Ok, ive been having some electical problems that point to either battery or alternator. I replaced the battery so thats not it. So i have the alternator apart on my desk and im taking a look. From what i can tell the only problem i can visually see is this, ill describe best i can, no camera sorry.

Ok theres a small gray plastic piece attached to the housing of the alternator, this piece on the inside, has two springs that push against some copper rings on the center rod in the alternator. One of those rings is half worn through on one side, down to steel. im assuming this is the problem. I doubt i can just get that piece, but im curious if its possible. Also more for educational purposes, that plastic gray piece, thats a voltage regulator correct? I actually ran the truck for 3 days fine but it was just slowly getting lower and lower power. Im guessing because of this ring, its only gettin half charge of something similar?

Any help appreciated.

 

ok now im really sure that those plastic things dont press against that center column, installed it back that way and it makes wierd noises when it spins, like scraping, it wasnt like that when i pulled it off. So i hunted around the desk looking for a part maybe that a i dropped? Anyone have a picture of the voltage regulator's and how they are supposed to be when you put em in?

 

ok never mind, i figured out how to get it right.

 

It would be one heck of a lot easier just getting a Ford Re-man'd alternator. They're around $180, but the sucky thing is Ford only sells Re-man'd alternators (motorcraft).

G. Luck

 

"sucky"

Is that a technical term? Remember, I'm a Mechanical Engineer and they taught us everything we need to know about electronics one night as follows:

"Everything electrical runs on smoke. If you let the smoke out - it won't work anymore."

Try to tell me I'm wrong! I've let the smoke out of a ton of stuff.

 

yeah i actually found a couple on ebay for 60 bucks so im just gonna get one of those. My guess as to what happened, the alternator itself is actually fine, however the voltage regulator is gettin an inaccurate reading from the copper on the center shaft, so its not charging the battery properly. Such a shame i have to buy a whole new one because of strip of metal 1mm by 5 mm but so be it.