying breed of trucks
Definitely big shut out to you definitely just helped me with my issues and my trucks finally charging thanks for everything and thanks for explaining everything to the T!!!!
@@decentgarage I had to sus out my charging problems mid-road trip yesterday. Spent the night in the parking lot of Orielly’s and replaced the voltage regulator and alternator the next morning... a thousand miles later and everything is working as it should. Your video helped me narrow down the issue and gave me a little confidence to knock out the job in a parking lot far from home. I did the back-up hood latch release while I was at it, and I filmed a bit :) Thanks for sharing what you have learned. I’ll keep watching!
@@TalkinAboutTheDude Good idea to run a ground wire from one of the bolts that hold the regulator on to a good ground. I went through a regulator about once a year before doing this. Been running the same one for several years now.
@@duanehenicke6602 Good call, I just replaced the voltage regulator again. Only $25 bucks but still... the little bit of driving I did with 18v coming out of the alternator burned out a couple bulbs in the dash and fried an old amplifier I had hooked up. Good advice!
@@duanehenicke6602 Just getting to it now... can the voltage regulator be grounded by bolting a ground wire to the metal body of the VR, and ground that wire to a nearby ground location?
Good Deal! Don't know if my Comments about crank position sensor were helpful but it looks like you got it figured out. I should have told you to watch the episode I did on it haha
Duddie, your comments were super helpful. I honestly just didn't think it was the cps. It was really interesting to walk through the process of coming to that conclusion though.
Hey nice work . Same thing happened to my truck and I did all the same testing. First time it was the fusible link. Second time I replaced the cps. I found out that the acdelco or aftermarket cps don’t last long. I put the old stock one back in and it worked. Keep and extra one on the shelf or try to find a cummins cps.
I think a top shelf battery and a quick connector trickle charge. As you park for night in cold weather particularly plug in for 8 amp boost. Of course get on board charge system in top condition as well. Diesels start better with rapid turn over to heat compression air best. Diesels hate below zero weather. Oil, fuel, battery all become problematic. That big block sucks up cold like a sponge and takes a long time to get up to operating temperature. Cover grill to stop bitter wind chill. Anti gel additives for fuel and battery insulation and electric warming pad can help.
Rolled 93 1st gen over. Put 92 gas cab on frame. Battery No charge. Tried external voltage regulator...reads battery positive. Tried the internal voltage regulator conversion still no charge. Reads battery positive. Jumped ads relay have battery positive with and without vehicle running. Haven't got a known spare cps otherwise I'd try that but this truck is really giving me a run for my money
Hi I'm having the same issue have a brand new alternator and when I use the jumper wire it starts charging the asd relay is ok and I just put a crank position sensor in and gapped it to .05 thousands and still no charge unless I put the jumper wire in, it's a 1992 w250 auto trans would the pcm be my problem
If still no charge after following these videos and the cps didn't fix it my next suspicion would be the ecm. There are ways to test the ecm that I'm not as familiar with but search the forums and you'll find them
@@decentgarage awesome thanks! I will use a different card. My wife took all my credit cards so I would stop buying truck parts. Thanks for all the great videos.
Super helpful video, thanks for sharing your process of working through this issue. I was wondering if you might share some insight, I have a 93 first gen swapped to a 96 p pump engine (so a lot of the wiring has been messed with.) I went on a long 8 hour drive and noticed my battery smoking, looked like it was about to explode, it was totally fried. Would it make sense for the issue to an overcharging problem? I ordered a new voltage regulator and will try that, but I'm curious to hear if you have any other pointers after working with these trucks so much. Thanks, any advice is greatly appreciated!
That means it is overcharging for sure! This video should be really helpful for you. If I had to do it again though I would use Cutterrob's video on converting to a 1 wire alternator for $30 bucks
Is there any way to test the crank sensor before replacement? I saw a video last night with the guy had the ecm(brain) out and he said this pcm controled the charging and the AC compressor?
Good video man, battling the same issue at the moment on my 92. Do you happen to know of anyway to actually confirm the CPS is bad prior to replacing it? (i.e. any voltage/ohm tests while it's still on the vehicle?)
Great video . I’m chasing it down myself. Crank position has good reading . I’m getting power everywhere and ground. I jumped the asd and Still nothing! Stumped .
Hello man, maybe you can guide me I got the jumper wires on the asd relay and it still didn’t do anything. I got a new alternator put in the transpo, I have a new battery, I put in a new crank position sensor. I even got a new pcm and it’s still not charging. Any further recommendations
Video was awsome I'm dealing with this my self I have done everything that you did in the video every thing. The only problem is I'm still not charging I also have a new rebuild pcm. Currently waiting on a second pcm I put two new crank position sensor's just to rule that out . No a/c or Cruz or charging. If you have any other ideas that would rock. Thanks
My 89 d250 was overcharging I’m pretty sure then I saw smoke come from under the dash and some of the lights on the message center flashed then went out the the truck cut off I took the dash out and couldn’t find any burnt wires but the truck will turn over but won’t fire I don’t know if it’s a fuse or a relay do you have any idea or insight of what it could possibly be
Interesting... My gut reaction would be the starter relay or the fusible links but with smoke coming from behind the message center that doesn't make sense...
