Heres the story...I got in my truck to go to work the other morning to find my battery light on in the message center. From then on the battery gauge would decrease after each time i drove it/turned it on. So i went out and bought some red top optima batterys...Didnt fix it...Now stay gauge will stay around 10-12 and the battery light still is on. I tried to get advance auto parts to check my alt. but they said it wont go no higher then 12 on the reader and when they have me take it to a certain RPM their comp will crash. Im thinking my alt. my be starting to go bad but i would think when i turn on my lights and run everything the truck my try and die if it was the alt. I was just wondering if anyone my know what is going on or had this happen to them. Any info would be greatly appreciated.......TIA

:help:

Adam

It's probally your alternator, put it needs to be tested.

If voltage is staying at 12 volts with truck running then the alternator is not putting out, but why it's not putting out is the question, could be alternator, or voltage regulator which is built into the alternator, or could be something else.

Your right about the truck dying sooner or later.
Truck needs juice for all the electronics and computers not just lights.

Get the alternator tested somewhere and changed if ti's bad before you get stuck somewhere.

If you do have to buy a alternator you can upgrade it to a 145 amp unit if you want

Good Luck :grd:

Eric, the tech in my sig, carries all the parts you need to refresh your Alternator with a new or bigger one.

But I agree with Diesel Dragon, Your Alternator took a crap, or the diode pack. Either way, I would verify at a decent shop and do the swap your self. An alternator change on these trucks is a piece of cake.

It's not like the old days where you had to have 3 arms and 4 levers to shoe the thing in an out....

Thanks guys for the info. I forgot to say when i turn the truck on now the volt gauge will drop around 9-10 then go back to around 12....Thanks again

Adam

FYI when my alt. died I drove the truck 175 miles. The 2 batteries will operate a diesel a long time as long as all other electrics are not used.

Thanks again for the help guys, installed a factory alt. and everything is back to normal...