Posted: 10/26/2002 7:25:16 AM EDT
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OKay.... 1975 Mercury Montego 4dr 351 M V-8 The fuses look okay, fusable link near starter solonoid looks okay. The heater does not work and neither does the turn signals (left/rigt). But, headlights, radio and hazard lights work. Haven't check brake lights....., as I forgot to get a block of wood. Any ways, this is the STRANGE part. When I turn on the heater or try the turn signal, the "idiot" alternator light goes on!!??? It has not come on any other time..... Do I have a short? (I'm hoping I don't). Somone suggested that the alternator might be going out on me.... |
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Ah, my favorite cars - older ones you can still actually work on. 1. Don't assume the fuses are ok by looking. Take each out and reinsert. Sometimes the metal ends oxidize and they don't make contact. Also, I've seen where they apparently broke contact in the ends where it is hard to see. 2. Sometimes, in the great scheme of things, one or more things might go wrong simultaneously. Check the fuse and switch for the heater. Also, check the turn signal circuit and the turn signal blinker control. 3. You may have a short. You can check each circuit w/a tester to see which one it is in. 4. You can take the alternator to any autoparts place and have them test it. At least you can here in OR. I hope some of this helps. NMSight |
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Do you know how to work a VOM meter? I'd measure the voltage at the fuse box and then turn on the heater to see if it drops more than a fraction of a volt. Does the sound from the radio go down when you turn on the heater - this might indicate the same thing. The headlights are a huge current drain - 60 to 80 watts or more, your fan motor for the heater is probably like 10 watts, the turn signals about 6 watts. Sure sounds like a bad set of fuses but the odds of the fuses for the turn signals and heater going out at the same time aren't that good. I'd poke around the fuse box with the car running - you should read 12 volts on BOTH sides of every fuse. A fuse that reads 12 V on one side and nothing on the other is blown. If the heater motor was shorted you'd blow the fuse - if the fuse was too high (like putting in a 30A vice a 3A) that's where the fuseable link under the hood prevents the fire. Do the head lights get brighter and dimmer as you rev the engine? Pull up against a garage door or a fence and try this out. |
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Thanks for the info... In the mornings (early and dark), I've noticed that sometimes the lights get "brighter and then dim at times" Heater takes 30A fuse... will change it to see what happens.... It's blown 30A fuses in the past.... think mouse made a nest in the heating system, plus the motor is old. As I said, it's the damnist thing.... the "alt light" only goes on when you turn on the heater and try the turn signal switch. |
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Like posted before get one of those cheap ice pick looking lighted circuit testers,hook the roach clip end to ground,then test both sides of suppected fuses! Should light up on either side of fuse! If you have a bad ground sometimes one headlight will be dimmer than the other.ect. Check your ground connected to the battery,and then to the front grill if every thing else looks good the the shorted ground is in your alltinator- replace ! In most of these altinators the regulater is built into the altinator itself! Bob [:D] |