Two days ago my batt. light came on...I was thinking it might be a battery or alt. problem, but now not really sho. Tonight I drove my car for twenty miles to see if the problem would get worse. Well this is what happened halfway between my trip. At the time my radio was off, but the display kept flashing on and off and my tech needle kept bouncing up to 2 or 3 rpm, while I was sitting idle at a light. I was thinking if it's my alternator it would just go and then my battery would drain, but now i'm thinking I may have a bad electrical problem some where else. I only had this car for three weeks and already I've changed out my struts, springs (drivers side was broken) and D/S muffler, which was rusted out. In the morning I'll grab the yellow pages and start looking for a mechanic who can diagnose this problem.
Battery light
- Thread starter SHOFF
- Start date
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Just take your battery and alternator to autozone or advance auto and have them test them for you. They do it for free.
Phoenix
SHOHOLIC
2 things can lit that light.
1-Bad alt.
2-Bad/corroded batt wires.
1-Bad alt.
2-Bad/corroded batt wires.
and a bad battery
I'll go to Auto Zone today after work. I did call for a quote, and this mechanic wants $460.00, he says it's hard to do a alternator job on a SHO. Is there a place on this site where I can get step by step instructions on changing an alternator? years ago I changed one in my 88 Mustang 5.0, which was easy, because the alt was right in front of you. Thanks for your help.
There is a write up here ---> http://www.shoforum.com/showthread.php?t=48847
it's a conversion write up on the alternator but the process is the same for removal and installation.
Make sure you get the right alternator for your car. The manufacturers changed them in 94
it's a conversion write up on the alternator but the process is the same for removal and installation.
Make sure you get the right alternator for your car. The manufacturers changed them in 94
Phoenix
SHOHOLIC
Sorry , but nope , dead batt wont trigger the light.
Did on my car just two weeks ago. Battery light kept coming on randomly over the weekend and then the car wouldn't start on Monday.
Had the alternator tested --> good
Had the battery tested --> bad
Installed new cables 10k ago
Maybe I'm wrong, but that was my scenario
Had the alternator tested --> good
Had the battery tested --> bad
Installed new cables 10k ago
Maybe I'm wrong, but that was my scenario
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sho2see
sho2see
Holly crap thats a lot of money! I just did my alternator on my white sho and it took me about 6 minutes to take out and about 8 minutes to put on( putting the belt on took a few)
Troywakeling
New Member
The same thing happened to me when my alt went on my 94.
Thats a crap ton of money to do an alternator on the SHO. Alldata only calls for 1.4 hours so he must charge like $200 an hour. Do it yourself, it looks hard at first but its pretty easy.
My best advice to you if you do it yourself is to have a belt tensioner tool. The first time mine went it took me like 3-4 hours to do 90% of it fiddleing with the damn belt. When my aftermarket one went again two months later I had bought the tool from advanced auto for like $20, made the job so much easier took like 35minutes.
Btw the alt should only be like $125
Heres the procedure I didnt know if you were atx or mtx or they year but 89-95 should be about the same either way.
Removal
1. Remove battery and battery tray.
2. Disconnect electrical harness connector and output terminal wiring.
3. Loosen belt tensioner and remove generator belt from pulley.
4. Remove one mounting bolt at front of generator and two bolts at rear.
5. Remove generator from vehicle.
Installation
1. Position generator in vehicle and install three mounting bolts. Tighten front bolt to 48-72 Nm (36-53 lb-ft) . Tighten rear bolts to 34-50 Nm (26-36 lb-ft).
2. Install generator belt and set belt tension to 658-854 N (148-191 lb) for a used belt, or to 978-1178 N (220-264 lb) for a new belt.
3. Connect output terminal wire and electrical harness connector.
4. Install battery tray and battery.
I can send pics of how to as well if needed.
Thats a crap ton of money to do an alternator on the SHO. Alldata only calls for 1.4 hours so he must charge like $200 an hour. Do it yourself, it looks hard at first but its pretty easy.
My best advice to you if you do it yourself is to have a belt tensioner tool. The first time mine went it took me like 3-4 hours to do 90% of it fiddleing with the damn belt. When my aftermarket one went again two months later I had bought the tool from advanced auto for like $20, made the job so much easier took like 35minutes.
Btw the alt should only be like $125
Heres the procedure I didnt know if you were atx or mtx or they year but 89-95 should be about the same either way.
Removal
1. Remove battery and battery tray.
2. Disconnect electrical harness connector and output terminal wiring.
3. Loosen belt tensioner and remove generator belt from pulley.
4. Remove one mounting bolt at front of generator and two bolts at rear.
5. Remove generator from vehicle.
Installation
1. Position generator in vehicle and install three mounting bolts. Tighten front bolt to 48-72 Nm (36-53 lb-ft) . Tighten rear bolts to 34-50 Nm (26-36 lb-ft).
2. Install generator belt and set belt tension to 658-854 N (148-191 lb) for a used belt, or to 978-1178 N (220-264 lb) for a new belt.
3. Connect output terminal wire and electrical harness connector.
4. Install battery tray and battery.
I can send pics of how to as well if needed.
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shoshirtsandhat
New Member
Allways buy a life time alternator, seems like the engine heat puts a hurting on them or the high rev's
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fitefanSHO
SHO Member
Timely thread.
Just yesterday my battery light came on for the first time while on the way home from a fairly long trip with the wife, using pretty much every power option on the car (AC, radio, headlights, etc) so I shut down everything and just drove, the light went off, then flickered back when I put the headlights and radio on.
The battery is nearly brand new by the way.
So, had the battery and alt tested (while still in the car) this morning at an AutoZone. They said both were within the normal range, and their machine found no problem with either the battery or alt. So, driving around a bit today and after a while with just the fog lights and radio on, the light came back on.
A very recent (3-4 days ago) electrical gremlim was that after not powering on for three months, my stock CD player now powers up and works great, I wonder if that could somehow all be related.
WTF?
Oh, and more than likely the alt is stock.
Just yesterday my battery light came on for the first time while on the way home from a fairly long trip with the wife, using pretty much every power option on the car (AC, radio, headlights, etc) so I shut down everything and just drove, the light went off, then flickered back when I put the headlights and radio on.
The battery is nearly brand new by the way.
So, had the battery and alt tested (while still in the car) this morning at an AutoZone. They said both were within the normal range, and their machine found no problem with either the battery or alt. So, driving around a bit today and after a while with just the fog lights and radio on, the light came back on.
A very recent (3-4 days ago) electrical gremlim was that after not powering on for three months, my stock CD player now powers up and works great, I wonder if that could somehow all be related.
WTF?
Oh, and more than likely the alt is stock.
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Well, how are your cables? When I replaced mine they were shot to Hades. Corroded almost throughout.
fitefanSHO
SHO Member
I think the cables may be the issue.
It's a simple fix. When I did mine I think I upgraded to 2 or 3 gauge wires.
fitefanSHO
SHO Member
One of the cables is actually so bad you can see the wires inside the cable. 
ummmm, yeah I'd say that's your problem
fitefanSHO
SHO Member
How much should I expect to pay for the cables?
Between $20-$30 depending on which gauge/brand you go with. Make sure you replace both positive and negative. If one's shot the other either is or soon will be also.
$300. more in my pocket, for doing this myself.Similar threads
