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how long do I have before it dies?

qokuh

New CEG'er
Joined
Oct 28, 2005
Messages
22
My batt. light is on so im pretty sure I need a new alt. HOW MUCH DOES THIS COST INCLUDING INSTALLATION (for those of you that have had it done)? I dont think I have the abilities to do it myself. I'm gonna have it done by Ford. Also, before the light was on the lights always pulsated over 70mph. I just want to get an idea how much this is gonna set me back.

Thanks
 
With the light on steady, and on a FULLY CHARGED BATTERY, you have about 80 or so miles before the car dies. This is, of course, assuming you have the radio, A/C, headlights, and interior lights off.
 
With the light on steady, and on a FULLY CHARGED BATTERY, you have about 80 or so miles before the car dies. This is, of course, assuming you have the radio, A/C, headlights, and interior lights off.

Ray, I think it would be better to say that it would depend on the reserve rate of his specific battery. If you have a Red Top Optima and he has some cheapy one he prob. won't make it nearly as far. I'm not trying to contradict you, as you are an absolute wealth of information, I just dont want thim to make it 40 miles down the road and end up stuck somewhere wondering what happened.
 
Awesome observation, Mike! To clear that up, on a STOCK capacity battery, you should be looking at ROUGHLY 70-80 miles OR SO. PCM, injectors, fuel pump, sensors, etc, all take power. Revving the car higher than granny style uses more voltage for each injector and the fuel pump, than lower revs, etc.

I'd have it changed ASAP, either way.

You can also try taking a long handled screwdriver, or something similar and "jarring" the alternator while running. This can cause the brushes to grab for a while longer. BE CAREFUL WHEN DOING THIS, as the serp belt is moving right there, and you'd hate to get hurt because you slipped and got hung up on something moving.

Whatever you do, leave it running. starting it takes more voltage.
 
for the fuel pump? Sure!
For the PCM? I don't think the PCM takes many amps of power, but which dies first when you drain a battery? Fuel pump or PCM? I haven't a clue which would die first..
 
it doesn't use alot of amps but with no current left it doesn't matter if you have a billion volts with 1amp left ya know

Voltage means nothing its all about current

the 2 amp draw for the PCM is nothing compared to the 20amp highlights or the 40amp fans, or the 30amp fuel pump.
 
I just bought a 97 Tour Sport that came with a bad alternator. The housing had cracked and the pulley was frozen, so I also had no power stearing :).

With a Diehard batt rated at 490 CCA I drove it about 15 min, roughly 10 miles. This was at night so I had to run my headlights, and was running the fog lights for fun, I also stopped at a gas station and had to stop and start the car an extra time :-/. I also punched it from about 15 mph to 65 or so on the entrance ramp to the highway. Just before the battery died I hit the turn signal to change lanes and the tac dropped to 0 RPM every time the turn signal lights turned on. The motor was still running though not making much power. At this point I shut the motor off so that my lights had enough juice to be visible, pushed the clutch in (5-speed FTW), and coasted to the side of the road. 10 min of charging the battery via jumper cables off my bro's car I did a dig-65mph punch to get back up to speed and had the car go about 4 miles till the tac simply dead lined. (This is your warning that the motor is about to stall on you, which happens quickly afterward.) Again I shut the motor off (not losing my power steering since the serpentine belt wasn't on at all) and coasted to the side of the road. Charged the battery for 15 min off the bro's alternator this time, babied the car up to 75 mph (roughly 3-3.5k RPM at 75 mph if I remember right) and the car went about 10 miles before it died again. I did another 15 min charge and babied the car up to 55mph, which is all the faster I went. Car ran for about 15 miles, rinse and repeat that last charge and I got to my co-workers house.


I also drove the car like a grandma with a fully charged batt about 30 min, 15 miles, and made it without any problem. I work at Sam's Club in Tire and Battery and drove the car there, I had my co-worker charge the battery when I got there and he said it only charged for 5 min on our fast charger, so I might have been able to get back home without charging if I had continued to baby the car.

The RPM's *greatly* affect battery life and lights drain it noticably faster. I was forced to drive at night because it was the only time my co-worker could work on the car that I could drive it to him, AVOID DRIVING AT NIGHT IF YOU CAN!!!

My friend/co-worker happens to be a certified mechanic and installed a new alternator for $100, after he was done he said he was never putting another alternator is as it involved removing the passenger side drive shaft and lower ball joint. It was a 6 hour long project for him, and would have cost well over the $270 final bill (including alternator) if I had gotten it done by a shop.



Cliff Notes: Battery should last 45min-1h if you drive it *easy* without any power draws except the essentials. To be on the safe side find a friend/family member to follow you and bring jumper cables in case you need to re-charge the battery mid trip.
 
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I just bought a 97 Tour Sport .....My friend/co-worker happens to be a certified mechanic and installed a new alternator for $100, after he was done he said he was never putting another alternator is as it involved removing the passenger side drive shaft and lower ball joint. It was a 6 hour long project for him, and would have cost well over the $270 final bill (including alternator) if I had gotten it done by a shop.
.....
Welcome Infernokron :) . $270 is steal and I am sure many CEGers would love to have a mechanic who charges that amount to change the alternator for the V6 Duratec.
 
Welcome Infernokron :) . $270 is steal and I am sure many CEGers would love to have a mechanic who charges that amount to change the alternator for the V6 Duratec.

I love my mechanic. He did it the 2nd time mine died, I changed it the first time, and he only charged me $75 in labor. Parts were free because of the warranty.
 
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