Alternator Died Today

[ForeverDreamin]

What a way to kick off a Friday... Just got the Roush wing in wed and put on Thurs night, Today the Alternater Killed over on me... Last night we replaced the Motorcraft Silver Battery (Free due to Advance auto) Car ran great for a 30 min ride, then on way home, got me to work excellent... On the way home was running well and then all of a sudden guages wacked out all dropped to zero like last night, radio went nuts, and hte car stopped movin... So what Alternator shoudl I get? advance auto said about $168

[Moraki]

I would try auto zone for their Gold Duralasts, not that its that much better but thier "gold" parts are backed with a lifetime guarantee.

[GrandMasterKhan]

i have an autozone alternator. running like a champ for over 2 years now.

[99CougarNy]

i got a pa high output ... if i ever get the time to drop it in and upgrade the lines i'll let ya know how it works ... =)

[MercCoug99]

how did ur guages go out? mine went crazy the other day and now my car wont start or ne thing. died outside my neighbors house. and does the car crank over with the alternator gone? i need to get the cougar running again and i thought the alternator but i dk the symptoms of a blown one.

[ForeverDreamin]

Mine the radio went nuts about 15 times on and off, RPM,s went from 3500 to 0....speedomoter went from 60 to 0 while i was still going 60..all headlights dimmed to almost none.. then it violently started jerking and what not sounded kind of odd

[ForeverDreamin]

Mine the radio went nuts about 15 times on and off, RPM,s went from 3500 to 0....speedomoter went from 60 to 0 while i was still going 60..all headlights dimmed to almost none.. then it violently started jerking and what not sounded kind of odd

[MercCoug99]

well i kno my guages kept sutting off at high revs. and right now my small electrics work like radio. but my fuel pump wont turn on and the car wont turn over. does that sound like an alternator problem to u?

[Moraki]

Yes it sounds like a bad alt. Most of the eletronics in the car wont work below a certian voltage. The radio should cut out also though. Only very basic things work at low voltage, lights and window motors. They should work right up till the battery is totally dead.

Have you tried charging your battery with a charger? or having an auto zone do it? With a fully charged battery your car should turn on and everything should work. That is of coarse untill it drains down again. IF you try that then you know your eletrical system is fine, but your alt is not charging at all.

[ForeverDreamin]

Well turns out the Alternator was junk.. my mechanic says it was a "Garbage" alternator that had been put on before i baught the car.. also it was loaded with rock salt and some other junk... hate to say it but the next car probably wont be a cougar.. maybe 2002 LHS lol