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Periodic dimming of dash and headlights led me to throw a multimeter on the car. Readings were taken at the battery terminals after a 40min commute. At idle with zero accessories it reads 13.55v; with the headlights on high, flashers, a/c, fan, stereo all on it fluctuates between 11.8 and 12.2. With car off the battery reads 12.7. Mileage is 71k.
Is a new alternator in my future? It appears that the battery is only discharging under the most extreme (though not unusual) of loads. So perhaps I have a few days of careful motoring before being MIA?
Bill Jenkins appears to have one, F6RZ-10346-BBRM1, for $146.18; which is a great price from what I've read.
Thoughts, opinions? Thanks!
-- 1999 SVT #220 --
In retrospect, it was all downhill from here. RIP, CEG.
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Maybe if I posted about how my neons were killing the alternator this thread would elicit some response? Or if I asked about what brand yellow paint I should use to dress it up?
Come on, surely someone knows the nominal v range for our alternators...
-- 1999 SVT #220 --
In retrospect, it was all downhill from here. RIP, CEG.
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I will stab a total guess. But reading from your post, the V-Meter readings don't sound that out of line, considering you had the car under load and then not under load and it didn't go too far out of range.
If your lights are dimming at idle/load ranges that is to be expected when you have accessories running & such. Mine do whenever I have my stuff going.
But again, I'm no expert. I could be totally off. I just think if you're not having problems, with lighting, performance or such a temporary dimming is normal.
"Fear is the little death."
Muadib.
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At idle, that 130 amp altenator is capable of putting out 80 amps @ 13.5 volts or so (the output voltage will drop as the voltage regulator heats up, but never below about 13V).
It shouldn't be dropping as low as you are reporting. No way, no how. At 12.2V, you are discharging the battery. At 11.8V you are discharging it even more. Not good.
It's normal for the voltage to drop that low with all of the accessories on at idle in a 1988 Mustang GT with a 65-amp alternator[which, in fact, is why I replaced with a 130-amp alternator], but it is NOT normal for any Contour.
If I had to take a guess I'd say that one of the alternator diodes has gone bad. That usually causes diminished alternator output, with the possible side-effect of causing a battery drain when the engine is off.
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Originally posted by brianl703:
At idle, that 130 amp altenator is capable of putting out 80 amps @ 13.5 volts or so (the output voltage will drop as the voltage regulator heats up, but never below about 13V).
It shouldn't be dropping as low as you are reporting. No way, no how. At 12.2V, you are discharging the battery. At 11.8V you are discharging it even more. Not good.
It's normal for the voltage to drop that low with all of the accessories on at idle in a 1988 Mustang GT with a 65-amp alternator[which, in fact, is why I replaced with a 130-amp alternator], but it is NOT normal for any Contour.
If I had to take a guess I'd say that one of the alternator diodes has gone bad. That usually causes diminished alternator output, with the possible side-effect of causing a battery drain when the engine is off.
Hey I said I was guessing!!!
"Fear is the little death."
Muadib.
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Originally posted by brianl703:
If I had to take a guess I'd say that one of the alternator diodes has gone bad. That usually causes diminished alternator output, with the possible side-effect of causing a battery drain when the engine is off.
That would be a typical failure.
If you can, check for voltage drop between the alt. output and the positive battery post with the lights on. A drop over a quarter volt indicates bad connections.
"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it" -George Santayana
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Money, The nominal range with all accessories on is 13.2-14.2V. If you are reading 11.8-12.2V your battery is not getting charged. You probobly already know that though. What you probobly didn't know is that you ground and positive cables could be at fault and that is about a 50% chance roughly. Check the integrity of those first as well as the mega fuse which is located near the firewall on the back of the wiring harness central section right under the ignition module on Duratec 2.5L. If those both look and test fine then proceed with alternator removal and get it tested before you buy it. If at all possible, remove the voltage regulator and check the brushes for dirt, oil, dust, and corrosion. You may be able to check out cheap without having to buy a complete unit. Voltage regulator is $30 compared to $130 at Auto Zone. If you do all this and still have no luck, check your wiring harness. Those aren't cheap from Ford either.. IDEA.. find one used and test it first if needed! 
a D*CK SLAP IN THE FACE IS ALL I GET FOR STICKING MY NECK OUT FOR A FORD... PLEASE DELETE MY ACCOUNT!
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Originally posted by bigMoneyRacing:
Maybe if I posted about how my neons were killing the alternator this thread would elicit some response?
Get better Neons!!!
Originally posted by bigMoneyRacing:
Or if I asked about what brand yellow paint I should use to dress it up?
VHT makes a nice high temp paint, but I'm not sure of the actually horsepower gains from their yellow version. Might want to check a Honda board or two on that one. 
Originally posted by bigMoneyRacing:
Come on, surely someone knows the nominal v range for our alternators...
Read some of the other post in this thread! 
 I'm just joking!! I figured someone else would do it sooner or later, so I figured I would since they hadn't.
The problems you are seeing are the very first signs of your alt going out. I know of one other SVT owner that had a decent stero, nothing fancy but more than stock, and his ran like this for several months. His was still under warrenty and he hounded them forever over it. Since they only test the output of the alt at idle, they never found a problem. Yours may not do it now, but if you get the rpms in the upper ranges, like say 5-6K, you will notice that your battery light will come on. Soon, it will come on at lower rpms, like 3500 and 4000. It is somewhere around this time that you really cannot wait any longer to replace the slowly dying alt.
Phillip Jackson
`98 Mystique LS
262K+ and counting...
ATX rebuilt @ 151K
"This storm has broken me, my only friend!" RIP Dime
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i am having the same problem with my car right as we speak. . . i have changed the altornator 3 times!and this last time i replaced the 130 amp with a 200 amp. my car is dead. the battery light would come on when i stepped on the gas and the battery light would go off when i shifted or let off the gas?
if anyone has an idea just shot!
thanks lonny
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Originally posted by americansvt:
i am having the same problem with my car right as we speak. . . i have changed the altornator 3 times!and this last time i replaced the 130 amp with a 200 amp. my car is dead. the battery light would come on when i stepped on the gas and the battery light would go off when i shifted or let off the gas?
if anyone has an idea just shot!
thanks lonny
Welcome aboard americansvt! 
Unless you have a hugh stereo and some LCD screens in your car, I can't see why the 130 AMP should do the trick. If you don't have any ICEE in your ride, that can only mean one of two things...
1) You have been buying some seriously crappy alt from somewhere
2) You need to check you battery cables very closely. They could be fraded somewhere causing a short to ground. Or you have a bad/loose connection on the cables or the alt itself.
Phillip Jackson
`98 Mystique LS
262K+ and counting...
ATX rebuilt @ 151K
"This storm has broken me, my only friend!" RIP Dime
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