Solved Alternator issues.

[Bill DeHuff]

When the Check Charging System light came on on my 2005 Explorer XLT, I changed the alternator. That did not correct it. I changed the battery. No change. I finally figured that maybe I got a bad alternator (from Advance Auto) so I got another one from a Ford Dealer. It was rebuilt but they insisted it was a Motorcraft (they said there were no new units available for my car). It operated sporadically so I exchanged it for another one. Now nothing - no charging. I figured that it must be something in the wiring - what followed was many hours of researching and checking wires, fuses, fusible links, etc. Finally my wife convinced me to go to a friend of ours who was a custom truck builder and the first thing he said was to bench test the alternator. It was bad. He ordered one from NAPA and now it's finally working again. So I got 3 bad rebuilt alternators in a row. I will go with NAPA from now on for anything important.

 

[BrooklynBay]

A lot of the time it's just a bad brush or a connection inside the alternator. I've replaced brushes many times in alternators instead of buying the whole alternator. Brushes are cheap for a pack of 10 on EBay. You will have to solder the terminals if they are not an exact fit.

 

[mountaineer2004]

Ford alternators are guaranteed for 2 years/unlimited miles.
Did Ford refund your money?

 

[TechGuru]

I would have gone with a NEW Bosch AL7543N available for $155.79 at RockAuto.

More Information for BOSCH AL7543N

 

[Number4]

NAPA sells new alternators. But even with new, mine had a bad bearing.
Anything remand is a gamble, which is why aftermarket suppliers (NAPA etc) sell so many new items.
With remand units, they ONLY replace the part that failed and clean up the rest.

 

[TechGuru]

NAPA sells new alternators. But even with new, mine had a bad bearing.
Anything remand is a gamble, which is why aftermarket suppliers (NAPA etc) sell so many new items.
With remand units, they ONLY replace the part that failed and clean up the rest.

Then I think the word you are looking for is "REBUILT".

A remanufactured part is remanufactured to the original blueprints and exact specifications, and is tested to original equipment standards.
A rebuilt part, the repair is done up to the level of failure.

 

[Number4]

Then I think the word you are looking for is "REBUILT".

A remanufactured part is remanufactured to the original blueprints and exact specifications, and is tested to original equipment standards.
A rebuilt part, the repair is done up to the level of failure.

With remanufactured, they only replace the parts that failed and anything not in spec. So if something is going to fail but tests fine now, it’s left in. One should always avoid remand/rebuilt product if new is an option. Depending on who makes the new item. Of course everything runs great when it’s all new.

 

[donalds]

Or fix it once like I did

How to: - 4g alternator rebuild with pictures

So about a year ago I bought a remanufactured alternator From autocrap Since then the bearings went out twice making lots of noise So instead of changing it again for warranty I figured I may as well rebuild it the correct way and make a how to thread

www.explorerforum.com

 

[RickOTR]

All alternators, Starters (Ford, GM etc.) are reman from China hat from the horses mouth. Like Donald said, rebuilding is the best way to go for a trouble free alternator as well as low cost. Cost me $35 to rebuild mine and it's been running trouble free for 240K miles.

 

[TechGuru]

Or fix it once like I did

How to: - 4g alternator rebuild with pictures

So about a year ago I bought a remanufactured alternator From autocrap Since then the bearings went out twice making lots of noise So instead of changing it again for warranty I figured I may as well rebuild it the correct way and make a how to thread

www.explorerforum.com

Glad you posted this. My alternator works great, puts out great voltage, BUT it randomly screaches a horrid noise. I've been wanting to replace just the bearings alone...

BTW, do you know how to go about adding a AC tap to this alternator?

 

[donalds]

BTW, do you know how to go about adding a AC tap to this alternator?

Sorry I don't but @J_C may

 

[TechGuru]

Sorry I don't but @J_C may

Nevermind anyway. I was wanting to add a step up transformer to get 120VAC and upon researching it it looks to be way more trouble than it's worth, I'll just buy a inverter. lol

But back to my bearings, I was thinking, I'm not sure if I can replace just the bearings anymore at this point because isn't the screetch I'm hearing the shaft getting scraped up on a bearing locking up thus damaging the shaft?

