Battery light came on, P0734 and low voltage
#1
02-08-2015, 08:17 PM
Battery light came on, P0734 and low voltage
Hi everyone!
I'm out in the bush once again and I'm having some issues.
Last week my heater blower went out. Just for a day. It started working again the next day.
I had a pending code that became a code, P0734. I cleared the code and it went away until today. Daily, I'm only driving 2km at a time between the main camp I eat and sleep at, and the survey office trailer that I work in. There was a couple of days of heavy snow and it was a real push getting through it, so that's what I thought the P0734 code was from.
I left the truck on idling for about 2 hours one day (was distracted by a pile of extra work). Got in and another code was on the ultra guage. The M and S lights were flashing. It was late at night and I drove slowly the 2 kms back to camp. I shut off the truck and started it again. No more flashing M and S lights. I checked the codes, and then accidentally cleared them. It was a 1606 I think. I think.
Today, I drove into town (about 45 minutes away) and drove back. The pending code P0734 came back. There was no noticeable problems. I was about to shut off when I noticed the battery light on the dashboard was illuminated.
I put a voltage meter on the battery. Only 12.2 volts with the truck off. I started the truck and the meter read 11.6! Oh oh. second last day of the job and I've got a 9 hour drive home. Darn.
I put the ground on the negative terminal, with the truck running, and touched the positive to the alternator. Same volts. Touched the block. Same volts. Just for fun I pulled the battery terminals and cleaned them up. They were clean and tight. Everything else was tight. I didn't pull off the the connection to the block, but it was tight too.
The truck still turns over and starts OK. It drives fine. I don't have the option of pulling parts and taking them to an auto parts store. There is a big NAPA auto parts store in the little city (Fort Macmurray) about 45 minutes away.
They are usually very busy and I don't know if they do testing.
I will put the battery on the battery charger tonight. I installed the battery new 15 months ago. I can not find a date on the battery itself. It's 690 CCA.
Is there a way for me to check the alternator?
From what I've read in the RAVE, if that battery light is on, and barring any ground fault from the wire to it, that means the alternator is not charging.
Is there any other problem that might be causing this, like a bad battery? How long can I drive on a fully charged battery with no alternator?
If they have to order an alternator, it could take a number of days to get here. I would have to cover the cost of living in a very expensive place to live. ($150 or more per night) It might make more sense to buy a second battery and take my chances driving home if that is the case.
Any thoughts or suggestions? Greatly welcomed....
I'm out in the bush once again and I'm having some issues.
Last week my heater blower went out. Just for a day. It started working again the next day.
I had a pending code that became a code, P0734. I cleared the code and it went away until today. Daily, I'm only driving 2km at a time between the main camp I eat and sleep at, and the survey office trailer that I work in. There was a couple of days of heavy snow and it was a real push getting through it, so that's what I thought the P0734 code was from.
I left the truck on idling for about 2 hours one day (was distracted by a pile of extra work). Got in and another code was on the ultra guage. The M and S lights were flashing. It was late at night and I drove slowly the 2 kms back to camp. I shut off the truck and started it again. No more flashing M and S lights. I checked the codes, and then accidentally cleared them. It was a 1606 I think. I think.
Today, I drove into town (about 45 minutes away) and drove back. The pending code P0734 came back. There was no noticeable problems. I was about to shut off when I noticed the battery light on the dashboard was illuminated.
I put a voltage meter on the battery. Only 12.2 volts with the truck off. I started the truck and the meter read 11.6! Oh oh. second last day of the job and I've got a 9 hour drive home. Darn.
I put the ground on the negative terminal, with the truck running, and touched the positive to the alternator. Same volts. Touched the block. Same volts. Just for fun I pulled the battery terminals and cleaned them up. They were clean and tight. Everything else was tight. I didn't pull off the the connection to the block, but it was tight too.
The truck still turns over and starts OK. It drives fine. I don't have the option of pulling parts and taking them to an auto parts store. There is a big NAPA auto parts store in the little city (Fort Macmurray) about 45 minutes away.
