Alternator

Hey guys i just got my 96 lx auto back today and i need to put in an alternator.

I'm thinking of pulling one from one of the new escorts in the junkyard.
Do you know if the 96-99 escorts uses the exact same alternator?..
And i noticed 2 bolts holding the alternator. Are those the only 2 thats mounting the alternator?

All of them have a 2 bolt mounting. The part number for 96 is 3507-16-11. The part number for 97's and above are 3508-16-11. Clearly there is some difference between the two. If I were you I would pull the alternator and take it to the bonepile and match it up to what they have. If it physically looks the same and has the same wiring I would say it would work on your car. Your alternator is 75 amp and the later one's are 93 amps. This may be the only difference. I can see no reason why a later alternator wouldn't work on your car.

All of them have a 2 bolt mounting. The part number for 96 is 3507-16-11. The part number for 97's and above are 3508-16-11. Clearly there is some difference between the two. If I were you I would pull the alternator and take it to the bonepile and match it up to what they have. If it physically looks the same and has the same wiring I would say it would work on your car. Your alternator is 75 amp and the later one's are 93 amps. This may be the only difference. I can see no reason why a later alternator wouldn't work on your car.

Oh ic so if it matches up physically there wouldn’t be a problem internally such as the different amp ratings correct?

Right you are. If it looks the same as what you have it will probably work for you. Ford isn't going to go to the trouble or expense of changing alternators between model years. When you go to the boneyard take your old alternator with you. If you need to get to the yard with your car just ask them if you can take it out and compare it with what you have before you purchase it. I think it will work out for you. A higher amperage alternator should work if everything else is the same.

Right you are. If it looks the same as what you have it will probably work for you. Ford isn't going to go to the trouble or expense of changing alternators between model years. When you go to the boneyard take your old alternator with you. If you need to get to the yard with your car just ask them if you can take it out and compare it with what you have before you purchase it. I think it will work out for you. A higher amperage alternator should work if everything else is the same.


thanks man..i'll check it out at the bone yard this weekend...

After nearly 240k I think mine is finally starting to go. Noticed my engine was idling low a couple of nights ago. So I opened up the dome light, turned it on, connected my volt meter to it and was reading 12.75 volts. (battery is 12.75v) Revved up the engine and it resumed the normal 13.75 - 14.9 volts. Since I don't do a whole lot of short trips I'll leave it in there just to see how many more years it'll last. :devil:

hey guys i just been to the junk yard today and it looks like the 97 up alternators are very different, well they at least have different mounting points lol...

I ended up getting one from a 96 for $42. Hopefully this one well work.

Guys how do i make space to take out the alternator? there's the power steering hoses and the heater hose on top thats in the way.
To get the junk yard one out i just cut those hoses, but i dont want to cut these lol.

Chris do this to remove the alternator.

1. Disconnect the negative battery terminal.
2. Remove the drive belt.
3. Unbolt the A/C hose bracket from the alternator bracket. Move the bracket out of the way.
4. Disconnect the electrical connections.
5. Remove the lower mounting bolt.
6. Remove the upper mounting bolt.
7. Unbolt the Power Steering reservoir and move it to one side.
8. Pry the alternator loose from the bracket then lift it out. Hold it by the pulley and GENTLY pry it loose then lift it away from the engine.

Make sure you stick with the same numbers on the alt case , look for the same motorcraft numbers if possible , check the amps too , you may need to change the pulley

thanks you guys for the suggestions..i'll work on it this weekend:licka:

I didnt want to remove the power steering reservoir, so... I removed the headlamp instead. This involves first removing the grille, then the turn signal, finally the headlamp assembly. The alternator comes out via the hole where the headlight was, and even then requires some rotating and maneuvering to do it. I had already done the steps listed by DaveEscort 97, except for #7.
I also like to replace the pulleys for the tensioner and the idler when I replace a serpentine belt. My Escorts are a 91, 92, & a 94, all LX's bought 'well used' & "as is", and I had no way of knowing if those pulleys had ever been replaced.
While the headlamp assembly was out, I dismantled it so I could soak the headlamp adjusters in penetrating oil, then to lube them. I did this to both headlamps on all 3 cars. Four of the six were 'stuck' when I started.

hey guys thanks for the help.

