Crappy Alternator
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2005
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From: Powhatan, Virginia
Crappy Alternator
Am I the only poor sap that gets stuck with shi--y alternators? I am on the 5th one. All of these have been in the past 6 years. 1 of them I replaced the voltage regulator and cleaned the commutator up and this one lasted the longest after I workd on it. These have come from NAPA auto parts and Advance Auto parts. These are rebuilt ones. Are the components used in the rebuilds 2nd rate or is something wrong with my truck?
Battery checks out fine, I have replaced the plug ends to the wiring harness as recommended on the first replacement. The ONLY thing I have extra on my truck that requires juice is a 150watt CB linear and a CB radio. These are only used during deer hunting season. These items have not been used this year due to a busted antenna.
'92 f150 4x4 4.9l 128K E4OD
Anybody gotts any suggestshuns?
Battery checks out fine, I have replaced the plug ends to the wiring harness as recommended on the first replacement. The ONLY thing I have extra on my truck that requires juice is a 150watt CB linear and a CB radio. These are only used during deer hunting season. These items have not been used this year due to a busted antenna.
'92 f150 4x4 4.9l 128K E4OD
Anybody gotts any suggestshuns?
Last edited by rdw516; Dec 19, 2006 at 10:10 PM. Reason: Left out INFO
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 580
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From: Chippewa Falls, WI
I would find it hard to beleive you got stuck with five bad ones in a row. There must be some electrical problems in your starting/charging system. when you have a functioning alternator in there what is your voltage reading at the battery. It should be around 14.0-15.0 volts according to the trusty Haynes. higher right after you start the truck and a little lower after it is warmed up and the battery is charged back up from starting. sitting without running your battery shouldn't be any lower than 12.6.
Good luck
Good luck
FTE Legend
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 31,930
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From: Ottawa, Ontario
I hear you on the rebuilt parts. I went through 4 wiper motors 1 year, all seized solid within a month or 2 of installing, 1 froze up at night on the 401 in Toronto in the express lanes at 120kph... in freezing rain!!! Can you say panic??
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Senior User
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From: Powhatan, Virginia
All specs are within normal limits. The replacments have charged fine, just as you decribed they should. Never had a battery go dead on it from sitting...sometimes for a month during the summer. Never jumped anybody or did anything that would cause an electrical surge.
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 537
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From: Formerly Nawlins
Originally Posted by KDPate
Sounds like a good time to upgrade to a 3G alternator to me....
Your power requirments may be causing the early demise of that alternator. Go to the 3G from a 94 - 95 Mustang ... there are howtoos on the conversion out there, it puts out 130 AMPS and around 70 or so at idle.
Last edited by SilverSport; Dec 20, 2006 at 10:08 AM.
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what about changing the size of the pulley to a smaller one? spin the alternator faster,more amps at idle. Anyone try that?
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2005
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From: Powhatan, Virginia
It seems to be the voltage regulator going by way of the sewer.....Also this alternator gets hot to the touch as did those in the past. Hot enought that you can't keep your hand on it too long.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,263
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From: The dark carnival
Try to find a shop that builds alternators and talk to the the people that do the building a few times. You should have a good idea as to the quality of work that they do. That, or buy new from Ford. Never buy this kind of stuff from parts stores. I found a GOOD shop and have never had one go out on me in 8 years. And I have MANY accessories that draw extra current...
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2005
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From: Powhatan, Virginia
I checked the alternator today and it doesn't seem to get as hot as it did when I put it in. Brushes just seating maybe? WHo knows.
One thing that HAS changed is that on initial startups in the morning/cold engine, the motor doesn't start and then die as it did before. Now it starts, rpm's drop a bit and then pick right back up. I read in a post a while back the OEM gasket on the throttle body was breaking down over a period of time and causing this. I replaced the gasket,(the old one was shot to hell)and that problem sudsided for a month or two then returned. Maybe this is related to the charging system not putting out enough current. Well it stopped fo now!! I hope it doesn't return.
One thing that HAS changed is that on initial startups in the morning/cold engine, the motor doesn't start and then die as it did before. Now it starts, rpm's drop a bit and then pick right back up. I read in a post a while back the OEM gasket on the throttle body was breaking down over a period of time and causing this. I replaced the gasket,(the old one was shot to hell)and that problem sudsided for a month or two then returned. Maybe this is related to the charging system not putting out enough current. Well it stopped fo now!! I hope it doesn't return.
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2003
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From: Sussex County, DE
I hate to say this, because I love Ford Trucks, but GM alternators rule supreme over Ford Alternators (Oh, the Blasphemy!!). Ford's alternators are really lame. That said, a 3G is 100 times batter thanthe old 1G units and the externally regulated units. Make sure that you have a good ground (corrosion buildup between the alternator brackets and the engine block is common, and makes the alternator work much harder), and make sure your power supply wire has low resistance (do a voltage drop test, it's easy. Turn on all your steady electrical loads such as the headlights, wipers, blower motor, etc and run the engine at 2000 rpm, and hook the red meter lead to the output terminal of the alternator, and the black lead to the positive battery terminal, your reading should be less than 1/4 volt). Your ground (red lead to negative battery, black to alternator case) should also read less than 1/4 volt. And then you retrofit a GM CS 144 alternator....
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