Bad Alternator - Overcharging Also ABS ECU Info

[desertrat]

This issue started, I thought, wwhen I replaced some instrument lights. That was just coincidental. After chancing the lamps the 1998 4WD Ranger would not start. Then things got strange. I found the Radio was shorted and the ABS fuse blown. And the battery would discharge in about 3 hours, had about a 4 amp drain. I started unplugging things and looking for the short (an Amp Clamp is invaluable for this. I finally found some wires shorted in a big loom under the dash. They had melted insulation and when I disturbed them changing lamps they shorted. Now it starts and runs but still has a drain on battery.

I hung the Amp Clamp on it and it is cahrging about 40 Amps, ALL THE TIME. Also was making almost 17 Volts. The Alternator was a Rebuild about 2 months old, very few miles, my truck is sort of a play truck. I replaced the alternator and stopped the overcharging and the drain on the battery. WOW!! Now I have a bad Radio and a burned out ABS Module.

Ford wanted $800 here for the ABS module. Silverstate Ford wants $500. I found an outfit in Idaho - modulemaster.com - that will rebuild the ABS Module for a flat $100.00 plus postage. IF YOU MUST, you can remove it and still drive the vehicle but the Speedometer will not work, and of course it reverts to standard brakes. These Modules are very vehicle specific. There have been many changes that will not allow much interchange. (See posts about Speedometers. Bottom line: A bad Alternator has cost me a lot of dollars. I can only hope the ordeal is over and other stuff does not start blowing! The ABS rebuild place - ModuleMaster was a real find! --- desertrat - Tucson

 

[Earl43P]

That's a lot of cash for play truck.

I'd keep looking for one at JYs and forums. Lots of guys part out trucks and if I'm not crazy, that ABS module should be common with a few years of Explorers too, making it more readily available.

Maybe do a part number specific search.

Good job figuring out the electrical problem!