S
Stromhawk60
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- Last seen
- Joined
- Dec 2, 2017
- Thunderbird Year
- 2002
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."
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."
