After replacing the voltage regulator and alternator, the vehicle will still not start and stay running?

Tiny
ANDREW1972
  • MEMBER
  • 1995 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL
  • 108,000 MILES
I just bought the car listed above. The previous owner sold it because after replacing the voltage regulator and alternator the vehicle will still not start and stay running. I've replaced the battery, and it still does not want to operate correctly. After replacing the battery I drove it for about 30 miles thinking that the battery was the problem but then it died again. The "check charging system" is displayed on the message center any help would be appreciated.
Saturday, November 25th, 2023 AT 6:13 AM

3 Replies

Tiny
AL514
  • MECHANIC
  • 4,692 POSTS
Hello, do you own a basic multimeter? There is a circuit that goes from the alternator through the engine compartment fuse panel and then to the battery. And those fuse panels being exposed to the elements can become corroded underneath, causing high resistance. So, with a few voltage checks we can see if there is any voltage drop occurring
I'll post some wiring diagrams to show the different wiring colors. It's a pretty simple circuit.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-use-a-voltmeter
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Saturday, November 25th, 2023 AT 10:43 AM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 47,643 POSTS
It sounds like the charging system is not working. I would charge the battery up and then start the engine, then while the engine is running let's check the alternator output.

Here is a guide to help:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-a-car-alternator

The alternator might be defective. Here are the wiring diagrams for the alternator so you can see how the system works. There are 2 fuses that run the system, a 175-amp mega fuse (under the hood) and a 10-amp fuse in the interior fuse panel.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-a-car-fuse

Let's test those as well. Check out the images (below). Let us know how it goes.

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Saturday, November 25th, 2023 AT 10:47 AM
Tiny
AL514
  • MECHANIC
  • 4,692 POSTS
This is the engine compartment fuse panel.
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Saturday, November 25th, 2023 AT 10:58 AM

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