2 unrelated messages this am:stuck on the side of the road.

[Myco]

In traffic this morning i got a message saying check tractrion control. it kept going off ... 3 times in a row. i looked down and the tach and speedometer were not working. then i got a message saying check charging system so i immediately got off the freeway and pulled in somewhere. now car wont start. the alternator is 6 months old and i cleaned and replaced the battery terminals 2 months ago. the battery is 2 years old.

think my ecu crapped the bed?

 

[Lownslowlsc]

Even though the alt's only 6mo's old it could still be bad. Jump it, if it start's it's not the ecm. It will die shortly after it's jumped if it's the alt. Then take the alt and battery to get tested/charged.

 

[Stangman]

Even though the alt's only 6mo's old it could still be bad. Jump it, if it start's it's not the ecm. It will die shortly after it's jumped if it's the alt. Then take the alt and battery to get tested.

Agreed. Because if your alt is bad, your car will drain the battery until the car dies

 

[zmt325]

Even though the alt's only 6mo's old it could still be bad. Jump it, if it start's it's not the ecm. It will die shortly after it's jumped if it's the alt. Then take the alt and battery to get tested/charged.

x3 these cars do crazy :q:q:q:q when the alt kicks the bucket. seriously doubt it is the computer. if you need on i have one

 

[Right on the Mark]

Nothing is more my pet peeve then " alt is X old its new!" Rebuilds die fast all the time.

 

[slowmkviii]

I had that problem once when my old chip came half way out of the ecu.

 

[chris2523]

another for a dead alternator. have it tested, i bet it fails.
if its 6 months old, you prolly still have a warranty. use it.

 

[Myco]

yep, you guys were right. pulled the alt. in the parking lot and swapped it out at orielly's under warranty (lifetime). car is running again. in hindsight i think i ruined it when i got radiator fluid on it while burping the car after the heatercore replacement.

thanks for all the replies.

 

[GMAN]

Unlikely

 

[Lownslowlsc]

Times like this is why I keep a spare alt and a tool kit in the trunk. Non oem unit's cannot be trusted.

Glad you figured it out though.

 

[slowmkviii]

I keep tools to do an alternator in my trunk too.

 

[NoLimit95]

yep, you guys were right. pulled the alt. in the parking lot and swapped it out at orielly's under warranty (lifetime). car is running again. in hindsight i think i ruined it when i got radiator fluid on it while burping the car after the heatercore replacement.

thanks for all the replies.

I went through three of those from them when I had the 94 and then finally had them order me a reman from Motorcraft which has a 1 year warranty compared to the Ultima reman with a lifetime warranty. I never had one problem with the Motorcraft but they will take the one you have if it goes bad again and the money you have into that one will be allowed to go towards the Motorcraft. They did it for me and I think I had to give them right at $100. Just something to think about but it is indeed rebuilt using the real parts and not coming from Japan. It took 2 days for it to come in.

On the 95 I have a reman from Auto Zone and the first one lasted for 2 weeks but the 2nd one has been running now for almost 2 years. Those are just hit and miss. I was stuck in a position that day and AZ came to me where the car was dead and brought me a battery so that I would have the power needed to get to their store and get the alt.

 

[slowmkviii]

Why does every one always buy new/reman why as my friends and I do go and take the alternator to get rebuilt. I think next time I may just rebuild it myself or at leather try.

 

[kustomizingkid]

For some reason anything but OEM Ford alternators eat :q:q:q:q and die in the Mark VIII.

 

[Icarus]

I've gone through almost as many Ford ones as aftermarket fwiw...

 

[vr4]

4 years and about 600 miles (about 300 at the drag strip) on my motorcraft cobra alt and no problems