Problem with Alternator or battery (97 F150)

[kman1234]

My truck died on me today. It was working fine then I noticed all my instruments stopped working, ABS light came on and radio was cutting out. I knew the battery was dying so I managed to get it home.

I have been doing some recent work and had to remove my steering wheel. Before I removed the steering wheel I disconnected the battery, removed the fuses for the air bag, removed the air bag, then realized I needed a steering wheel puller. So my truck basically now has no air bag, and both of the 10Amp fuses are out for the air bag. I re-connected the battery and my truck worked fine, except for the loud dinging noise when I started it up (lasted only a couple secs, I assume it was because the air bag is dissabled). Due to the fact my airbag is disconnected, and the two fuses are missing, is it possible that is the reason my battery died on the truck???

I am getting the alternator tested tonight, but a new one is like 300 Canadian. Ouch.

[jsa]

A new alternator isn't $300 if you install it yourself.

[kman1234]

I only attempted to call one place, PartSource, they quoted me 299 after I return the old one. They told me Ford put out 2 altenators that year, one before june and and after june of the production year.

I was told they were the same price, I definately am not gonna pay 300. But that is what I was told.

You may be right, but I am not lying that is what I was told

[kman1234]

Well it seems you were right I wa curiour called around and you can get an alternator for around 200 bucks.

The guy at PartSource must have been smoking some good stuff.

Well off to get a job at partsource, I want to smoke some of that good stuff too!

[jsa]

Did you try advanced or discount autoparts? The alternator that i dropped in my 92 f150 cost me somewhere around 30-40 bucks