Topic: Help! No charge Issues!

[chodycrawler]

I really need some help figuring out why my truck isnt running. its a 1979 with a 20r. i let the truck sit for a while because i was doing some tranny work, i get back in to start it and it wont crank. so i jumped it. and it worked, until i took the jumper cables off, than the truck died. so i replaced the alternator. truck is still having the same issues. please help! any ideas would help! i already checked the fuses, and the engine fuse was blown, so i replaced it and nothing changed.

[kneedownnate]

Doesn't sound like you even needed to replace the alt, sounds like the battery is just too dead to stay running.  Your charging system won't recharge a battery if it's too far down and will still take a while if it's just a little down.  You need to stick it on a trickle charger for a few days or so and let it get a full charge, but don't forget to top off the water if it's a wet battery.

[chodycrawler [OP]]

doesnt the engine not need a battery to run though? 

[Nimyad]

no it does, it causes the sparkplugs to fire, and if you have a low battery you'll lose spark, i had it happen on the freeway, sucked very much so lol. but if your battery isn't dead then it's probably the little brain thing the alternator is wired to. i ended up ditching it and going gm 1 wire, works awesome.