I changed my alternator over the weekend and it was as easy as an oil change. lol
I think i got lucky finding a rebuilt alternator in the bone yard..

hey guys..maybe its random but..the battery dash light symbal lighted up yesterday coming home from work..but only for a few mins then went away..could something be up?

If it came on I'm sure there is a reason. Make sure the connections are tight. A loose wire can make the light come on.

I just installed brass battery connectors and everything seems snug so lets see how this week goes rite

For mid-ninetees years, there is a single white wire that connects to the alternator in addition to the bolt-on wire and multi-wire harness. This single wire attaches via mini-harness. I've seen corrosion on that harness's contacts cause false battery lights.

Be sure to use a volt meter (safer at the battery) and verify that you're receiving good, steady charging voltage at the battery. You can test for a steady consistent output at the alternator as well, but there are a number of precautions you would need to follow.

I didnt want to remove the power steering reservoir, so... I removed the headlamp instead. This involves first removing the grille, then the turn signal, finally the headlamp assembly. The alternator comes out via the hole where the headlight was, and even then requires some rotating and maneuvering to do it. I had already done the steps listed by DaveEscort 97, except for #7.
I also like to replace the pulleys for the tensioner and the idler when I replace a serpentine belt. My Escorts are a 91, 92, & a 94, all LX's bought 'well used' & "as is", and I had no way of knowing if those pulleys had ever been replaced.
While the headlamp assembly was out, I dismantled it so I could soak the headlamp adjusters in penetrating oil, then to lube them. I did this to both headlamps on all 3 cars. Four of the six were 'stuck' when I started.

I once removed my driver-side headlight because the deflector (not reflector) or blind had fallen off it's mount inside. THe vibration noise it was making was annoying.

Anyway during the removal I discovered how brittle the grill and signal lamp mounting plastics had become. To others who may try this, keep some stiff wire around to use in place of broken parts.

Honestly it was very easy with the power steering push aside..it literally took me 30 seconds to get the alternator out ..

How would one test out the battery and alternator are there different voltages to look for?

hey guys..i tried the alternator for the week and a couple days before going into work, it could not start, so I got a boost and it started up again. After that i charged the battery and it was running good until this morning when it was slow to start. It looks like some how the power is draining or the power from the alternator is not reaching the battery.

I'm thinking of trying this out. It can test the alternator as well..What do you guys think?
http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/4/Auto/BatteryChargersAccessories/BatteryChargers/PRD~0111577P/NASCAR%2BAdvantage%2BBattery%2BCharger%2Bwith%2BEx press%2BStart.jsp


Please let me know

Certain auto-parts stores here test alternators for free. Either way a simple volt-meter would do. 1-2 volts over battery voltage will suffice. Test alternator at idle, 2k RPM and 3k RPM. Save your money.

Most junkyards will exchange bad parts for free. It's just a matter of whether it's worth the hassle in that, you're risking getting another bad part. (if it's bad)

From personal experiences it's usually not good to get complex mechanical parts from the JY if it can be avoided. Depending upon the failure point, similar can be said of some electrical parts for vehicles.

Certain auto-parts stores here test alternators for free. Either way a simple volt-meter would do. 1-2 volts over battery voltage will suffice. Test alternator at idle, 2k RPM and 3k RPM. Save your money.

Most junkyards will exchange bad parts for free. It's just a matter of whether it's worth the hassle in that, you're risking getting another bad part. (if it's bad)

From personal experiences it's usually not good to get complex mechanical parts from the JY if it can be avoided. Depending upon the failure point, similar can be said of some electrical parts for vehicles.

I came accross this link on how to test. Would this be good to do in your opinions?

http://www3.telus.net/chemelec/Projects/Alternator/Alternator.htm

After nearly 240k I think mine is finally starting to go. Noticed my engine was idling low a couple of nights ago. So I opened up the dome light, turned it on, connected my volt meter to it and was reading 12.75 volts. (battery is 12.75v) Revved up the engine and it resumed the normal 13.75 - 14.9 volts. Since I don't do a whole lot of short trips I'll leave it in there just to see how many more years it'll last. :devil:

You may just be needing a new set of brushes in your old alternator. I'm still using the original alternator on my '88 Pony with over 501K miles and all I've done is replaced the brushes in it one time. If it's the brushes you can pick up a new set for probably about $5. instead of $100-$200 for a new alternator.

