[sundarpn]

Ok my alternator is making this whining sound... increases with rpm... since the last one month. No electrical issues though till now.

If the alternator dies when I am driving, will the battery keep me going for a couple of miles.?? Or will I be stranded on the road :blink: .

 

[zeptoplix]

I Drove about 70kms on my battery. I wouldn't recommend it tho. I couldn't use my lights, heater, or radio. Also had to take it easy not to use too much power accelarating and the such. Not recommended. Just fix the alternator... its a simple fix.

 

[sixfofalcon]

If the bearing seizes up on the alternator, you'll lose the belt, as well as any other accessories that run off of that belt. I'm not sure what those would be on your engine, but it would certainly suck to lose the water pump, PS, and A/C. :blink: The alternator is an easy fix (except on the SHO )

 

[Patrick Norris]

Also when you are done you will need a new battery not just a new alternator.

 

[zeptoplix]

I discharged my battery to the point of not even being able to turn the engine over after I got home, and I did not need to replace the battery. The battery worked fine, and I punished it quite harshly with my system. But definitely man, just fix the alternator. If you have the vulcan, the alt will take like 1/2 hour TOPS if you do not know what you are doing. less than 15 if you do. I believe at least on mine the alt has its own belt which also drives off the crank and water pump. There is a different belt for p/s, a/c and it also drives the water pump. But don't waste time guessing and hoom hahhing, just fix it..
Good luck.

 

[Xmann01]

One thing to keep in mind is the IDLER PULLEY & BEARINGS may be going out. I had the same thing happen to me and I thought it was the alternator. So be sure that it isn't the bearing.

 

[sundarpn]

well, I had the tensioner & the pulley in the tensioner changed sometime back. Further a mechanic I wen to used a mechanic's sethoscope thinghy to listen to the sound. and said it was the alternator..confirming my conclusion

 

[LoadedLX]

alternator's are easy fixes...not too expensive and you really don't have a choice if you want to drive the car.

ten minutes tops if you know what you're doing...thirteen if you don't. and don't worry about your battery...unless you abuse the hell out of it, it won't need replaced. probably wouldn't need it replaced then.

good luck.

 

[theman21]

Not to sound like an ass but the alternator is a pain in the ass if you ask me. I have done it twice on mine. This applies to the duratec engines. The shops say its a 2.5 hour job to do it. Where the location is on the duratec engine is in the rear bottom of the engine compartment. The hard part is getting it out for one, since you can't pull it straight out, and two getting it out without taking off the axel. It can be done but its not fun, my warning to you is that there a 18mm stud that likes to snap. You can't get a replacment from the dealer and its hard to find one at the junkyard. Ford says you have to improvise on this. My advice take your time and make sure this is the first bolt/stud to take out. Maybe spray it with some penatrating oil. Also when you do put one back in, put some antiseize on the bolts so that next time it will less likely to snap on you. If you don't feel up to the challenge have a shop do it. I would esitmate depending on how good your skillz and patience are it would take you around 3-4 hours. The rebuilt is relatively cheap, if you are doing this yourself and don't like pain either get a new one or a very reputable rebuilt one. I myself after going through 2 rebuilts, decided to get a new one since I didn't like doing it, let alone dealing with electrical issues when they do start failing. Oh and yea you can drive just on your battery, I wouldn't advise it, but when it does happen, depending on where you are at, role down your windows, shut off everything electrical(radio, ac, hopefully this doesn't happen at night) and find the nearest safe place you can keep your car to get it either towed or fixed. I wouldn't try to go more than 10 miles depending on your batteries condition before your car will start acting funky to point of stalling. Just some comments.
levi

 

[mooby]

humm could be the tensionner or even the water pump on my car it was the water pump was making a hooling sound and it was leaking just a bit at the weephole

take a screw driver or metal ratchet or something and put it to the alternator and put your ear on the other side and you will find where the noise is coming from and almost sure at 80 % it water pump 12% tensionner beering and the rest is alternator i did not see a lot of those on a ford on a gm yesssssss

:lol2:

 

[Bob Gervais]

Originally posted by theman21@Aug 24 2004, 12:37 AM
Not to sound like an ass but the alternator is a pain in the ass if you ask me. I have done it twice on mine. This applies to the duratec engines. The shops say its a 2.5 hour job to do it. Where the location is on the duratec engine is in the rear bottom of the engine compartment. The hard part is getting it out for one, since you can't pull it straight out, and two getting it out without taking off the axel. It can be done but its not fun, my warning to you is that there a 18mm stud that likes to snap. You can't get a replacment from the dealer and its hard to find one at the junkyard. Ford says you have to improvise on this. My advice take your time and make sure this is the first bolt/stud to take out. Maybe spray it with some penatrating oil. Also when you do put one back in, put some antiseize on the bolts so that next time it will less likely to snap on you. If you don't feel up to the challenge have a shop do it. I would esitmate depending on how good your skillz and patience are it would take you around 3-4 hours. The rebuilt is relatively cheap, if you are doing this yourself and don't like pain either get a new one or a very reputable rebuilt one. I myself after going through 2 rebuilts, decided to get a new one since I didn't like doing it, let alone dealing with electrical issues when they do start failing. Oh and yea you can drive just on your battery, I wouldn't advise it, but when it does happen, depending on where you are at, role down your windows, shut off everything electrical(radio, ac, hopefully this doesn't happen at night) and find the nearest safe place you can keep your car to get it either towed or fixed. I wouldn't try to go more than 10 miles depending on your batteries condition before your car will start acting funky to point of stalling. Just some comments.
levi

Sundar has a Vulcan, but I'd like to comment on this. The V8 SHO guys go through the same deal with the alternator placement. If you drop the passenger's side of the subframe, it makes the job a lot easier, and you don't have to take anything else out. When we did the head swap on Brad's car, I had the alternator out in about 45 minutes. I made him put it back in though... :lol:

 

[sundarpn]

Yup I have a vulcan in my 96 GL. I guess I'll go to another mechanic and get a free diagnosis of whether it is the alternator befoer bying one from ebay.