 

[donalds]

You can just replace the bearings
The brushes tend to squeal to

As long as it spins freely by hand I'd order a rebuild kit from rebuilder in a box
I recommend them because I use their kits
Others here have rebuilt their alternator to with the same kit I think @4pointslow has like 150k on his rebuild and still going

 

[donalds]

If you just use the bearings in the kit that's fine but the rest of the parts in the kit are high quality new parts

I think the bearings are like 10$ a piece or something like that

 

[RickOTR]

That alternator takes special RCS bearings. These are high speed ceramic bearings that can handle high rpms and heat. Others will burn out quick. Also, the pulleys on remanufactured and rebuilt alternators may not be the same size as that on your OEM Motorcraft. That will cause squeaking too.

 

[RickOTR]

Here y go..

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-...0001&campid=5574912417&icep_item=163889247761

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-...0001&campid=5574912417&icep_item=252861579499

 

[TechGuru]

Here y go..

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-...0001&campid=5574912417&icep_item=163889247761

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-...0001&campid=5574912417&icep_item=252861579499

I was going to order this: NEW PREMIUM ALTERNATOR BEARING SET fits FORD 4G SERIES | eBay

Don't I need those teflon rings that one has?

 

[J_C]

^ I don't recognize the "AEP" brand of those and so I'd avoid them in case they're low quality.

The alternator shaft is "probably" fine still unless it's been wobbling like crazy for a long time, but you won't know for certain whether you just need the bearings until you get it open.

Yes, trying to tap the AC on the alternator is far more trouble than it's worth, not only the limited space to tap it but also you would then need to design and build a custom boost stage and even if you made a great design, the time to do it and the parts would cost far more than a ready made AC inverter. There may be some ready made product (for the right input and output voltages, not necessarily for using an alternator as input) but since it isn't something popular, would probably fall into the niche of industrial units that are also very expensive unless you happened to find one as salvage or surplus at some site dealing in those sorts of parts.

 

[Balke]

A lot of the time it's just a bad brush or a connection inside the alternator. I've replaced brushes many times in alternators instead of buying the whole alternator. Brushes are cheap for a pack of 10 on EBay. You will have to solder the terminals if they are not an exact fit.

what ?? what about the brushes for the 4G alternator ?? can you do those ?? the brush holder is a fused , sealed part of the voltage regulator ,, where as ,, on the 3G and 6G ,, the brushes with the brush holder ,, are screwed to the regulators and can be removed and replaced separately from the voltage regulator .
I am aware that my brushes will be wearing out soon ,, ( 2001 explorer ) so I bought brushes from Napa !! Napas' web site said that the brushes and holder are exact fit for my vehicle , but after purchasing them , I found out that the brush holder is the WRONG PART !! It is for a 3G or 6G alternator , but not the 4G . I should have at first checked to be sure . At least I did not pull my Alt. yet ,, but I went to the wrecking yard and got another 4G Alt that looks fairly new ,, from a scraped explorer ,, 130 amp , Dixe ,, so it is not the original Alt that he /she had on their truck ,,.. so anyway ,, I have not pulled out the regulator yet ,, to see the brushes ,, but ya .... I was thinking that there must be some way to remove the new brushes that I have , and put them into the 4g regulator ,, but I have to look at it first .,
I would love to know if there is a way !!!

 

[Bill DeHuff]

When the Check Charging System light came on on my 2005 Explorer XLT, I changed the alternator. That did not correct it. I changed the battery. No change. I finally figured that maybe I got a bad alternator (from Advance Auto) so I got another one from a Ford Dealer. It was rebuilt but they insisted it was a Motorcraft (they said there were no new units available for my car). It operated sporadically so I exchanged it for another one. Now nothing - no charging. I figured that it must be something in the wiring - what followed was many hours of researching and checking wires, fuses, fusible links, etc. Finally my wife convinced me to go to a friend of ours who was a custom truck builder and the first thing he said was to bench test the alternator. It was bad. He ordered one from NAPA and now it's finally working again. So I got 3 bad rebuilt alternators in a row. I will go with NAPA from now on for anything important.

OK - Update to this situation - my fourth NAPA alternator finally went bad also. I took it to a Ford dealer (Gengras in Plainville, CT) and they were kind enough to troubleshoot the problem and it was a worn wiring harness which they repaired for a few hundred dollars. Sometimes dealers dont want to work on cars as old as mine but they did, God bless them, and they fixed it.