Thanks for the tip FordMan! I was surprised to see how much alternator prices have increased over the years. (or maybe I'm wrong on that ?)

Thanks for the tip FordMan! I was surprised to see how much alternator prices have increased over the years. (or maybe I'm wrong on that ?)

yea even one for the boneyard is $50 bucks..and you lucky if it even works...

hey guys..so i tested my battery with a multimeter and the alternator seems to be charging the battery it gets up to 14.5 volts when the car is started with high beams and blower on high.
Before putting the car on, the battery was tested at 9-10v, the day before that the battery died again. The water seems to be full.
Could it really be the battery? since its only 2yrs old?

14.5V charging voltage is fine, so you can assume the alternator is ok.

When a battery gets as low as 9 or 10 volts, it's completely flat and should be recharged using a bench charger as soon as possible before sulphation sets in.

Question is, why is flat? Even at just two years old it could have failed, but before replacing it you should check for excessive current drain because it could be that the battery is perfectly healthy but something is draining it overnight.

Quiescent current drain - that's the drain with the ignition switched off and the car parked - should probably be around 30mA, or 0.03 amps. Up to maybe 50mA might be acceptable but anything beyond that probably indicates a fault.

I remember you added some 12V accessory outlets to your cigarette lighter socket - you aren't leaving anything connected overnight there eh, and thereby draining the battery? (My lighter socket is always live - not sure if that's the case on your model).

14.5V charging voltage is fine, so you can assume the alternator is ok.

When a battery gets as low as 9 or 10 volts, it's completely flat and should be recharged using a bench charger as soon as possible before sulphation sets in.

Question is, why is flat? Even at just two years old it could have failed, but before replacing it you should check for excessive current drain because it could be that the battery is perfectly healthy but something is draining it overnight.

Quiescent current drain - that's the drain with the ignition switched off and the car parked - should probably be around 30mA, or 0.03 amps. Up to maybe 50mA might be acceptable but anything beyond that probably indicates a fault.

I remember you added some 12V accessory outlets to your cigarette lighter socket - you aren't leaving anything connected overnight there eh, and thereby draining the battery? (My lighter socket is always live - not sure if that's the case on your model).

hey selectron..yea remember that led scanner i hooked up to my radio harness so it can only come on when the car is off..kind of hard to believe but could it be that draining it?..or could it be the alarm siren i hooked up in the engine bay through a fuse straight to the battery or the light pedals i hooked up to the radio harness as well but only comes on when i turn the dash on..

The LED scanner should have such a low consumption that it shouldn't be capable of flattening the battery - not sure about the other two though - depends how you have them connected.

The only way to be sure is just to measure the current by disconnecting one battery terminal and inserting the multimeter (on its current range) in series between the battery post and the cable. Start out on the highest range and if the current isn't too high then select a lower range for a more accurate reading.

There's an article on it here (http://www.aa1car.com/library/battery_runs_down.htm) - you want the section titled, 'To measure current drain without an inductive amp probe'. If you don't have a spare battery then just ignore those parts which mention it.

And remember you want to be on the current range and in series between the battery post and the detached cable - don't get careless and accidentally put the meter probes across both battery terminals as though you were checking voltage, because if you're on the high current range (usually 10 amps) then it will blow the meter's fuse, or on the lower current ranges it will likely fry the meter because they tend to be unfused (it would burn out some of the resistors).

And when you're done, set everything on the meter back to normal straight away, just in case you later pick it up and try to measure voltage with it while it's still in the ammeter (current) mode.

hey selectron.

I was just reading the article..the battery is charging as we speak so after lets say 4 hr of it charging i'll check the drain load with my multimeter. For some reason i have a feeling its those pedals..its hooked up to the dash wire at the back of the radio to only come on when i switch the dash light on..but it still might be draing somehow..so i'll disconnect those later..

Yep, that's another way to do it instead of measuring the current - just disconnect the suspect accessories and then monitor the battery voltage every few hours and see if it holds up - a healthy and well-charged battery shouldn't dip much below 12.6V when the car is parked overnight.

