Breaks and 12V system

[FloridaRosebud]

OK, I've got a 2006 National SeabreezeLX, Ford F53 with the V-10. Today while driving 65mph on I-95 I lost all 12V and the engine died. I was able to get it to the berm, and troubleshooting showed the altenator died. So I fired up the Genny, and in a few minutes I had 12V to the Chassis battery and continued on, knowing that when we get to NY in a few days a new altenator is in my future.

However, my brakes were marginal when the engine died. So the question - what do I do if that were to happen again when I'm going down an incline in the mountains? When the engine dies power steering is lost as well.

Any thoughts?

Al

[Bird_Freak]

Go ahead and have alt replaced. You have to do it anyway.

[opnspaces]

On a long downhill it's not going to be fun. A braking system holds only one maybe two pumps on the brakes in reserve when the engine quits. After those two pumps you're down to non assisted braking. As stated above you might need both feet on the pedal at that point, but the brakes will still work.

I have no idea if it would work. But if the engine quits you might try shifting the automatic transmission down to a lower gear. Worst case nothing happens as the transmission is freewheeling. Best case is you get some engine compression braking to help with keeping everything under control.

[Dutch_12078]

Your options in that situation are downshifting and using both feet on the brake pedal to get enough stopping pressure. When the engine died, the power steering pump also stopped, dropping the hydraulic boost pressure for the brakes and the power steering. Oh, and on a steep down hill, pray... 😉