1990 E150 -help!

[DixieMary]

Well, let me start by saying that my 1990 e150 has burned up 5 alternators and 3 batteries inside of six months now. I NEED THIS VAN..I CANNOT AFFORD ANOTHER CAR...STARTED MY OWN BUSINESS...NEED THIS VAN.

What could cause this? Everytime I turn around the alternator is having to be replaced..the battery....WHAT AM I MISSING HERE??

Help a girl out...pretty please.

Mary

[wickedjeep2000]

did u change the voltage regulator on the van that could be the prob if not u have a ground prob in the van let me know if i could help out at all junior

[Crasen]

It sounds like there might be bad wires between the alternator and battery. If the alternator has an external voltage regulator that could also be the problem, however if the alternator has the voltage regulator inside of it then it has obviously been replaced with the alternator. If you measure the output voltage on the back of the alternator ( place the black voltmeter lead on the alternator case and the red on the thick alternator wire, voltmeter selected to read DC volts). The voltmeter should read about 13.5-14.5 volts with the headlights, radio, A/C blower motor on high. Next place the voltmeter leads on the battery posts. If there is any significant difference in voltages you have high resistance in the wiring in between the battery and the alternator. To find out if it is on the positive side or the negative side you can place one lead on the negative battery post and the other on the alternator case, the reading on the meter is the amount of voltage that is dropped in wiring, the lower the number the better. Next place one lead on the positive battery post and the other lead on thethick alternator output wire, the meter reading is the voltage drop through the wiring beetween the positive outpuit wire and the battery, again the lower the number the better