Yours will be freshly-charged so it will have a so-called surface charge, maybe reading as high as 13V when you first put it back in the car. The voltage will drop fairly quickly as the surface charge is drawn off but then it should settle down and remain around 12.6V or a little less, although keep in mind that four hours isn't long, and your battery will likely be still only partially-charged - depends on what type of charger you have.

Yep, that's another way to do it instead of measuring the current - just disconnect the suspect accessories and then monitor the battery voltage every few hours and see if it holds up - a healthy and well-charged battery shouldn't dip much below 12.6V when the car is parked overnight.

Yours will be freshly-charged so it will have a so-called surface charge, maybe reading as high as 13V when you first put it back in the car. The voltage will drop fairly quickly as the surface charge is drawn off but then it should settle down and remain around 12.6V or a little less, although keep in mind that four hours isn't long, and your battery will likely be still only partially-charged - depends on what type of charger you have.
i have one of those old 10a chargers with overload protection..how many hrs do u think i should leave it on?

If it's just a basic old-fashioned charger (unregulated), then keep an eye on the voltage and take it off charge when the battery reaches 14.4V. That might take a while though, because at only 9 or 10V your battery was completely flat.

Mine is a basic old 5A charger (unregulated), but just because it's rated at 5A doesn't mean that 5 amps ever actually flows - usually it charges at around 2.6A, so if I was to have a completely flat battery then it would need to be charged overnight, and then some. Yours might be similar - even though it's rated at 10A, it might actually be delivering a lot less. Charge it up to 14.4V if you have enough time and patience though.

If it's just a basic old-fashioned charger (unregulated), then keep an eye on the voltage and take it off charge when the battery reaches 14.4V. That might take a while though, because at only 9 or 10V your battery was completely flat.

Mine is a basic old 5A charger (unregulated), but just because it's rated at 5A doesn't mean that 5 amps ever actually flows - usually it charges at around 2.6A, so if I was to have a completely flat battery then it would need to be charged overnight, and then some. Yours might be similar - even though it's rated at 10A, it might actually be delivering a lot less. Charge it up to 14.4V if you have enough time and patience though.

yea thanks..i'll test it out later in the night..so that would be 6-7hrs..and i'll let u know of my findings...

For older vehicles, aftermarket car audio amplifiers are the usual culprit.

............. (My lighter socket is always live - not sure if that's the case on your model).

Interesting. You have a '95 right ? I have a '94 and am only able to draw like 0.3 volts once the ignition is cut.

... Interesting. You have a '95 right ? I have a '94 and am only able to draw like 0.3 volts once the ignition is cut.

Yes, it's a '95 but it's a UK model and our electrics are wired quite differently to yours - having the always-live lighter socket is handy. The name is the same and the blue badge on the front but everything else - body, engine, electrics, is completely different to the North American Escorts, which is a shame really because since I joined this forum I've ended up knowing a whole lot more about them than I do about the UK ones. This forum is miles better than any of the UK forums that I've seen though so I prefer to spend time here, where I learn a whole lot more than I would on our domestic forums.

The only photos I have of the car are a couple of shots of the dashboard which I took when I was planning to fit a digital panel voltmeter - you can't see much but what little you can see is probably quite different to your '94 dashboard. Note the ultra-low mileage by the way - 77,300 miles since new, which is about the same mileage which Tumbleweed clocks up each month, as he heads ever closer to the half-million mark. http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/images/icons/icon10.gif

http://selectron.webs.com/images-over-1024x768/UK-95-dashboard-01_th.jpg (http://selectron.webs.com/images-over-1024x768/UK-95-dashboard-01.jpg) http://selectron.webs.com/images-over-1024x768/UK-95-dashboard-02_th.jpg (http://selectron.webs.com/images-over-1024x768/UK-95-dashboard-02.jpg)

If it's just a basic old-fashioned charger (unregulated), then keep an eye on the voltage and take it off charge when the battery reaches 14.4V. That might take a while though, because at only 9 or 10V your battery was completely flat.

