• Welcome to the Contour Enthusiasts Group, the best resource for the Ford Contour and Mercury Mystique.

    You can register to join the community.

Need Alternator Advice . . .

G

Garrett76zt

CEG'er
Joined
Jan 4, 2011
Messages
30
Location
Jamestown, OH
Hey guys, if you followed my other thread you'd know that I just picked up a 98 CSVT and am sorting out alot of things the previous owners have done with the '07 Escape full 3L swap that is in the car.

I bought the car with the previous owner saying it needs an alternator, that it doesnt charge. The full story is that he was driving the car regularly with no problems then one day it stopped charging turns out there was a blown fuse. He replaced the fuse and it charged again for a couple more days and then quite charging again but this time the fuse was fine.

I'm just looking for any advice you guys might have for me before I go purchase a new alternator. Could it be something else?

Thanks!
 
Take it to the Autozone or equivalent and have them test the charging system. Should let you know if it's a battery issue vs. alternator. If fuse kept blowing, I'd lean toward a wire shorting out somewhere, esp. if they moved the battery to the trunk like some 3L swaps do. The alternator going bad will not necessarily trip a fuse.
 
Make sure the fog lamps are in good conditon and fuse 5 is not blown. The charging system runs through Fuse 5 and the fog lamps.
 
ok well the drivers side fog light was in the trunk when i got it. but i think he said it had been like that the whole time he had it. i guess i should reconnect it. . .?
 
Well the fog light mount is broken but i did go ahead and reconnect it and both fog lights work. However still no dice with the alternator charging. The fuse thats in number 5 is a 20amp, I think its supposed to be a 15a but its not blown. . .
 
Yeah that's supposed to be a 15a... you might want to double check all the fuses and get that swapped out asap. Putting a 20a in place of a 15a is not smart and not a fix.

You might want to trace the wiring for that alt 'trigger' wire. I had a similar problem. New alt, new battery, new cables, new megafuse, no charge. I hooked the trigger wire from the alt to a 7.5a fuse to a switch in the dash to the battery and it charges up fine now.
 
You said he had originally replaced the fuse but was it the one connecting the alternator to the battery? Also could be that foglight fuse which always sorta got me made because of it only being listed for foglights when mine blew and i didnt have factory fogs. than obviously your alt tested.
 
Test the charge wire at the alternator connector. I forget which wire it is.... I had to bypass mine and go to a new fused lead directly to the battery (E0 harness fail), I will look tonight and see which one it is. Anyhow, if you're getting power at that connection, then don't chase the foglamp circuit too far. I'd pull off the main lead at the alternator, clean the hell out of it, then coat it with a thin layer of vasoline (best anti-corrosive) just for good measure. You may want to run an ohm test to see if you have any resistance from the charge wire to a chassis ground. I had to completely re-wire a friends 66 impala due to charging issues because when Montgomery Ward's put an A/C in it (back in the 70's) they really trashed the electrical. Sounds like you may have some electrical issues from some diy electrical.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top