Alternator
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 137
Likes: 1
Alternator
Hello all
I was just wondering if anyone else out there has had any problems with their alternators on their trucks. I have a 2014 6.7 with only 76000 km's on it.
The first alternator went last April and just plain quit no warning no nothing, this one was changed with an alternator from Napa because Ford was going to be a week out and Napa provides a lifetime warranty and I thought how often does an alternator quit and thought it had to be a fluke. Last Saturday I was driving in a remote area about 4 hours from the closest town with no cell service and this one quit. I have an edge monitor so I could see the voltage slowly going down so I shut everything off heater, wipers etc and went as fast as i could to get back to town, the truck barely made it and started to shut down the transmission. I got it home put it in reverse it clunked and died. This time it was replaced with an alternator from Ford. Has anybody else had problems? is this a fluke? and I had no idea how vulnerable we all are when it quits for being stranded somewhere.
I was just wondering if anyone else out there has had any problems with their alternators on their trucks. I have a 2014 6.7 with only 76000 km's on it.
The first alternator went last April and just plain quit no warning no nothing, this one was changed with an alternator from Napa because Ford was going to be a week out and Napa provides a lifetime warranty and I thought how often does an alternator quit and thought it had to be a fluke. Last Saturday I was driving in a remote area about 4 hours from the closest town with no cell service and this one quit. I have an edge monitor so I could see the voltage slowly going down so I shut everything off heater, wipers etc and went as fast as i could to get back to town, the truck barely made it and started to shut down the transmission. I got it home put it in reverse it clunked and died. This time it was replaced with an alternator from Ford. Has anybody else had problems? is this a fluke? and I had no idea how vulnerable we all are when it quits for being stranded somewhere.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 1,086
Likes: 466
From: Tennessee
Sounds like the voltage regulator is burning out. You may have a high voltage/amperage draw that is causing it to fail. Looking at your sig it could be the winch.
On the old trucks the voltage regulator was external to the alternator and is a must have spare item along with a starter solenoid.
On the old trucks the voltage regulator was external to the alternator and is a must have spare item along with a starter solenoid.
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 137
Likes: 1
I dont think that there is any more draw on anything as the winch rarely gets used, I have added led lights but they dont get used that often either, when you say a voltage regulator is that not part of the alternator? if not can you tell me where it is and is there any way of testing it?
Laughing Gas
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 1,086
Likes: 466
From: Tennessee
The voltage regulator is internal to the alternator. yes that reading is normal. I would start your truck and check the amps that the alternator is pushing without any accessories on. Should be pushing approx 50-60 amps at idle. To much more than that will overwork the alternator.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2002
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From: Waterloo, Iowa
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Junior User
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I had this problem with my old 2005 6.0. My alternator went out and I got a non-Motorcraft with a lifetime from Kragen. They kept going out, but when tested they would work in the shop. Turned out once they reached a certain temp they were shutting down. I asked to give my Motorcraft core back so I could rebuilt it but it was already gone. They offered one more replacement and a refund if that did not work. The 4th one they gave me was a rebuilt Motorcraft and I never had a problem with it after that. At first I thought I had a short somewhere. It was a pain to figure out that they were just junk alts.
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 137
Likes: 1
I am hoping that it is a fluke and wont happen again, it was pretty scary not knowing if we were going to make it out of the bush, I just find it really odd that the factory one and the replacement have both been replaced already. Like you said though hard to say how these things are being rebuilt. we would have been stranded because of it
Lead Driver
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 6,676
Likes: 913
From: Milford, MI
I would check the 3 small wires from the alternator to the body connector. Had a few reports of them corroding/ chafing along the engine where the engine harness transitions from the engine to the body (lower right side of engine toward front). That is where I'd put my wager on... lol
Hotshot
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 10,133
Likes: 665
From: NH
Did you find out any more on this?
I'm assuming your diesel only has a single alternator and not the optional dual arrangement?
I think alternator failure is rare on any modern Ford truck. But be advised there are many different outputs available from alternators that all look pretty much identical. 157A, 185A, 200A, 220A, maybe more.
A winch hits the battery hard...but you say you don't use it much. LED lights are very low draw.
A bad battery could also cause the alternator to work harder. Internal shorting or bad cells might cause a problem.
I'm assuming your diesel only has a single alternator and not the optional dual arrangement?
I think alternator failure is rare on any modern Ford truck. But be advised there are many different outputs available from alternators that all look pretty much identical. 157A, 185A, 200A, 220A, maybe more.
A winch hits the battery hard...but you say you don't use it much. LED lights are very low draw.
A bad battery could also cause the alternator to work harder. Internal shorting or bad cells might cause a problem.
Thread Starter
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 137
Likes: 1
Hi There
after getting a new alternator put in I looked around for anything that might be obvious but couldn't see or feel anything. I replaced the first alternator in April and at the same time replaced the batteries as well just for due dilligence. the batteries were tested this time as well and were fine being fairly new. I do run LED light bars very occasionally and the winch maybe gets used once or twice a year in hunting season. As I mentioned before the scary part is with no alternator you have no truck, depending where you are it could be a real problem. Luckily I have a monitor and could see it dropping instead of not knowing and waiting for a dash light to come on and start shutting down with out warning. Yes it is only a single alternator my old 6.4 had the dual set up, I asked my mechanic about it this time but he is reassuring me that this is a one off and it shouldn't happen again. Keeping my fingers crossed, I would have been stranded 4 hours from the closest highway. Funny first thing we noticed is that the heater controls were wonky put on the heated seats and they got colder and the fan was being controlled by the heated seat button, I didn't clue in thinking there was a problem with the heater so this is one indication people can watch out for
after getting a new alternator put in I looked around for anything that might be obvious but couldn't see or feel anything. I replaced the first alternator in April and at the same time replaced the batteries as well just for due dilligence. the batteries were tested this time as well and were fine being fairly new. I do run LED light bars very occasionally and the winch maybe gets used once or twice a year in hunting season. As I mentioned before the scary part is with no alternator you have no truck, depending where you are it could be a real problem. Luckily I have a monitor and could see it dropping instead of not knowing and waiting for a dash light to come on and start shutting down with out warning. Yes it is only a single alternator my old 6.4 had the dual set up, I asked my mechanic about it this time but he is reassuring me that this is a one off and it shouldn't happen again. Keeping my fingers crossed, I would have been stranded 4 hours from the closest highway. Funny first thing we noticed is that the heater controls were wonky put on the heated seats and they got colder and the fan was being controlled by the heated seat button, I didn't clue in thinking there was a problem with the heater so this is one indication people can watch out for
Laughing Gas
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 969
Likes: 30
Originally Posted by irly
As I mentioned before the scary part is with no alternator you have no truck, depending where you are it could be a real problem.
Hotshot
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 10,133
Likes: 665
From: NH
The climate control and heated / cooled seats can also be completely shut off.