They are usually very busy and I don't know if they do testing.
I will put the battery on the battery charger tonight. I installed the battery new 15 months ago. I can not find a date on the battery itself. It's 690 CCA.
Is there a way for me to check the alternator?
From what I've read in the RAVE, if that battery light is on, and barring any ground fault from the wire to it, that means the alternator is not charging.
Is there any other problem that might be causing this, like a bad battery? How long can I drive on a fully charged battery with no alternator?
If they have to order an alternator, it could take a number of days to get here. I would have to cover the cost of living in a very expensive place to live. ($150 or more per night) It might make more sense to buy a second battery and take my chances driving home if that is the case.
Any thoughts or suggestions? Greatly welcomed....
#2
02-08-2015, 08:32 PM
Hi everyone!
I'm out in the bush once again and I'm having some issues.
Last week my heater blower went out. Just for a day. It started working again the next day.
I had a pending code that became a code, P0734. I cleared the code and it went away until today. Daily, I'm only driving 2km at a time between the main camp I eat and sleep at, and the survey office trailer that I work in. There was a couple of days of heavy snow and it was a real push getting through it, so that's what I thought the P0734 code was from.
I left the truck on idling for about 2 hours one day (was distracted by a pile of extra work). Got in and another code was on the ultra guage. The M and S lights were flashing. It was late at night and I drove slowly the 2 kms back to camp. I shut off the truck and started it again. No more flashing M and S lights. I checked the codes, and then accidentally cleared them. It was a 1606 I think. I think.
Today, I drove into town (about 45 minutes away) and drove back. The pending code P0734 came back. There was no noticeable problems. I was about to shut off when I noticed the battery light on the dashboard was illuminated.
I put a voltage meter on the battery. Only 12.2 volts with the truck off. I started the truck and the meter read 11.6! Oh oh. second last day of the job and I've got a 9 hour drive home. Darn.
I put the ground on the negative terminal, with the truck running, and touched the positive to the alternator. Same volts. Touched the block. Same volts. Just for fun I pulled the battery terminals and cleaned them up. They were clean and tight. Everything else was tight. I didn't pull off the the connection to the block, but it was tight too.
The truck still turns over and starts OK. It drives fine. I don't have the option of pulling parts and taking them to an auto parts store. There is a big NAPA auto parts store in the little city (Fort Macmurray) about 45 minutes away.
They are usually very busy and I don't know if they do testing.
I will put the battery on the battery charger tonight. I installed the battery new 15 months ago. I can not find a date on the battery itself. It's 690 CCA.
Is there a way for me to check the alternator?
From what I've read in the RAVE, if that battery light is on, and barring any ground fault from the wire to it, that means the alternator is not charging.
Is there any other problem that might be causing this, like a bad battery? How long can I drive on a fully charged battery with no alternator?
If they have to order an alternator, it could take a number of days to get here. I would have to cover the cost of living in a very expensive place to live. ($150 or more per night) It might make more sense to buy a second battery and take my chances driving home if that is the case.
Any thoughts or suggestions? Greatly welcomed....
I'm out in the bush once again and I'm having some issues.
Last week my heater blower went out. Just for a day. It started working again the next day.
I had a pending code that became a code, P0734. I cleared the code and it went away until today. Daily, I'm only driving 2km at a time between the main camp I eat and sleep at, and the survey office trailer that I work in. There was a couple of days of heavy snow and it was a real push getting through it, so that's what I thought the P0734 code was from.
I left the truck on idling for about 2 hours one day (was distracted by a pile of extra work). Got in and another code was on the ultra guage. The M and S lights were flashing. It was late at night and I drove slowly the 2 kms back to camp. I shut off the truck and started it again. No more flashing M and S lights. I checked the codes, and then accidentally cleared them. It was a 1606 I think. I think.
Today, I drove into town (about 45 minutes away) and drove back. The pending code P0734 came back. There was no noticeable problems. I was about to shut off when I noticed the battery light on the dashboard was illuminated.