2:13 Alternator RPM is a multitude of engine RPM based on pulley ratios. Example -- a 3:1 pulley spins the alternator three times engine speed. At 700RPM idle, the alternator is spinning at 2,100RPM. . Note -- centrifugal force limits alternator speed, so experimenting with a 5:1 or 7:1 pulley puts you in test-pilot territory... and probably requires an ejection seat.
Could you see that causing a problem was going to run temporarily since it’s charging that way until I check crank angle sensor and relay. Maybe permanent if it’s the pcm lol
I have a 91.5 and it's got some of both it seems. No PCM but an ECM with an external regulator. So I have no ASD relay that I can find. I have a 93 with a PCM to compare it to and the 91.5 looks like a bare-bones machine on the fusible link firewall. I was way overcharging, bought the relay to fix it and before I could, it goes to no charging. What a headache!!
I had a charging problem with my truck I had worked on at a shop over by Atlantic Pennsylvania that’s near Cockerton and all that and he really screwed it up good but anyways to end up being we got the charging system working but it was over charging change the regulator did all that stuff in here come to find out the battery somehow got screwed up I replaced the battery and now I’m charging 14 114 two periodically goes up to 14 five but the soup is amazing the battery works perfectly fine other than that it’s still kick side 1000 cranking amps
All of these trucks from 91.5-93 are nightmares far as electrical goes. My early 91 came from factory without computer. Which I'm very thankful. Blower motor wires are horrible in all the years. Other than that, the fuel shut off solenoid eventually gives up. That was a hard one for me. When the plunger drops, it doesn't shut fuel off completely. Just enough that the engine will not run. I could have replaced the solenoid, but after being stranded i decided to gut it and install pull cable. No electrical to keep my engine from running now. Even if something happens to the cable, i can still pop the hood and kill it by pulling on the fuel shut off lever. As a added bonus i can leave the cable pulled and not many would know how to make it start....
@@texasfish9437 I just bought the first cheap choke cable i found. It was too long. So i had to cut some of the metal sheath off and shorten the wire. Used a piece of scrap angle iron for mounting the pull knob. Couple holes drilled for mounting next to the brake release lever, and one to fasten the knob. Shot of red paint to match the interior and i was done.
I am having a charging issue. Went to start but dead battery; albeit, a new battery. Swap the battery and start the truck. It then shuts off when I lift the battery cable to replace the battery. Is this a faulty alternator?
I have a 1990 Cummins that is over charging it charges 17 volts when the extra voltage regulater is plugged in cannot figure it out any suggestions on the problem
Haha now you know how to diagnose where the problem actually is. Had it been a faulty ecm though I would have just wired it to a key on power source too.
Ive started it less than 15 times since this video. Just to be sure though I pulled the bulb from the check engine light. I will throw the bulb back in there next time I have the dash bezel out and check.
@@decentgarage gotcha I had a bouncing voltage issue which resolved with an external volt regulator on my 93, now I disconnected that because it stopped working, and installed a 1 wire alternator for pa performance. Will see how that goes, it’s charging at 13.8v.
I got an 89 Cummins that I swapped on my 86 dodge. I’m using my 89 wiring for my engine bay wiring and my battery won’t hold any charge for some reason. I’ve tried everything you’ve done and still not charging
I noticed you said the ac wasn't working, there is a white (I believe) wire that runs over the top of the ducks foot (fusible links) that splits into two wires going toward the battery, this wire should have power when the ignition is turned on it supply's power to the computer for the a/c to work
Gotta 92, crank positioning sensor won't gap to 50 thousands, the sensor is all the way as close as it can. This sensor came from cummins, biggest issue, alt. not charging, put internal voltage regulator on alt, no charging. Went through all the steps in video, with the exception of the ECM. HELP
@@duanehenicke6602 Not exactly. Some may and others may not! I have one that has an ECM and an external regulator. I have a 93 with a PCM and the two trucks electrically are night and day and the 91.5 is the pita!!
@@tobylou8 If you have a 91.5 or above that has external regulator, someone other than the factory put it there. It was a common thing to do back in the day when they stopped charging. Now you can put a one wire alternator or swap the brain out for a new one.
@@duanehenicke6602 Wish I could post pics on YT. The driver side fender wells are two different animals. I don't have an ADP relay and all the wiring looks factory from the VR to the alternator. I sense a self exciting one wire in my future if the other bypass trick common for us doesn't work. I had the PCM rebuilt on my 93 176k ago and haven't had any issues. I will double check again to make sure it's not a PCM. Wish it was, would be easier to fix! ;-)
@@decentgarage yes. I installed the transpo because the battery gauge was going crazy back and forth and the lights too. But now every time I start the truck the speedometer goes back slowly and the lights off
@@decentgarage I was thinking to do that. But when I installed the transpo there is a terminal or whatever it’s called that you have to bend but I broke it. So now I need that part. You know where can I found it?
@@nynoperales6521 the previous owner cut the terminal off of mine so I just tapped in to that specific wire before the black block and put an eye connector on it
