88 f150 302 battery light came on. Don’t know if it was on the way to AutoZone or not. But thankfully I noticed it before I left AutoZone and I had them test it. Battery, starter passed. The charging system did not. It reads 10-12.35 volts running. Including when I rev it to 2k RPM. How do I diagnose from here?
Pretty sure it’s the alternator. But I don’t want to parts cannon it.
Also just for next time, if the battery light comes on should I try to drive 10 minutes home like I did? I made it thankfully.
Ive also heard of 3g alternator conversions. I don’t got money to be throwing things at it and stuff. Is a 3g gonna cost more to replace and will I have to buy things to switch it?

 

Edit: I see the 2g is a fire starter. What vehicle do I get a 3g off of? I’ll get a new one from rock auto but I don’t know which one to filter it by. Is there one that’s a plug in play?
I’d like an internal regulator to so it’s easier. I’d like to use the same mount, pulley, and belt at least. I’d prefer the same wiring as well, even though I suck at wiring it’ll be cheaper to convert.


will any of these cheaper ones work as good as the ac delco? Pick n pulls are far, so I don’t want to go hour or so for a bad alternator that doesn’t work, I’d rather get a new one known good (hopefully) and with a warranty.

Hopefully I don’t need an alternator and it’s something small. But I don’t know where to go from here. Is there a way to make a 2g not a fire hazard? Or is it just a waste of time to try that? I want the cheapest best route to fix it, I like running my ac on full blast 24/7 and I’d probably do the heater like that for the first few minutes of driving. But I’m more worried about the headlights on bright with the ac on full blast and my 2 halogen KC lights on at the same time. It’s a big current draw on the alternator. I want it to be capable to so if I decide to put something else on it’s ready. I’d like to go to a junkyard, but they want $54 with the warranty and I want the warranty since I can’t check it there.

I see all the threads on it, but I don’t know which car has the correct 3g.

 

So I’m gonna get this alternator. Grind out the bracket so it fits on the 2G bracket, re clock the new alternator. Wire a red positive wire from the alternator to the starter solenoid where the current one is, with a fusible link, my question is how many amps for the fusible link? Zip tie the old wiring to the side. And she’ll be ready to go? Amazon doesn’t say how many amps, rockauto says this one is 130a. And how will the pulley fit?

 

I would verify you have 12V at the black/green with key on just to be certain the vehicle side is fine.

Remove all the old 2G wiring back to the noid. You only retain the black/green to excite the alt. VR connection will go to black/green on chassis. White plugs back into itself with small plug. Yellow goes to +B which is also constant hot. Super easy conversion.

I think 94/95 Mustang are clocked correctly, the V8 ones. 3.0? Taurus need to be reclocked, pretty easy.

No idea size of fusible link, sorry.

 

I doubt you find a fuse able link rated for 130+ amps you can run 2 of them in parallel 14ga to give you the protection or just put in a 150amp fuse. Do your measuring and have a battery cable shop build you a # 4 cable with the correct ends for your alternator and the post on your starter relay on fender.

 

I’ll do the fuse. But do I want the alternator with the bigger or smaller pulley?

 

I cannot answer about the pulley size. I have never changed from 2g to 3g. If you lucky you can take your old pulley and use it.

 

Smaller has more *** at idle.

 

It’s got 12.20 volts to the alternator key on engine off. But it started running 13.4 volts after I cleaned the connector. But then it went to 12.4. That connector on the alternator had goopy stuff on it

 

This is what it looks like running right now. Battery light is still on shut it off slowly going back down to 12

 

This came out of the connector
What triggers the battery light? Is there a sensor or something I can check?

 

Basic 2G alternator diagram and circuit description

 

I think I just have to wait for a new alternator. I was gonna order it today if I can. Would I want ACDelco or DB electrical? I saw db electrical was good and bad, but the same with ACDelco.

 

See if you have a local shop in town with one in stock?

 

I would do that, but all the alternators that are 3g are $200+. I just amazoned the ACDelco for $120