00 LS V6 5 Speed SOS! Car runs but all electronics cut out!

S

Shane Morrison

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Hey Gang,

Hoping someone here can help me find a solution for this before I go and spend a mint at the dealer. I have a 00 ls v6 5 speed and I'm stumped at what's going on with her. Last week she was stuck in stop and go Los Angeles traffic and the ABS and Battery light came on and then all my interior electronics stopped working sans the headlights and blinkers ( the blinker indicator on the hud however did not respond). I opened the hood and saw that somehow 2 vacuum lines on the left hand of the engine bay somehow melted against the valve cover gasket. So I patched the vacuum lines and it went away for a few days. Then it came back with a vengence Now I can't seem to drive it more than a mile before I get the same thing, the gauge cluster goes wild and then just dies. sometimes the headlights stay on, sometimes they shut off.... the car still runs fine, though I'm getting wigged out not knowing if my blinkers and brake lights aren't working. I've recently replaced the battery, alternator, and coils ( about 6 months ago) and I've tested the battery and alternator at autozone and they both pass ( mind you the battery on 2 occasions is only at 90% charged)

Anyone have any insight? Could this be a grounding issue? Relay?
 
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Just a shot in the dark, but maybe check your "big 3" cables. What you're describing sounds like alternator/charging issues, so if your alternator and battery are good, maybe the problem is the connections between them.
 
So, what brand alternator did you put in?
If it's not Motorcraft, there's your problem. Search the posts on this site. Aftermarket alternators are doing good to last 6 months on a gen I LS. They use the wrong control scheme.
 
Yeah it's an aftermarket. I still have my old motorcraft one I had rebuilt. they've caused the exact same issues? odd. Well I'll swap the two tonight and see what happens.
 
Sounds totally electrical to me!! I don't care what the parts store says; they usually don't test under a load. Get a voltmeter and see what the reading is when the car is running. I'll bet it's less than ~14.4V. IMHO, the crappy aftermarket alternator killed your new battery. When My alternator failed in my '00 (BTW, ALL LSes are 5-speeds; a very few are manuals) taking the battery with it I was driving my daughter home from school. I was barely doing 25 mph on a busy street but my speedo showed 130 MPH and the tach read ~6500 RPM!!

Depending who rebuilt your original alternator I may suspect the rebuild also.
 
Yeah I figured it was electrical. We did do a load test on everything. The alternator is pushing 14.6v ( This is the aftermarket and I've tested this 3 times). I'll do a battery exchange tonight and toss my second alternator in ( the rebuilt motorcraft). I hope this rectifies it, it feels like a ghost is living in my car...
 
joegr said:
So, what brand alternator did you put in?
If it's not Motorcraft, there's your problem. Search the posts on this site. Aftermarket alternators are doing good to last 6 months on a gen I LS. They use the wrong control scheme.
Click to expand...

I guess it depends on the aftermarket alternator. I installed a Chinese alternator (on recommendation of local auto electric shop) in October 2010 (cost $120). He could not rebuild the old alternator since it was too corroded (I drive on a lot of snow covered roads). He did need to special order the alternator and swap on a clutched (one way) pulley (manual transmission only). It seems to work and my original battery is still working after 15 years and 176,000 miles.

But I agree the OP has a low voltage condition either caused by bad wires or a bad alternator.
 
God damnnn that's a super battery you got there. Longest I've ever heard one lasting for sure...
 
Quick update, some developments.
1. The installed alternators voltage regulator is fried. it's reads 14.6 at idle, but shoots up to 17v when i rev and hold it at 3k. I wish a crackhead hadn't stolen my toolbox a few months ago, I could have diagnosed this earlier.
2. Battery venting is scary crap. my battery felt hot enough to cook an egg on it. I've evacuated the entire trunk contents. I'd done driving this thing until I install the reman'd motorcraft
3. found out my "rebuild" had a faulty rectifier. lovely. 24 more hours of waiting, thank god my shop gives you a 2 year warranty on all rebuilds.


I'll keep you folks informed on what hopefully is a happy ending.
 
Wow! 266,800 on my original, dreading the day it goes! This does not seem like any fun.
 
Shane Morrison said:
...2. Battery venting is scary crap. my battery felt hot enough to cook an egg on it. I've evacuated the entire trunk contents. I'd done driving this thing until I install the reman'd motorcraft...
Click to expand...

This is why you also need to put in the correct battery with the vent tube connection. At first, you could only get this from a Ford dealer (at a reasonable price, believe it or not), but now you can get the right battery from other places too. I see that Sams Club has them now.
 
pragmatic said:
If all that mileage was accumulated in Nashua (assuming NH) I'm surprised it hasn't failed from salt induced corrosion.
Click to expand...

Pretty much in Mass Hampshire miles, but I got this one in 2007 as the 5th owner with 85K, after my son totaled my other one with 108K. It was even used in Florida for a couple of years of its life. Rocker panels are needing some attention this year, the pinch seam area where you jack it from is having issues. Thinking of welding in some square channel in the spring, or just rebuilding the original shape. Other than that, the body is doing pretty well!
 
Just and update, all is well! Reman'd Motorcraft in and a new VENTED battery. everything is okay so far, I'm doing to do a fuse check on the whole car this weekend! Now just to replace that damn DCCV!
I'm going to see what they use for the motorcraft reman's and see if I can rebuild this not motorcraft with the right internals for future use. Thanks for all the help!

Also Milehighmikey, I'm from Pelham! And also a Getrag LS!
 
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