Alternator dead?

[99FiveOh]

I can work on any, but I'm only set up to work on and rebuild Ford 3G alternators because I'm not a fully stocked rebuilder. Even to keep 3G rebuild parts stocked up is expensive!

 

[MysteryMachine]

oh nevermind then

 

[BlackVert]

You never told us if the old one turned out to be bad. And let me tell you from personal experience, Autozone and Advance have told me in the past that my alts were bad when in fact there were good. I still catch them hooking them up wrong and have to show them the proper way.

i brought it to my mechanic who spun it and said the bearings were shot. more reason to think i tightened the belt down too much

I wish I would have saw this sooner Chris, I could have done a lifetime warranty POLISHED unit for 100 bucks! Oh well..I'm glad you got it fixed.

check your pms. if i can return the one i got, i'll take you up on your offer. the least expensive one i could find was $154. can you send one ASAP and i'll paypal you?

 

[MysteryMachine]

i doubt they will let you return it if you installed it

 

[BlackVert]

i have not installed it yet

 

[Pokageek]

You never told us if the old one turned out to be bad. And let me tell you from personal experience, Autozone and Advance have told me in the past that my alts were bad when in fact there were good. I still catch them hooking them up wrong and have to show them the proper way.

As for Autozone, their machine is a piece of crap! It's a stupid computer that just tells you if it's bad or good, nothing else.

I've been rebuilding these alternators for 6 years now so I know them pretty well. Bearings are super easy to swap and I've never once heard of "fluid" causing any issues if it did get in there. It's just a HUGE electromagnet so a little fluid wouldn't have the slightest affect unless it got into the regulator/plug.

Also, the regulator in these alternators RARELY EVER goes bad. It is usually the brushes that get fubard up. Either they get worn down to the nub or they break off completely.

I wish I would have saw this sooner Chris, I could have done a lifetime warranty POLISHED unit for 100 bucks! Oh well..I'm glad you got it fixed.

This is good to know Mustang. Why do some of them go bad right away or if you "touch" them with metal? Is that a stupid myth?and I guess I am saying, why do some rebuilt ones go bad right away??

 

[99FiveOh]

I guess it depends on who does the rebuilding. Judging by my experience with the reman'd dizzies for example, some of them are bad right out of the box! I had to switch out like 3 of them before I got a good one recently!

I guess the same goes for alternators. "I suppose" when they are rebuilt in some kind of mass production manner, things get overlooked and not replaced when they should be. When an actual alternator/starter shop rebuilds them, they tend to look it over very well. Same goes for me, if it's not right I won't ship it. I've probably sold about 300 units in the last 6 years and I may have gotten 3 returned for DOA problems. And I remember at least one of those was incorrect installation, apparent from the melted power lug insulator.

The main thing that goes in these alts is the brushes as I mentioned above. Next is diodes popping, then after that it's the rectifier's going bad, these tend to ooze melted insulation out from them when they go bad. When these go bad, it can cause a direct short and sometimes kill your battery SLLLOOOOWWWW.

 

[BlackVert]

The main thing that goes in these alts is the brushes as I mentioned above. Next is diodes popping, then after that it's the rectifier's going bad, these tend to ooze melted insulation out from them when they go bad. When these go bad, it can cause a direct short and sometimes kill your battery SLLLOOOOWWWW.

i hope that is my problem. my battery died the last few times i recharged it

 

[HISSIN50]

NM. Don't wanna get off topic.

 

[BlackVert]

well i put in the new alternator today. the whining is gone and so far it is holding a charge.

now all i have to do is get the transmisison straightened out and i will be back in business

i'm still going to have mark rebuild the polished one. then i will have a backup for when i burn this one up

NM. Don't wanna get off topic.

don't worry about it ... this thread is pretty much done anyway