I have a 2005 F250, 6.0.....
My problem/question is about a week ago battery light came so i went to have it checked. The parts guy checked batteries and alternator. Alternator bad, only putting out a little over 11 volts. I got a rebuilt one and put it on, the alternator got extremely hot to touch really fast just sitting in my driveway idling for a few minutes . They said bad alternator. Got a brand new one put it on, alternator got hot, but not as hot or as fast. Had it checked, they said its bad only putting out little over 12 volts. Checked wires around my alternator noting broke, burnt, or warm to touch. My questions are, does anyone know of any other problem I need to look for. A buddy of mine at the parts store said my truck may have an voltage regulator separate from the alternator, but manual said it doesn't.

 

No, nothing has a separate regulator anymore. Not sure where you are getting alternators from, but if that many are actually bad, go elsewhere.

If the batteries are really low, it will get hot fast. Should fully charge the batteries first. Check all the connections at the batteries too. A loose or poor connection will cause issues as well.

 

I replaced my OEM alternator a couple of months ago with a 160 amp one. Now I have a spare that I would like to upgrade with parts but dont know to get them? Anyone got any ideas where to find the pieces needed to do such a thing? I know I would need new bearing and such just not sure of the names and availability of the remaining pieces. Quoted about $200 to have it done locally, but am sure it can be done for less.

 

Most of the auto part houses have some pretty crappy rebuilds. I got one from Autozone like 2 yrs ago. Lifetime warranty ive been through 4 of em. They are free but a total pita.

 

first off, you need an amprobe... a current clamp you can put around
the output wire, and measure how many amps are flowing.

if you had a shorted loom, the result would be:

blown fuses
blown thermal link in the loom
engine fire

current flow, not voltage, creates heat. doesn't sound like
you have any of the above problems, so the alternator is a
piece of ****. sorry, just the truth.

is the WIRE connected to the alternator hot, or just the alternator?

if you want to cut to the chase, get rid of the POS rebuilt alternator,
and buy a DC power alternator. it'll solve problems you don't even
know you have.

 

Batteries may be low... if they are they will draw ALOT of current and the alt will heat up. Put your batteries on a charger. Then test it with a volt meter... should be around 13.5-14.0 VDC output

 

even with flat batteries, you are likely to only pull 70~80 amps
at MOST... that'll warm up the battery cable a bit, but not
that hot. the rate that two batteries in parallel can accept
current is dependant on the internal resistance of the batteries,
and that is a function of battery sulphation, among other things.

i'm betting a cheeseburger his alternator is a POS. i bet one of
the diodes in the bridge has a low reverse resistance, and while
it's not low enough to short and drain the batteries flat, it gets hot
as hell when it's trying to operate.

i've got an oem alternator with about 3 months on it, that
i'll never use again, as it's not worth the effort to change
it out, only to have to change it out again. the oem product
when new is substandard, and the rebuilt ones from the zone
and places like that are sub substandard.

they glass bead them to make them clean up, and test them.

and that is all they do. if an diode is blown, they change it,
and a bearing is howling, they replace it, but most of them
get a lick and a promise... and nothing more.

bring it back in as long as you like.... they don't care... they just
clean it up and put it back on the shelf again.

just like the replacement one they just gave you under warranty.

 

X2 on the DCPower alternator. I bought mine from Ed at FICMrepair.com. Cost the same as buying from DCPower, but Ed doesn't charge shipping. He has a stock of them, and will ship it imediately, so you don't have to wait weeks to get it.

Pic of my 185 compared to the stock alternator out of my Ex.



Action shot!



Sexy, sexy


Chris

 

I just put in a Leece/Neville (presto lite) 230 amp alternator. We sourced it direct from the US. It's the alternator used on LCF 5 and 8 ton trucks using the international VT365. Plug and play, uses longer mounting bolts that come with. Of me up here in Canada, the bonus is it's warrantied through international dealers. Pics in my gallery.

 

I have just started using that alternator as well on the fleet trucks.

The 160 amp Visteon is the standard alternator, although 2 of the CF trucks we have actually had the 140 amp 6G alternator.





Josh