I put a voltage meter on the battery. Only 12.2 volts with the truck off. I started the truck and the meter read 11.6! Oh oh. second last day of the job and I've got a 9 hour drive home. Darn.
I put the ground on the negative terminal, with the truck running, and touched the positive to the alternator. Same volts. Touched the block. Same volts. Just for fun I pulled the battery terminals and cleaned them up. They were clean and tight. Everything else was tight. I didn't pull off the the connection to the block, but it was tight too.
The truck still turns over and starts OK. It drives fine. I don't have the option of pulling parts and taking them to an auto parts store. There is a big NAPA auto parts store in the little city (Fort Macmurray) about 45 minutes away.
They are usually very busy and I don't know if they do testing.
I will put the battery on the battery charger tonight. I installed the battery new 15 months ago. I can not find a date on the battery itself. It's 690 CCA.
Is there a way for me to check the alternator?
From what I've read in the RAVE, if that battery light is on, and barring any ground fault from the wire to it, that means the alternator is not charging.
Is there any other problem that might be causing this, like a bad battery? How long can I drive on a fully charged battery with no alternator?
If they have to order an alternator, it could take a number of days to get here. I would have to cover the cost of living in a very expensive place to live. ($150 or more per night) It might make more sense to buy a second battery and take my chances driving home if that is the case.
Any thoughts or suggestions? Greatly welcomed....
If you are not getting ~14V at the battery while the engine is running, the alternator is not outputting voltage, it's bad. I just replaced mine with a Bosch unit from Parts Geek (price match and fast shipping).
#3
02-09-2015, 12:51 AM
I do have the D2 Workshop Manual, but I can't find anything in it about fuses associated with the charging system.
Does anybody have a wiring diagram that would show what fuse is for what.
I'm thinking that having the heater blower motor fail and then start working again might be an indication of an electrical problem other than a bad alternator.
Does anybody have a wiring diagram that would show what fuse is for what.
I'm thinking that having the heater blower motor fail and then start working again might be an indication of an electrical problem other than a bad alternator.
#5
02-09-2015, 01:31 AM
So, I had the charger on the battery. If finished and is fully charged. Well, it read 13.2, but I'm sure some of that is residual.
It's -20 degrees Celsius. It started up fine. NO battery light on the dash. Put the multimeter on the battery and it's a steady 14.6 volts.
Idle is up because of the cold engine.
I'll let it warm up and see what happens. As a guess, I'm thinking that something is losing a connection when it gets warm.
Forgive me for talking out loud to myself here. I spend a lot of time alone and am perfectly fine with it. I appreciate the input and these forums. I've spent a lot of time reading here when things go wrong and it's comforting to know I'm not actually alone.
It's -20 degrees Celsius. It started up fine. NO battery light on the dash. Put the multimeter on the battery and it's a steady 14.6 volts.
Idle is up because of the cold engine.
I'll let it warm up and see what happens. As a guess, I'm thinking that something is losing a connection when it gets warm.
Forgive me for talking out loud to myself here. I spend a lot of time alone and am perfectly fine with it. I appreciate the input and these forums. I've spent a lot of time reading here when things go wrong and it's comforting to know I'm not actually alone.
#6
02-09-2015, 03:03 PM
#8
02-09-2015, 05:50 PM
The good folks at TRS Automotive in Calgary have pulled a working alternator off of one of their parts trucks and got in the Greyhound for me. It should be here tomorrow or the day after.
Otherwise I was looking at an expensive rebuilt one through NAPA, and a four or five day wait to get it.
I'm wondering if my battery might be toast. Also, is it normal for my voltage to drop half a volt with nothing on when I turn the key to position 2?
Could this mean I have a short somewhere, or...
When I turn the key to position 2, I also notice that my Idle Air Control Valve is making a high pitched whine and I can feel it vibrating. I had noticed this making a bit of a squeal some time ago, and was told that it's an expensive part to replace, and it doesn't actually have any effect on how the engine runs. I'm trying to figure out what it actually does. Should I disconnect it? Maybe it's shorting out?
