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Thread: Alternator???

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
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    Alternator???

    The other night (last Thursday on my way to the 99 to be exact ) I was travelling down the highway and thought I noticed my headlights dimming. It was barely perceptible, and I thought I might be halucinating. I looked down at my volt meter and it was reading 12v. Not good! I pulled off the highway to check it, as I happened to have my multimeter with me, and as I came to a stop at the lights, everything got bright and it came back up to 14v. I decided to continue on my merry way, as beer was a higher priority than being stranded, and it was fine the rest of the night. This has happened to me two other times during the almost five years I've owned her; sometimes while stopped, this time while travelling at highway speeds.
    Has this happened to anyone else?


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  2. #2
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    Do you have a tune? Did you go WOT?
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  3. #3
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    Yea it has happened to me and still happens every once in a while even after a 200 amp upgrade about 6 mo. ago. maybe 2 or 3 times in the last 6 mo. I have no idea what it is. when I upgraded to new alt. I ran extra 4 gauge power and ground with fuses. The only thing I can think of in my case is I still have OEM battery that will need replacing b4 summer

  4. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by Bobmiddle View Post
    Yea it has happened to me and still happens every once in a while even after a 200 amp upgrade about 6 mo. ago. maybe 2 or 3 times in the last 6 mo. I have no idea what it is. when I upgraded to new alt. I ran extra 4 gauge power and ground with fuses. The only thing I can think of in my case is I still have OEM battery that will need replacing b4 summer
    I was thinking about upgrading to a 200 amp alternator. Where did you get yours from?

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  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Raudermaster View Post
    Do you have a tune? Did you go WOT?
    No tune as of yet. While on the highway, I matted it and got no response on the gage. It was weird. As I came to a stop, like right before I stopped, it came back up. Last time it happened, I was coming to a stop and it dropped.


    Previous owner of...

    BLACK '03 300A "Bagheera"
    Ford Racing 4:10's
    Denso Iridium plugs
    JLT Cold Air Intake
    Valentine One Radar Locator w/ remote
    Gods Head Steering wheel badge
    Sylvania Silverstars
    Hitch

  6. #6
    Join Date
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    Quote Originally Posted by ctrlraven
    I was thinking about upgrading to a 200 amp alternator.
    Be careful about that upgrade. I read somewhere (Police Fleet Manager magazine perhaps) that many high-amperage alternators will actually put out LESS current at idle and at very low speed than a smaller unit. That's one of the reasons CVPIs have the idle speed raised in the factory tune. Cop cars have a larger alternator to accomodate all the lights, radios, and computers that get installed, so unless you're planning on a mondo sound system that draws mega-amps, a larger alternator doesn't really buy you anything.
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  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Go Mifuni View Post
    ...Has this happened to anyone else?
    Yes it has happened to me. Your alternator might being going bad.

    When my alternator went out the voltmeter would "flicker" between 12-14 volts. With the lights/blower dimming/slowing down. The amount of time at the low voltage increased over a period of 1 week then the battery light started lighting up.

    I replaced the alternator, fixing the problem and lightening my wallet by $370.

  8. #8
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    Where did you get yours from?
    A place called lincoln auto electric do a google search you should be able to find them. Just make sure they send you the right one they sent me the wrong one the first time. It was a very good deal also. And I do get a little dimming of the lights at idle So I would recomend a tune to bump up the idle a little. I am getting my tune next mo so i will not have that issue.

  9. #9
    Join Date
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    DO NOT TRUST YOUR OEM VOLT METER!!!!

    I have a ScanGauge II and the two ONLY agree at 14 Volts......Mine went to 12 Volts once so I bought a new alternator......got the exact same results with the new alternator!!

    You need to remove the alternator and get a "Stress Test" done at an auto electric shop to really see if it's OK!!

    My $.02!!

    Marauderjack
    No Marauder

  10. #10
    Join Date
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    Do you happen to know the output at idle. I have always used PA Performance alternators but they can be pretty expensive. The 200A unit for the Marauder is $439 not sure of the output at idle. The 130A unit put out 80A at stock and cost $299. They always have a higher output than stock at idle and come with a new clutch pulley. The 200A I put on my Cougar had 100A at idle. Never had a problem even with the bass thumping at a stop light. 1000W system with no cap. That included a electric fan setup from a 95 Mustang, tranny cooler/oil cooler in 1 w/a fan, and the high output mod done to the headlights.

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