Does this sound like a bad alternator?

  • 4
    Participant count
  • Participants list

Umbra

Hobbyist & CA Tenderfoot
I don't know how often people visit this subforum, but since I don't have any accounts at any car repair forums I'll give it a shot.

I was driving a 2002 Ford Windstar (automatic) locally the other day and it cut out while moving. I was going about 40 in town and the battery, check engine, and oil lights all came on. I think the engine cut out (or at least I couldn't accelerate) and I lost power steering. I moved it over to the side, turned it off, and turned it back on. It came right back up and I drove it home. Didn't touch it 'til this morning. Checked the battery voltage it was a high 11. Turned it on and checked it again and it was 15.3 at idle (didn't have someone around to check it while revving). I have very limited mechanical expertise, but it sounds like a shot voltage regulator (hopefully the thing in the alt, I think in some cars there's an ECU component). I asked a salvage yard if they sold this, they don't, but they can get the alt in within a day for $50. Checking online I could get a used one for about that price, maybe a little more, or a new alt with a 1 year warranty for $80 (just have to wait on shipping).

I've never replaced an alt, but there's a lot of information online. Apparently it's not terribly difficult on this model and I know a lot of people here swap out their alts for HO models.

Firstly, does this sound like a bad voltage regulator? Secondly, what would you do, get a new/used alt and hope that's the fix or bring it to a shop for further investigation?

 
15.3 is kinda high for a stock alt to be chargibg at could be bad voltage regulator of you plan on doing a system in it i would invest in a HO alt if not stock should be fine

Sent from my LGMS330 using Tapatalk

 
Replacing alts isn't a diff job. I just replaced mine in my s10 p/u not too long ago. Remove battery cables from the battery if you attempt to replace it. It's easy and wll save yourself $$ vs. having a shop do it for ya.

Sounds like something else going on not the alt but I could be wrong. So many components in the alt that could go bad making other things around your vehicle seem like something else is going on.

Remove it and have an auto parts store test it before spending any $$ on something you may not need.

 
Replacing alts isn't a diff job. I just replaced mine in my s10 p/u not too long ago. Remove battery cables from the battery if you attempt to replace it. It's easy and wll save yourself $$ vs. having a shop do it for ya.
Sounds like something else going on not the alt but I could be wrong. So many components in the alt that could go bad making other things around your vehicle seem like something else is going on.

Remove it and have an auto parts store test it before spending any $$ on something you may not need.
It sounds like the voltage regulator is bad if its charging that high. If ik not mistaken that vehicle has an internal regulatot. But yes having it tested wouldnt be a bad idea

Sent from my LGMS330 using Tapatalk

 
I'll try to get it out and take it to auto zone. There's also a starter/alternator rebuild shop nearby. They might be able to help. Thanks

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

 
If it was cold that could be normal

My gm alt charges at 15.2/3 then when it warms up it drops to 14.7/8

check the voltage after it warms up a bit

Usually electronics don't act up until the alt is charging around 16v. And the alt wouldn't have **** the car off it would be something that was not working if the voltage was too high

Drive it around and try to make it happen again

My wife's car randomly shut off and it was a bad ignition control module (3 mechanics couldn't find it) but my friend was is a mechanic drove it for a week then it finally messed up for him

 
Activity
No one is currently typing a reply...
Old Thread: Please note, there have been no replies in this thread for over 3 years!
Content in this thread may no longer be relevant.
Perhaps it would be better to start a new thread instead.

Similar threads

Is that speaker in the existing rear deck? Are you running a sub in the trunk?Do you have that speaker on an amplifier?Are you using a stock HU...
5
2K
Thanks everyone for the replies! Like I said in my first post I’m not wanting to be loud, I just would like to have a little extra bass.. I like...
12
545
It's always leaned that direction. Not sure how cheap you can really get anything done these days. Deadening and custom mounting...
10
815
You're not going to know until you test with a meter. Typically even carpeting a box as opposed to painting is going to lose a few tenths.
3
1K
These are decent budget subs. The box design isn’t bad at 5 cubes for these, but I’d drop it down just a little and raise port tuning up to 32...
3
1K

About this thread

Umbra

Hobbyist & CA Tenderfoot
Thread starter
Umbra
Joined
Location
Long Island, NY
Start date
Participants
Who Replied
Replies
5
Views
2,252
Last reply date
Last reply from
tymoto21
DD451980-D607-41AB-B69C-6745AAE4B848.jpeg

SlugButter

    Mar 28, 2024
  • 0
  • 0
F98C6D78-7734-4659-9FCA-34969BDDC56A.jpeg

SlugButter

    Mar 28, 2024
  • 0
  • 0

Latest topics

Top