Reading the Workshop Manual. I think it should throw codes that my Ultragauge would pick up if it was faulty. And possible make my engine run crappy. So this probably isn't a concern.
*edit "Position 2"
Otherwise I was looking at an expensive rebuilt one through NAPA, and a four or five day wait to get it.
I'm wondering if my battery might be toast. Also, is it normal for my voltage to drop half a volt with nothing on when I turn the key to position 2?
Could this mean I have a short somewhere, or...
When I turn the key to position 2, I also notice that my Idle Air Control Valve is making a high pitched whine and I can feel it vibrating. I had noticed this making a bit of a squeal some time ago, and was told that it's an expensive part to replace, and it doesn't actually have any effect on how the engine runs. I'm trying to figure out what it actually does. Should I disconnect it? Maybe it's shorting out?
Reading the Workshop Manual. I think it should throw codes that my Ultragauge would pick up if it was faulty. And possible make my engine run crappy. So this probably isn't a concern.
*edit "Position 2"
Last edited by vonrock; 02-10-2015 at 04:23 PM.
#9
02-09-2015, 09:07 PM
The good folks at TRS Automotive in Calgary have pulled a working alternator off of one of their parts trucks and got in the Greyhound for me. It should be here tomorrow or the day after.
Otherwise I was looking at an expensive rebuilt one through NAPA, and a four or five day wait to get it.
I'm wondering if my battery might be toast. Also, is it normal for my voltage to drop half a volt with nothing on when I turn the key to position one?
Could this mean I have a short somewhere, or...
When I turn the key to position 1, I also notice that my Idle Air Control Valve is making a high pitched whine and I can feel it vibrating. I had noticed this making a bit of a squeal some time ago, and was told that it's an expensive part to replace, and it doesn't actually have any effect on how the engine runs. I'm trying to figure out what it actually does. Should I disconnect it? Maybe it's shorting out?
Reading the Workshop Manual. I think it should throw codes that my Ultragauge would pick up if it was faulty. And possible make my engine run crappy. So this probably isn't a concern.
Otherwise I was looking at an expensive rebuilt one through NAPA, and a four or five day wait to get it.
I'm wondering if my battery might be toast. Also, is it normal for my voltage to drop half a volt with nothing on when I turn the key to position one?
Could this mean I have a short somewhere, or...
When I turn the key to position 1, I also notice that my Idle Air Control Valve is making a high pitched whine and I can feel it vibrating. I had noticed this making a bit of a squeal some time ago, and was told that it's an expensive part to replace, and it doesn't actually have any effect on how the engine runs. I'm trying to figure out what it actually does. Should I disconnect it? Maybe it's shorting out?
Reading the Workshop Manual. I think it should throw codes that my Ultragauge would pick up if it was faulty. And possible make my engine run crappy. So this probably isn't a concern.
Don't worry about shorted wires. If wires were shorted out, you would know. Trust me.
#10
02-10-2015, 04:30 PM
Thanks for the replies.
My alternator is in! I'll be getting one of the crew to run me into town tonight and pick it up.
I'm going to also pick up another battery just in case. This one is a little small for the truck as it is and I've been running it ragged with the cold weather and charging it and running it down the road to the main camp and back a few times per day. I can't get a charge bigger than 12.45v into it anymore. That might be the diesel generator power that I'm running here. We have trouble charging our survey batteries up to full power, so I suspect it's not that great of power coming off of it.
I'd feel better with a new battery. The alternator I'm getting is not new, so I don't want to push it more than needed.
My alternator is in! I'll be getting one of the crew to run me into town tonight and pick it up.
I'm going to also pick up another battery just in case. This one is a little small for the truck as it is and I've been running it ragged with the cold weather and charging it and running it down the road to the main camp and back a few times per day. I can't get a charge bigger than 12.45v into it anymore. That might be the diesel generator power that I'm running here. We have trouble charging our survey batteries up to full power, so I suspect it's not that great of power coming off of it.
I'd feel better with a new battery. The alternator I'm getting is not new, so I don't want to push it more than needed.