Now what......

[MichiganTeddyBear]

that is what my wife said when I called her and told her to be ready to come rescue me...

ok, just got the 91 back on its feet (fixed bad air strut).

this morning (first time on road since it was strut repair), got about 5 miles from home, started missing badly as I was climbing a steep hill. got to top of hill, missing stopped, but, at the same time the 'charging system' warning came on. (accompanied by the appropriate dimming of all lights). Turned it around, limped it home, jumped into the Cougar and drove it to work... Am I looking at probably just the Alt??? I havn't had any chance to check anything on it at all.

[MichiganTeddyBear]

Also, before I dig into this... is the 90 alt the same one as the 91???

[Steve Moran]

I don't think it is, I think the '90 has totally different connections

http://partimages.genpt.com/partimages/159639.jpg

then the '91

http://partimages.genpt.com/partimages/159635.jpg

Even at that the '90 is 100 Amp and the '91 is 130 Amp

[pro-five-oh]

You'd (sometime in the future) wanna convert the '90 to the '91 Alternator...called a 3G. The 3G family of alternators are so much better it isn't even funny. Read the TECH article we have on it for Mark VIIs, it might help.

Good luck, whatever you do!

[MichiganTeddyBear]

the 90 is a parts car, not worried about updating it....

that sucks about the alt not swapping.... I can't afford a replacement... damn thing is parked another 3 or 4 months

[Fordace]

MTB, you might just need the Internal regulator.....you can ground the "F' screw on the back of the regulator and see if the alternator "full fields". It's one of the screws on the back of the regulator, there may be an arrow pointing to it also.....

Let me see if I can find a picture.......

[MichiganTeddyBear]

Fordace, are you talking on the 91, or the 90 alt?

If it is just a bad reg, I am more than capable of replacing the internal reg.

[Steve Moran]

http://partimages.genpt.com/partimages/102341.jpg

The screw that you need to ground is in the inset hole closest to electrical connector, not one of the 4 mounting screws but the two screws that attach the brushes inside.
You should have to remove a little plastic cover that protects it from accidently being grounded. the cover needs to go back on.

[Steve Moran]

Fordace is just trying to show you how to test it so he can save you a few bucks and you may not have to remove the alternator too.
if it proves to be a regulator or brushes then you can service it on the car.

[MichiganTeddyBear]

I will definatly check it out this weekend.

I am not afraid to pull the alt and replace what needs to be inside it, if the offending part(s) are avail.

I know that brushes and regs are avail! (and cheap!)

[Fordace]

MTB & Steve, I actually had one in my tool box, you have to ground the screw farthest away from the electrical connector, MTB, only ground this screw for about 5 seconds, it will full field the alternator and you should have your meter on the battery before doing this to note the rise in voltage. You will hear the alternator "scream" as it charges. That is of course if just the regulator is bad....Rich

[MichiganTeddyBear]

I will probably end up charging my batt up some just to get it started... but thanks for the info.. will definatly have the meter on the battery before I do that test.

If the reg isn't bad, and its fried diodes, what are the chances of getting diodes to put into it??? slim and none????

Also, I am gonna have to check the fusible links too I imagine, just in case something shorted in the alt.

It kinda felt like that when it was missing.. total loss of spark for 1 or 2 cylinders than back to norm, but with no noticable change in lighting intensity.. but was 'random' and not too much time in between (a few tenths of a sec). could it have shorted internally, then blew fusibles??? once the lights dimmed and the check charge system light came on, there were no more misses... (I had to drive it the 5 miles back to house, plus almost 3 before I could find a safe turnaround)

[Fordace]

If the reg isn't bad, and its fried diodes, what are the chances of getting diodes to put into it??? slim and none????


Also, I am gonna have to check the fusible links too I imagine, just in case something shorted in the alt.

It kinda felt like that when it was missing.. total loss of spark for 1 or 2 cylinders than back to norm.. but was 'random' and not too much time in between (a few tenths of a sec). could it have shorted internally, then blew fusibles??? once the lights dimmed and the check charge system light came on, there were no more misses... (I had to drive it the 5 miles back to house, plus almost 3 before I could find a safe turnaround)

I wouldn't mess with diodes.........

you probably got low on battery power and you just got a miss from weak spark....I'd say charge the battery, fuse links are probably just fine....test the regulator and go from there....Rich

[MichiganTeddyBear]

at least I thought I mentioned it..

it missed just prior to the lights dimming, and the warning comming on. didn't miss afterwards when the lights were at about 2 candlepower....

[Robert Hartling]

I have a new alternator on my 1994 i'm parting out. If you can convert it to the new style let me know, I can cut you a deal on the parts from my car! you'll have to pay shipping from AZ though.

[MichiganTeddyBear]

will keep it in mind... if I can get my 130A working with just a reg, then I will be set.

[MichiganTeddyBear]

well.. test has been completed on the reg... no joy... I am sure I had a good connection, but it is a bear for my fat little fingers to get down to that bottom screw...

Either way, the conti sits... my main reason for rushing the rear strut replacement was to get it drivable for the snow... looks like I ride the winter out in the cougar...


Looks like I will be getting a quality reman alt some month in the future... even if it was the reg that was bad, it would be about 4 weeks before I could even think of getting one.

Oh well, I got the car for free.

[jeborth]

Hello;
alt. on my 89 cont. has been tested and works poorly. I have a 3g that I want to replace it with. I read the article in the Tech area (for the Mark VII). I have two questions: 1) I'm not sure what I should do about the single wire connection that is on the 3G. Any thoughts? 2) The old alternator I'm replacing has a two-wire connection... which are labeled "FLO" and "STA." --I'm unsure where I should place the wires (that went to these connections) in the new wire harness. Any thoughts??.....Any help would be soooo greatly appreciated.
You'd (sometime in the future) wanna convert the '90 to the '91 Alternator...called a 3G. The 3G family of alternators are so much better it isn't even funny. Read the TECH article we have on it for Mark VIIs, it might help.

Good luck, whatever you do!