Damn Alternator

**Mechan1k** · 05-09-2005, 08:27 PM

I knew it was time to replace the damn thing .. as the power steering pump was leaking fluid into it.

I had been getting the battery light coming on and going off on the odd occasion ... I had the car booked in for Wednesday to replace the alternator (along with getting the power steer leak fixed).

I noticed it was getting worse when the radio cut out a couple of times ... and my 2-way for work flicked off and on once as well. Then the battery light was dimming and the airbag light came on.

Lucky for me I was at Castle Towers in Castle Hill about to drop my last delivery had I had on-board ... the car got sluggish and then slowly came to a stop ... I managed to think quick and put it in N out of Drive and keep the car rolling ... made it around the right hand corner on an Amber light (slowly) and just pull up into the Loading Dock driveway (PHEW!)

I was hoping for the alternator to hold out till Wednesday when the ute was booked in for it's service ... I cleaned the crap out of it the other day just to keep it going ... but it think it just couldn't take it much longer.

NRMA came out ... and gave me the option of having it towed and fixed at an auto electrician .... or get another NRMA vehicle out and have the alternator replaced on the spot. I compared prices and found that it was cheaper for NRMA to swap it onsite ($300 inc. labour) ... I was only my way in 2 hours.

For all those NSW people who are with NRMA road service ... keep in mind that they can replace your alternator, starter motor, battery anywhere. I was surprised ... OK it does cost .... but for me as a courier ... it was nice to know i was only my way again in 2 hours time.

Now i just have to get my power steer leak fixed otherwise I'll be up for another alternator in the near future.

Just thought I'd share the events of my day

tunna · 04-01-2006, 04:46 PM

wish i had read this enlightening post when my power steering started to leak. if you got the powersteering fixed what did it cost? just another au xr quirk dont ya luv em

Panda · 04-01-2006, 09:13 PM

My alternator sh1t itself in Darwin, but I still made it from Darwin to Katherine (about 300km distance, average speed 180km/h) basically running on the battery only. It must have been producing some charge because when I revved it the alternator light would go out for a second.

I drove all that way with the lights, stereo and air-conditioner off, but made it none the less. Thank god the Ford dealer in Katherine had an alternator in stock and had time to do it.

I wasn't aware the alternator has been such an issue on the AU's.

Panda

albanycobra · 04-01-2006, 10:22 PM

My Alternator pooed itself aswell. Alt light was coming and going until
it basically stayed on all the time. I ended up using the Mitsubishi Alt
with the plug conversion, saved me about $100.

**Mechan1k** · 06-01-2006, 09:10 PM

The battery light was going on and off all the time ... everytime i revved it .. it would go off ... untill it decided to just stay on ... then all my dash lights went on and off in no particular order ... then the odometer disappeared too ... then the car just stopped.

I replaced the high pressure hose from the back of the power steer reservoir to the steering rack ... specialised Ford only part ... the hose by itself is about $110-120 .. can be a pain to get to on the rack ... then a flush of the power steer system is needed afterwards too to get all the air out of the system.

It's a common AU thing ... good design feature putting a powersteer pump/reservoir directly above the alternator as well ... LOL

clontarf_x · 07-01-2006, 12:16 PM

shoulda been the other way round! LOL