F150 alternator options

[doitmyself]

I'm helping out a college student with a 1995 Ford F150 with 4.9 engine. He needs to replace the alternator.

A dealer alternator is probably too expensive.

Aftermarket options range from $110 to $180+.

I'm wondering if a rebuilt Ford alt. would be better than a new, probably Chinese unit.


In particular, at Carquest their rebuilt unit is $110 with 2 year warrenty. Their new (Chinese?) is $126 with 10yr. warranty.

Autozone and NAPA are more: AZ...$144 rebuilt with life warr., NAPA$144-$164 rebuilt, $179 new.

The truck runs well, but I doubt he will keep it past two years.

 

[Billbert]

The domestic alternators from AZ are reman by Remy I've had good luck with them

 

[Jim 5]

I've read that the best place to get an alternator is at a reputable rebuilder.

Rather than getting a mass-remanufactured alternator, reputable rebuilders often upgrade internals - such as upgraded rectifiers etc. (for modest cost actually) because they are themselves offering the warranty on the unit.

I have called local rebuilders and had the conversations and they have actually told me the upgrades they make and why their units are better than the reman units at places like autozone. One of the statements is that the remanufactured units often have corrected only the single failure point of the failed (used) alternator and then put it back in the box as remanufactured.

They have told me that they renew all the internals and wear items such as bearings/brushes etc. with ugraded components and that they are often better than the factory.

I live in a city of 1,000,000 and there are quite a few businesses that do nothing but rebuild alternators.

 

[SrDriver]

+1 on the local rebuild. Friend had one rebuilt for under $30.00. They did it while he waited.

 

[QuadDriver]

I use 1 of 2 local shops, standard ford or GM units (like CS130s run me $40-50 depending on amperage.

alternators and starters rarely fail the big parts, and if they do, a shop has 'previously tested' units in stock ;-)

btw - good luck getting the lower bolt off that 4.9....lots of PB and work it in and out (ok that sounds bad, but you get the point.

 

[jimvegas]

My dealer website has a Ford one for $161.37 + core, but there would be shipping which might not make it cost effective.

Personally, if not OEM I would have it rebuilt locally as others have said. I learned my lesson long ago on auto parts store rebuilds....

 

[doitmyself]

Thanks, everyone. He decided to go with the FOMOCO rebuilt one from CarQuest for $110. Actually, when I asked the counter guy why they were so much cheaper than other stores, he said it was because they have them remanufactured locally. Hmmmmm...I guess time will tell.

Rest of the story. With the new alt. installed, it still showed no charging. I then found a burnt thru wire from the alt. to the solonoid. Fixed that and got a charge. My friend then figured the old alt. was still o.k. and reinstalled it and....burnt up the wires again. There must be an internal short in the old unit. He reinstalled the new alternator, redid the wires again, and all is well.

Thanks again. I will heed the advice when MY time comes.

 

[brianl703]

Hopefully those burned fuse links were replaced with fuse link wire.

 

[doitmyself]

That's the odd thing. There is a section of wires about 4 inches from the solenoid with shrink wrap on it that I assume is a fusible link. However, the burned through wires were just regular wire in between the solenoid and the shrink wrap area.

Are your saying that the "plain" insulated wire is actually the meltable link?

 

[SuperFast]

Originally Posted By: QuadDriver
I use 1 of 2 local shops, standard ford or GM units (like CS130s run me $40-50 depending on amperage.

alternators and starters rarely fail the big parts, and if they do, a shop has 'previously tested' units in stock ;-)

btw - good luck getting the lower bolt off that 4.9....lots of PB and work it in and out (ok that sounds bad, but you get the point.


Nah, you do what you got to do. Work it!

lol

and get a smaller pulley for the altertnator? Work that tooLots of penetrating lubricant

 

[RH+G]

yes that burnt thru wire could have been the fusible link,
If u go to the auto store u can buy fusible link wire that look just like regular wire