Mine is a basic old 5A charger (unregulated), but just because it's rated at 5A doesn't mean that 5 amps ever actually flows - usually it charges at around 2.6A, so if I was to have a completely flat battery then it would need to be charged overnight, and then some. Yours might be similar - even though it's rated at 10A, it might actually be delivering a lot less. Charge it up to 14.4V if you have enough time and patience though.


Hey selectron

i just came from checking up on the battery so..
with the charger and clamps on it goes 15.10v
with the charger and clamps off the terminals it decreases to 13.70 then decreases more every 2 secs..

Do you think i should remove the charger now?

Yes, that's as fully-charged as you'll get it on a basic charger so you should quit charging it now.

Yes, that's as fully-charged as you'll get it on a basic charger so you should quit charging it now.

thanks i'll take it out now..and drive it around the block and wait an hr to test it..for that surface charge you mentioned

Ok. No need to drive it if you don't want to - you can draw the surface charge off by switching the headlamps on for a minute or two, without the engine running. After that it should settle fairly quickly around the 12.6V mark.

Yes, it's a '95 but it's a UK model and our electrics are wired quite differently to yours - having the always-live lighter socket is handy. The name is the same and the blue badge on the front but everything else - body, engine, electrics, is completely different to the North American Escorts, which is a shame really because since I joined this forum I've ended up knowing a whole lot more about them than I do about the UK ones. This forum is miles better than any of the UK forums that I've seen though so I prefer to spend time here, where I learn a whole lot more than I would on our domestic forums.

The only photos I have of the car are a couple of shots of the dashboard which I took when I was planning to fit a digital panel voltmeter - you can't see much but what little you can see is probably quite different to your '94 dashboard. Note the ultra-low mileage by the way - 77,300 miles since new, which is about the same mileage which Tumbleweed clocks up each month, as he heads ever closer to the half-million mark. http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/images/icons/icon10.gif

http://selectron.webs.com/images-over-1024x768/UK-95-dashboard-01_th.jpg (http://selectron.webs.com/images-over-1024x768/UK-95-dashboard-01.jpg) http://selectron.webs.com/images-over-1024x768/UK-95-dashboard-02_th.jpg (http://selectron.webs.com/images-over-1024x768/UK-95-dashboard-02.jpg)


Yea i like it..the dash looks more modern then the American escorts do..very nice..and it looks like ur getting some chillie weather over there. 77,330 is pretty good man..and tumbleweeds is just wow lol

alright just checked it out..i clocked it at 12.77 hopefully it stays in that range for a while longer..

For a freshly-charged battery, newly re-installed in the car, that's just about right. If the battery is healthy and if you have no excessive current drain then I would expect it to still read 12.5V or higher by tomorrow morning.

Foreigners always seem to have much better taste when it comes to interior/exterior vehicle styling. Only *very* recently have we begun to catch on. It's like they feel the need to make a vehicle ugly before they sell it over here....

hey guys..so i checked the voltage today and guess what it didnt hold the charge..i clocked it at 10.70 and couldnt start. I even disconnected the alarm led and lighted pedals before hand..so it might just be the battery is not good anymore..

Assuming that the current drain on your car is normal, at around 30 milliamps, then even if the battery is failing and has developed a high internal resistance, I wouldn't expect a tiny 30mA current to pull it all the way down to 10.7 volts overnight, so I don't think you have the usual, gradual decline which happens eventually to all batteries.

It could be that one cell has failed. Your battery has six cells, with a nominal voltage of 2.1 volts each, so 6 x 2.1 = 12.6, which is the normal voltage. If one cells fails then you get only 5 x 2.1 = 10.5 and your voltage of 10.7 is suspiciously close to that figure, so you could easily have a dead cell (which came back to life temporarily during charging).

I'd still want to check for excessive current drain before replacing it though, and if you do have excessive drain then it would be pretty high to cause such a drop in voltage, so if you do check it then be sure to start out on the high current range first, which would likely be a 10A range.

Or you might want to take a chance and just replace the battery, but if you do have excessive drain then you'll be faced with the same problem again within a day or two.

thanks for the explanation man..it cant be a coincidence its at 10.7..i'll try to exchange the battery at the store..hopefully they would do it..since its past the 24th warranty..to think paying $90 for a battery would last only 2yrs eh..
what parts of the car could be draining the battery at such a high rate?
and do u think i overcharged it lastnite? would that do anything?

