Hey guys

I went and installed 2 new front speakers and when i started it up for the first time this morning to check the sound i noticed it kinda dragged. it started but the needle is on the far left line of Normal and it slowly is going down. if i turn the headlights on it cuts the radio off and without the lights on, the radio flashes off and back on every now and then. i think the alternator is original i have allot of service records and i haven't come across any for the alternator. I'm assuming its the alternator or the voltage regulator which according to the book is on the alternator as well. is there any other problems it can be. I'm not mechanically inclined but I'm also not a mechanical idiot its just over 100 and I'm dreading taking this thing off LOL anything else common with these vans i need to check before tearing it apart? oh its a 94 Clubwagon 5.0 138Kmiles

Jeff

 

Sounds like an Alt. to me. Mine went out about the same time (miles).

 

ok it was the alternator. got one from the junkyard for 25 bucks new is 130 around here UUUHG considering its the most common engine i would think it would be cheaper. its charging around the R in Normal i though the old one was in the M. oh well it has a 45 day warranty. my only concern is according to the receipt it says 80 amp and its from a 5.8?? i guess these may be the same 5.8 and 5.0 but 80 amp i though most alternators were at least 100 guess im not up to date on alternators. ill add a higher amp onto my to do list i think spark plugs and wires are more important at this time LOL

 

Unless you run a lot of rear AC or other high drain electrical devices, you will probably be ok. A bigger alt would be nice though.

 

Did that alternator have a "plug" for the output wiring?

I'm not sure what alt they were using in '94. However, I know in my '87 they were putting in the Motorcraft 2G, which is a dinky alternator and built like crap. The power is taken off the 2G through a couple of flag connectors embedded in a cast plug, those things don't handle more than tens of amps. Then they realized the whole concept was defective because if you tried to unplug and replug the plug a few times the flag connectors wouldn't meet up as tightly and it'll melt down. So it's NOT a reusable plug at all.

The thing to do is get a Motorcraft 3G. This bad boy is good for at least 130 amps (IIRC some people sell like 160 amp ones). That thing will probably last forever when you're running it at like 1/3 its capacity all the time. The bolt spacing is the same, the pulley placement is the same. What's different is the diameter, it won't fit on the alternator bracket. You have to grind off about 1/2" off the bracket which isn't a structural problem at all, but you do need to pull the bracket off the vehicle first.

The 3G doesn't use the crappy plug. You'll need to install bigger wiring (that dinky stuff can melt if you use all the power the alt can put out!) and wire the "field" pin from the battery to the alt in a slightly different way.

 

Without sounding like a bonehead which I'm good at LOL the wiring has a single wire (ground i think) that has a plug, then there is plug for the voltage regulator i think then a big red wire with a eye connector that attaches to the back with a nut . I dunno when its running it stays on the R in normal and i think it was the M with the old alternator. But tis working fine for now and if the van last or we decide to keep it long term ill worry bout a bigger alt.

 

OK the big red wire is the + power output, and it's on a stud like it should be.

It's not the infamous Motorcraft 2G.