Alternator: Something I can install myself?
#1
Alternator: Something I can install myself? UPDATE
Well I couldn't find a "General Electrical" forum, so hopefully I put this in the right place.
Anyways, the alternator on my truck is toast, and I need a new one. I'm not terribly mechanically-inclined, but I know a few things. What I'm curious about though, is how difficult would it be to replace the alternator in my truck? Can anyone give me a quick run-through of how I'd go about doing it? And perhaps how long it might take to do so? Thanks a ton!
-Kyle
UPDATE 5/26 2:06 PM
Just got back from the shop. They did an electrical system test and this is what they say:
Battery Voltage: 12.4
voltage drop across terminals (volts): 0
Starter amp draw: 129 amps
Voltage supply to back of alternator (volts): 12
Charging voltage: 12.2 volts.
They recommend changing the alternator and rechecking for possible problems they can't tell at this time.
When I went out to my truck to get it from the shop, I checked the fuses. No broken fuses. I guess they charged the battery because the truck turned over perfectly the first time and the battery meter in the truck didn't go down at all over the 10 miles or so it was from the shop to my house.
I guess what I'm wondering is... what should I do? I don't want to have to buy an alternator unless I'm sure that's the problem. I'm going to take the battery to Ford (it's a motorcraft within it's free replacement time) and see if getting a new battery won't help, because I got a new battery about 15 months ago when the same sort of problem was occuring. I'd just bought the truck though so it was still under the carmax warranty. Any words of wisdom about what those test results mean or what I should do from here? Thanks so much!
Anyways, the alternator on my truck is toast, and I need a new one. I'm not terribly mechanically-inclined, but I know a few things. What I'm curious about though, is how difficult would it be to replace the alternator in my truck? Can anyone give me a quick run-through of how I'd go about doing it? And perhaps how long it might take to do so? Thanks a ton!
-Kyle
UPDATE 5/26 2:06 PM
Just got back from the shop. They did an electrical system test and this is what they say:
Battery Voltage: 12.4
voltage drop across terminals (volts): 0
Starter amp draw: 129 amps
Voltage supply to back of alternator (volts): 12
Charging voltage: 12.2 volts.
They recommend changing the alternator and rechecking for possible problems they can't tell at this time.
When I went out to my truck to get it from the shop, I checked the fuses. No broken fuses. I guess they charged the battery because the truck turned over perfectly the first time and the battery meter in the truck didn't go down at all over the 10 miles or so it was from the shop to my house.
I guess what I'm wondering is... what should I do? I don't want to have to buy an alternator unless I'm sure that's the problem. I'm going to take the battery to Ford (it's a motorcraft within it's free replacement time) and see if getting a new battery won't help, because I got a new battery about 15 months ago when the same sort of problem was occuring. I'd just bought the truck though so it was still under the carmax warranty. Any words of wisdom about what those test results mean or what I should do from here? Thanks so much!
Last edited by Gearhead61; 05-26-2005 at 01:15 PM.
#3
#6
#8
#9
#10
$129.99 for a rebuilt alternator from AutoZone with a lifetime warranty for my 94 4.0.
I don't know how much they have changed, but you shouldn't have to pay more than that. They sell them for $89.99 with a 1 year warranty. I get the lifetime, that way I don't have to pay for another alternator.
I don't know how much they have changed, but you shouldn't have to pay more than that. They sell them for $89.99 with a 1 year warranty. I get the lifetime, that way I don't have to pay for another alternator.
#14
Ok, I went to autozone and talked to the guy there, and I made this thread for it. Anyone who knows anything please help me out!
https://www.ranger-forums.com/forum2...ead.php?t=7108
https://www.ranger-forums.com/forum2...ead.php?t=7108
#16
#17
not so for 2.3 4 cyc.
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