No, it won't have been overcharged - when the voltage reaches about 14.4V, it climbs rapidly beyond that point but the current flow reduces, and the battery can handle that for brief periods. Plus, you already had this problem long before you hooked up the battery to the charger.

If you can't get the battery replaced under warranty and if another $90 is more than you want to spend, then consider a battery from the scrapyard (get an agreement to swap it if turns out to be a dud). There must be loads of quality batteries which end up there, perfectly healthy, but some other failure on the car has caused it to be scrapped. I've been reading on the Escort forums over here that more people are buying batteries from the scrapyard and getting good deals - around £8 or £10 seems to be the usual price.

Typical causes for excessive current drain would be a leaky diode in the alternator ('leaking' in the electrical sense), or an interior lamp which fails to extinguish - glove box lamp for example, which you wouldn't readily notice, or a sticky brake lamp switch causing the brake lights to remain lit - that kind of thing.

hmm i did check around the car..and no lights are currently on..nothing internal or external..so it might just be the battery..i have a question about the grounding..how would i check if my car is grounded properly..and what are these ground kits consist of?

Your battery negative terminal has two main ground connections - one to the engine, and the other to the chassis (bodywork). The engine ground must always be in excellent condition because it carries the massive current required by the starter motor. The chassis ground carries the current for much of the rest of the electrical system, so it must also be in first-class condition. In addition to those two main grounds, there will also be numerous other ground leads which connect individual components to engine, or to chassis (fuel pump ground, PCM ground, etc).

To check that the engine and chassis grounds are intact is easy - just measure the voltage directly across the battery posts, and then move the meter negative probe to the engine - if you get the same voltage then the ground is intact - then move the meter negative probe to chassis, and again if you get the same reading then the ground is intact.

That's what might be called a static test - it proves that the ground path exists but gives no indication of how good it is. To test the quality of the ground you would need to do a dynamic test, which involves actually passing some current through the grounds - the more the better, so have the engine running and switch some loads on - headlamps, blower motor, etc. - and then measure the voltage from engine to battery negative terminal, and from chassis to battery negative terminal, both of which, as a general rule, should be no greater than 0.1V.

I don't know much about the ground kits, but bear in mind that the car manufacturer designed the original grounds to be fully adequate for their intended purpose, so unless you're adding high current accessories such as a high power audio amplifier, high intensity driving lamps, etc., the original grounds, if kept clean and secure, should be entirely adequate.

hey guys..so i gave the car a boost monday morning and so far the battery has been holding the charge, i suspect because the weather the past 2 days was warm it would only normally die on colder days.

Did I mention that the two little lamps in the Escort dome light can be on - and wont be noticed unless it is dark outside. This used to happen often to my sister-in-law because her kids would play with the dome light.
There is a light in the trunk too - also dim enough not to be noticed in the daylight. It should go off when the trunk shuts, but.....

After nearly 240k I think mine is finally starting to go. Noticed my engine was idling low a couple of nights ago. So I opened up the dome light, turned it on, connected my volt meter to it and was reading 12.75 volts. (battery is 12.75v) Revved up the engine and it resumed the normal 13.75 - 14.9 volts. Since I don't do a whole lot of short trips I'll leave it in there just to see how many more years it'll last. :devil:

You may just be needing a new set of brushes in your old alternator. I'm still using the original alternator on my '88 Pony with over 501K miles and all I've done is replaced the brushes in it one time. If it's the brushes you can pick up a new set for probably about $5. instead of $100-$200 for a new alternator.

Finally started getting a faint battery light today. Goes away at 2800RPM. Wiggled the whitle monitor wire to make sure it wasn't a case of corrosion build up; which was the case many years ago. Reading 11.25 volts at the battery. Tested at the alternator and was reading a whopping 1.25 volts.

CarQuest as usual is closed, so checked O'Reilley's then Advance's websites and found that a local Advance had the brushes in stock. Picked them up this evening.

Never could get that damned alternator free from the bracket when doing my head ~50k ago so I just twisted it out of the way. It's going to be a #@#*&$! working that thing free. :uhoh: Hopefully I'll be able to grease it back in.

