multiple alternator failures 95 taurus

[modification_inc]

I have gone through 7 different alternators. Put a new one on and the alt. heats up very hot and fails. Lasts a very short time (like 10 miles). Any ideas???????

[dan_taurus]

how tight are you putting the belt on? could also be bad barrings on anther pully not aligning the alt belt?have any underdrive or overdrive pully kits? thats not good for the alt!!are you getting rebuilt or new? could be any or all the above, hope that helps a little

[TomV]

Assumptions: Belt is not too tight, the tensioner is OK. Not all replacement alternators are bad.

Conclusions: You have a short somewhere that allows total ampere ratings of the alternator to be exceeded, but yet does not blow a fuse. This is most probably in the charging circuit, starting circuit or maybe the battery itself.

You could have an open wire to the alternator. This makes the voltage regulator think that the battery charge is low thus forcing the maximum current. I have smoked an alternator by not connecting it properly to the battery. I read about this warning before hand but did it anyways. Now I know better.