1990 Ford Festiva Logo
ken thruman
ken thruman Posted on Sep 21, 2008
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CHARGING SYSTEM MY 90 FESTIVA SEEMS TO LOSE THE CHARGE ON THE BRAND NEW BATTERY AFTER IT SITS FOR A DAY OR TWO. I PUT THE NEW BATTERY IN BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS THE ALTERNATOR, THE ALTERNATOR TEST GOOD AT TWO DIFFERENT PART STORES. NOW I DROVE IT ALL WEEK AND SMELLED AN AWFUL SMELL, OPENED THE HOOD AND THE BATTERY WAS HOT AND SMOKING AND BOILING OVER. OPENED BATTERY AND IT IS NOW BONE DRY. IS THERE A SHORT AND IS THERE A VOLTAGE REGULATOR SOMEWHERE. I COULDN'T FIND IT JUST LOOKING WITHOUT KNOWING. PLEASE HELP. A WIRING DIAGRAM OF THE CHARGING SYSTEM WOULD ALSO HELP AS IT BLOWS ALOT OF FUSES AS WELL.

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  • ken thruman Sep 22, 2008

    Thanks Keemo! I really want to fix this myself. It is a work car and runs great otherwise. I don't want to sink a bunch of money into it. Only paid $300 for it 6 months ago and this is the only problem with it. I am far from a car mechanic, however, I am an industrial maintenance technician and can figure stuff out, not this time, but not by any means an auto mechanic. I leave that to the guru's like yourself. I appreciate your experience and knowledge. Thanks for sharing this with me.

  • theref47438 Mar 09, 2009

    Well not exactly the same problem, but my battery continues to drain. I have replaced it. Brand new Die Hard. Also, just got a new alternator. Well, not new but remanufactured. Started the car and drove it a few hours on Sunday and the battery was dead Monday morning. What can the problem be? MIne is a '92 Festiva instead of 1990 but they are all pretty much the same thing.

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  • Posted on Sep 21, 2008
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Well for starters your altenator is bad because what it is dolinging is over charging the battery hence why it boiled off the water/acid in the battery. the regulater is intergrated into the altenator. there is not a short because numberone your car would not start and two your battery would explode. i never test a battery or altenator at a store like napa or Oreilly's because they are not mechanics ......they are parts guys. your altenator should charge the battery at no more than 14 volts and the average is 13.5 volts. you need to replace the altenator the reason why you are losing a charge is be cause as the car is running the battery is being discharged because the regulator is defective in the altenator. please rate this thanks

  • Anonymous Sep 22, 2008

    you are very welcome anytime you need help just click on my user tab. good luck!

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