Anyway, wish me luck in the brushes in. Any other associated tips you may have would also be appreciated....

Finally started getting a faint battery light today. Goes away at 2800RPM. Wiggled the whitle monitor wire to make sure it wasn't a case of corrosion build up; which was the case many years ago. Reading 11.25 volts at the battery. Tested at the alternator and was reading a whopping 1.25 volts.

CarQuest as usual is closed, so checked O'Reilley's then Advance's websites and found that a local Advance had the brushes in stock. Picked them up this evening.

Never could get that damned alternator free from the bracket when doing my head ~50k ago so I just twisted it out of the way. It's going to be a #@#*&$! working that thing free. :uhoh: Hopefully I'll be able to grease it back in.

Anyway, wish me luck in the brushes in. Any other associated tips you may have would also be appreciated....


good luck..so it was the alternator brushes that was the problem for u rite?

Yep, definitely worn brushes. Simple as #$@#%^! to replace too! See... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7V8E8YlNls Don't know why everybody doesn't do this the minute they first notice a problem. $9 instead of $140-190. Re getting it free from the bracket, I guess the frigid temps shrank the metals and thus made prying it out of there, cake. I'll grind back then grease the contact surface a little on the alternator to make reinstallation a breeze. Hardest part is working the alternator past the power steering pump's reservoir. ** (details at end)

But here's a valuable lesson... being ignorant of the possibility that worn brushes could actually begin to do damage, I waited too long. Here are the linked photos... (click image again to get full-sized photo)

http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/5496/af09y12m18d01.th.jpg (http://img684.imageshack.us/i/af09y12m18d01.jpg/)
In photo #1, notice the little dot of copper on the spent brush closest to the workbench ? This wore a deep groove in my alternator's core contact. (don't know what to call it).

http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/6414/af09y12m18d02.th.jpg (http://img63.imageshack.us/i/af09y12m18d02.jpg/)
In photo #2, look at the deeply worn and grooved lower contact, and the relative smooth upper contact.


So I'll go ahead and reassemble it, and maybe even get a few more years of use out of it. But waiting so long knocked off at least several years of potential wear in comparing the upper core-contact with the lower core-contact on the alternator. As a result of this groove, it'll have a deminished capacity to produce amperage, especially during it's initial use and before the lower brush gets a chance to adapt to the core's groove contact surface.

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** (Continuation re removing alternator without draining power steering system) Can be done though. The pulley should be facing you and the largest protrusion that attaches to the mounting bracket, facing the lower-left hand side. So you're removing it face-up. No draining the Power Steering pump reservoir and disconnecting hoses. Just unbolt it, remove the bolts and as much as possible, move it out of the way.

'94 LX 1.9L 240k

FordMan59, is there a replacement part similar to the brush, but specifically for the worn core in the photo ???
http://img684.imageshack.us/gal.php?g=af09y12m18d01.jpg

The bearings are like ice. Just keeps on roll'n when barely, gently spun. No play, no noise and no rough what-so-ever.

Thanks...

hey guys so heres an update.. i just been to walmart today, they tested it out and the battery was actually bad. They gave me a replacement but since it was 1 month over the 24month warranty i had to pay $50...it sucks but what can you do...I like that little portable tester they have, i wonder how much those are...lol

thanks guys for the help.. i really learned alot...:)

Thanks for the update - always good to hear what the resolution was, and I had been wondering about this one. If the little tester was not much bigger than a chunky multimeter then it was likely a conductance tester - far superior to the traditional load tester, and they are not cheap. The only people I know of who make them are Midtronics - not sure if anybody else is even able to make them because Midtronics have the technology protected by a whole host of patents. Superb little devices, so if that indicated that your battery was a dud then it really was. Let's hope the new one lasts a whole lot longer.

At www.summitracing.com, if you type "battery tester" in the window for doing a keyword search, it will show you a range of battery testers. I dont have one, I rely more on things like measuring the voltage of the battery after I have charged it for a few hours, then turning on the headlights and coming back to measure the voltage again after 20 minutes, or measuring the battery voltage (at the posts) when the starter is cranking the engine.