No charging after 2002 new plugs and valve covers... BUT no indication of alternator charging fault

[Stromhawk60]

Question: is it possible that the alternator charging output might not have been hooked back up after the local Ford replaced plugs and valve cover gaskets?

Background: The 2002 threw a misfire code and as suspected oil leak into the plugs caused some misfiring. Ford assesses the oil leakage and (for a sumof $ too great that I'll mention...) replaced the plugs and valve cover gaskets.

Fast forward to next trip in this other than the return from Ford vehicle...I have defogger on. lights, back defrost and all of a sudden my traction control light and ABS light come on. I figure I'll stop and restart to see if that clears some codes. DEAD.

Get a jumpstart and start making my way home. DEAD again in less than 1/4 mile and get a 2nd jump start. The 3rd jumpstart finally gets it to my house.

I put charger on battery and through six hours, it keeps accepting a bulk charge with no sign of tapering off.

Friend says must be alternator and I measure voltage at idle - 11.3 volts. BUT I HAVE HAD NO LIGHTS SUCH AS THE ALTERNATOR LIGHT.

I bring back to Ford and tell the issue and ask if they can check if something not hooked back up during valve gasket job so that I was riding on battery power alone until failure. They sign me in.

I'm told the alternator is bad. Arghh. Go ahead and replace.

So I get the car back some days later and the tech who pulls it up says the check alternator light is on...WOW. That light was NEVER on during my episode described above. Right back in.

I am later told that the new alternator "had a bad diode" and they replaced it with a brand new on (instead of a reman...funny I never thought my Ford would give me anything by a new alternator).

Well, some $$$ later I pick it up and it is driving fine and seems to charge fine.

So back to original question - is it possible during the valve gasket replacement that some connector on the alternator recharging system was not hooked up such that it would not light up the "check alternator" warning light.

I know there are coincidences and the alternator failure right after the valve service might be one. But in the words of an old gangster movie, "We've heard of this thing called a coincidence but we just ain't never seen one."

This page contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated. As an eBay Partner, and Amazon Associate I may be compensated if you make a purchase at no cost to you.

 

[JW in Dixie]

I'm with the gangster on this - too coincidental for me. With all the wires and gadgets crammed under the hood it could easily happen. Picked my 78 Olds up from the xmission shop - ran fine for two miles and the motor quit. Resistor wire to the coil had been pinched between the xmission and the block. What if it had run for months and stranded me in Timbuktu with big bills to pay? If Ford installed a NEW alt they owed you the old one, which you could have checked.
Always get any parts that are not cores, ie to be turned in for credit on reman items.

 

[PhilD]

Its very easy as you have to move a lot of the wiring loom to gain access to the valve covers, I know as I have done it myself and trust me its a little (expletive) son of a b=#@$. seriously its very tight in there, I never disconnected anything but they may have. Its a bit weird if they were working on it correctly to have caused this but to be honest I never trust my cars to the dealerships unless its a factory recall.

 

[JW in Dixie]

"unless it's a factory recall." I second that notion!