pretty much a rant! about my alt again

[ThatShoGuy]

well for the 3rd time i got to remove my alternator glad its got a 2 year warranty only a week 1/2 old! sucks balls! lol

battery light is on and my stereo cap reads 11.75ish volts!

thanks for ready comment if you wanna!

 

[Porkchop]

welcome to the club

Ive had to do it 3 or 4 times now, have it down to pretty much a science now

 

[E1 v2]

That sucks. But you're also normal.

Infant replacement alternator failures on V8 SHO's has made it all the way up to cliche' status.

I was fresh out of a wheelchair (& NOT in the mood for wrenching in January), glad to pay anything for the alternator that would 'just go in and work', and spent the next 3 weeks going through 4 alternators before finding the one that's been in there the last 3 years.
2 rebuilts, then a new one, and yet another 'grasp at a straw' rebuilt which, knock on wood, hasn't turned on that nasty battery light since.

I feel your pain....and wish I could reassure you that it is over. But I can't do that just yet.

Good luck.

 

[ThatShoGuy]

That sucks. But you're also normal.

Infant replacement alternator failures on V8 SHO's has made it all the way up to cliche' status.

I was fresh out of a wheelchair (& NOT in the mood for wrenching in January), glad to pay anything for the alternator that would 'just go in and work', and spent the next 3 weeks going through 4 alternators before finding the one that's been in there the last 3 years.
2 rebuilts, then a new one, and yet another 'grasp at a straw' rebuilt which, knock on wood, hasn't turned on that nasty battery light since.

I feel your pain....and wish I could reassure you that it is over. But I can't do that just yet.

Good luck.

well at least its got a 2 year warranty i only payed like $114.95 for it. i got it for 60% off list :woo-hoo: listed for $277.75

i hope every time they replace it the warranty restarts! at least it should right?

just dont feel to happy that i had to do it again! owell thats life!

 

[luigisho]

Put it on a test bench before you install it. I went through this with aftermarket alts with my GenI. Most rebuild/reman alts have a high failure rate. I was able to catch 3 on the test bench before I went to install them. That was after installing the first 2 that turned out to be junk. I went through 5 or 6 units from several different stores and from two different chains.

 

[NebraskaSHO]

Porkchop welcome back :wave:

Thatshoguy... sell, your, car...

You have the worst luck I have ever seen with your 97.

 

[ThatShoGuy]

Porkchop welcome back :wave:

Thatshoguy... sell, your, car...

You have the worst luck I have ever seen with your 97.

i know thats why i put it all up here.. if the engine light wasnt on for a evap issue STILL! (since the winter i havent bother touchin that)

the plan was to put the new short block in and put the sale sign in it, but my tbird sc got a rod knock!

so once i put it together i needed to drive it, and since then the car has came with more issues.

really in the end this car needs parted and junked......... if i dont get to a point were nothing breaks for like a year i dont think ill **** it on someone like that and i would loose so much invested!!! with buying this car and all the work investing around 18k and the bill is still running.. i just cant see that much money go for 3k so i keep fixing it.

i have owned the car for 5 years when i bought it the car had 86k on it. as it sits, it has just over 108k it has seen 3 motors, 2 trans and so much more! crazy! also a around of cam failure!

 

[ThatShoGuy]

well the alt is in, cap reads 14.5volts with heat full blast! and rear defrost on!

so i say its good even tho i had them check it! b4 i took it.


lets see how long this one last!

 

[luigisho]

Good luck.

 

[ThatShoGuy]

no good luck.

anything over 4k rpms with the new one the light comes on! :rainshit::argue:

 

[SHOZ123]

One thing you should be aware of with the SHO alternator is the pulley is bigger than the Windstar alternator. It's only a 2-3 mm but it helps at the high rpms.

 

[Orvbaby]

no good luck.

anything over 4k rpms with the new one the light comes on! :rainshit::argue:

I went through this too. The replacement did the same thing. Out of frustration, I left the 2nd alternator in and drove it. It only lasted a few months then failed. I ended up replacing it with a Visteon new build. That has worked well for a few years now.
Jeff

 

[wymjym]

FWIW, there were many discussions concerning the genlll sho alternator, some years ago. Bottom line, when they start to fail, because of the time involved in replacing the unit, it is far (FAR) better to have local—reputable alt repair shop—rebuild the unit. It will cost you more than the lifetime warranty unit a Xxzone or whereever but at least it will have all of the diodes replaced along with the bearings and VR.
The lifetime units generally fail because a diode goes out, the repair unit gets that bad diode replaced and maybe the bearings but not all of them…this is one of those situation where they really all should be replaced at the same time (with new ones).
I learned my lesson with a Honda Accord….to replace that alternator one needs to break the suspention apart and fish the alt out the bottom…..I hope this sheds some light on the situation.
wj

 

[ThatShoGuy]

i beleave its a fully rebuilt unit it was listed for 277$\

snapped that pic with the cell when i picked up the replacement! i do agree about the pulley it did look a tade smaller! but it was listed under 3.4l Taurus sho still would have a windstart pulley what crap if true! if this is true i do have a junker old alternator with a broken case i can get the pulley off of!

FWIW, there were many discussions concerning the genlll sho alternator, some years ago. Bottom line, when they start to fail, because of the time involved in replacing the unit, it is far (FAR) better to have local—reputable alt repair shop—rebuild the unit. It will cost you more than the lifetime warranty unit a Xxzone or whereever but at least it will have all of the diodes replaced along with the bearings and VR.
The lifetime units generally fail because a diode goes out, the repair unit gets that bad diode replaced and maybe the bearings but not all of them…this is one of those situation where they really all should be replaced at the same time (with new ones).
I learned my lesson with a Honda Accord….to replace that alternator one needs to break the suspention apart and fish the alt out the bottom…..I hope this sheds some light on the situation.
wj

 

[SHOZ123]

Most places won't touch a G3 alternator. All the diodes are soldered into the back of the case. Hard to unsolder and put back without fubaring something.

And that is when they can get them apart without breaking the case.

There are places that make 100% new ones though not Ford. I would not put a rebuilt on. Currently on my second Advance Auto rebuilt palladium series. They say the only thing reuses is the case but I don't know. First one something broke internally after about 6 months. The second one has been on a couple of years.

I made a heat shield for the back of mine. The alternator back sits very close to the exhaust manifold. This is why the rear bearing fails I think.

 

[ThatShoGuy]

whats the difference between remanufactured to rebuilt?

 

[TheScaryOne]

Reman - Re-manufactured. Brand new parts. (From reputable companies. Disreputable companies sell rebuilt as reman!)

Rebuilt - We dun fixed what broked. Now here ye go.

Never. Ever. Ever. Buy. Rebuilt. At least get Reman.