help with 3 current problems,alternator/ charging issues,steering shaft, and speakers

hottwheels04 · Sep 3, 2012

I'm Having a few new problems I wanted to see if some guys could help me out.

1. I have been having intermitate charging, overheating issues, I think my alternator is going on its way out, I notice when I first start my car, the temp gauge and gauge reads fine around 12-14 normal volts, but once i starting driving the gauge shows around 10-11 volts, and if i rev it and turn on the radio etc, the car starts to show overheating and the gauges will dim a little. so does it sound like a weak alternator?

2. I never had this problem before, but last night I went to park my car and when i turn the wheel i felt grinding and was hard to turn the wheel was makeing alot of noise and bad feedback so i got out and saw discoloration on my headers and the sterring shaft was spinning near the back tube and rubbing on the header, whats weird it only did it one time and hasnt done it since, I assume because metal expands when hot the header tube gets hot it rubs? How can i fix this problem, a new sterring shaft? should I be worried it will ****ing up my need ceramic headers?, it pisses me off cause i just put my new long tubes on and now its all discolored like whitish near the back tube where the steering shaft hit the header tube.

3.I have aftermarket head unit and speakers, 6'9's, my ? is can i run factory rear mach460 amps on aftermarket tweeters? and how, i notice a grey square plug hanging from rear aftermarket speakers, do i just plug in the amps to that and somehow bolt the little amps in the back? is that it? i bought my car with the way it is alreayd had aftermarket , tweeters/ 6'9's and aftermarket head unit, I just put a new head unit in and i want to put in amps for back speakers, I dont to spend $ and buy component speakers or subs or aftermarket amps, I can pick up some factory 460 rear amps.

ttocs · Sep 3, 2012

#1.) do you have under drive pulleys on the car? Sounds like your alt is going out go to your local vatozone and get it checked. How old is the battery?
#2.) Dunno
#3.) the tweeters are crossed over to take the bass out but they do not actually have an amp running them. You can how ever hook them up fairly easily but if I were you I would leave them along and keep your after market 5 x 7's running instead. More speakers does not = better.

CC'S95GT · Sep 3, 2012

I'm running an aftermarket h/u (poineer) with stock mach 460 amps and speakers. Sounds pretty good as is but if you want more thump you can always add a sub and a seperate amp.

hottwheels04 · Sep 3, 2012

ttocs said:
#1.) do you have under drive pulleys on the car? Sounds like your alt is going out go to your local vatozone and get it checked. How old is the battery?
#2.) Dunno
#3.) the tweeters are crossed over to take the bass out but they do not actually have an amp running them. You can how ever hook them up fairly easily but if I were you I would leave them along and keep your after market 5 x 7's running instead. More speakers does not = better.

No I took my under drive pulleys off and run stock ones again and still does it

hottwheels04 · Sep 3, 2012

CC'S95GT said:
I'm running an aftermarket h/u (poineer) with stock mach 460 amps and speakers. Sounds pretty good as is but if you want more thump you can always add a sub and a seperate amp.

Im trying to stay away from subs. but I was told if I add the factory mach amps to my aftermarket 6'9s and aftermarket head unit it will sound alot better.

ttocs · Sep 3, 2012

Then definitly go get your alt checked out its more then likely that they burned it out prior to replacing them. They cause the alt to run hot when it slows down and causes problems with the voltage regulator after.

hottwheels04 · Sep 4, 2012

ttocs said:
Then definitly go get your alt checked out its more then likely that they burned it out prior to replacing them. They cause the alt to run hot when it slows down and causes problems with the voltage regulator after.

Thanks!

9646gt · Sep 11, 2012

I have taken a few Ford alternators to parts stores to be tested before and they always have told me they were good except for one time it actually checked bad. I have just gotten to the point that if I even remotely think the alternator is bad I either get it rebuilt or replace it. I have had terrible luck with alternators on fords lol. My 01 GT alternator died around 60k miles.

hottwheels04 · Sep 22, 2012

still have the overheating problem, gauge acts up goes all the way to red, its either my waterpump , radiator or alternator, whats a way to pinpoint out of the 3 to which ones causeing the overheating/ crazy problems with the gauges etc

Nightmare · Sep 22, 2012

Did you replace the alternator already? If you replaced it, I am sure that is not your problem....do you have any leaks for the cooling system? Do you smell coolant? When you turn on the heater, do you get cold air or hot air....

ttocs · Sep 22, 2012

start simple, how old is your thermostat?

hottwheels04 · Sep 22, 2012

Nightmare said:
Did you replace the alternator already? If you replaced it, I am sure that is not your problem....do you have any leaks for the cooling system? Do you smell coolant? When you turn on the heater, do you get cold air or hot air....

I replaced the radiator,thermastat and coolants, the alternator is about 4 years old

MustangChris · Sep 24, 2012

if your ceramic coated headers are heating up to the point that they are expanding and contacting your steering shaft you may have bigger problems. It sounds like you are running dangerously lean, which is causing your headers to fry, and the engine to overheat. whats your fuel pressure at? Pull your plugs and let us know if they smell like gas and if they are showing signs of running lean.

remove your thermostat and throw it in a pot of boiling water (with a thermometer in it, so you can gauge when its opening). If it opens at its proper temperature, move to the next option....

as for your headers contacting your steering, this is incredibly dangerous. I wouldnt suggest driving the can under any circumstance.

Your options: Ensure the headers are properly mounted, go under the car and observe the steering shaft as someone else is turning the wheel. If contact happens, loosen the steering column (4 bolts under the dash,) the the steering rack, the steering shaft, and wedge paint stir sticks between the header and the shaft. Tighten the shaft, the rack and the column (in that order) and remove the sticks.

If this does not remedy the problem, Maximum Motorsports makes a solid steering shaft which may help.

hottwheels04 · Sep 25, 2012

MustangChris said:
if your ceramic coated headers are heating up to the point that they are expanding and contacting your steering shaft you may have bigger problems. It sounds like you are running dangerously lean, which is causing your headers to fry, and the engine to overheat. whats your fuel pressure at? Pull your plugs and let us know if they smell like gas and if they are showing signs of running lean.

remove your thermostat and throw it in a pot of boiling water (with a thermometer in it, so you can gauge when its opening). If it opens at its proper temperature, move to the next option....

as for your headers contacting your steering, this is incredibly dangerous. I wouldnt suggest driving the can under any circumstance.

Your options: Ensure the headers are properly mounted, go under the car and observe the steering shaft as someone else is turning the wheel. If contact happens, loosen the steering column (4 bolts under the dash,) the the steering rack, the steering shaft, and wedge paint stir sticks between the header and the shaft. Tighten the shaft, the rack and the column (in that order) and remove the sticks.

If this does not remedy the problem, Maximum Motorsports makes a solid steering shaft which may help.

Yeah I thought it was due to the steering shaft, but come to find out it was the power steering pump and pulley, I replaced both and its fine now, and i checked voltage of my alternator and its not putting out 14 amps is like 12 so my alternator is on its way out so I assume that has to do with the starting and overheating electrical gauge problem etc. I also need a tune bad its actually running really rich after the injector and header swap not lean, you can smell how rich it is you can smell it out the exaust, and popping backfire when it starts. So I hope a tune and new alternator fixes the remaning problems.