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Alt plastic Post

965 views 9 replies 4 participants last post by  freemind 
#1 ·
I have had my battery light come on a few times now and every time I am able to pop the hood (with the engine still running) and reach down and just wiggle the plastic post on the alternator and I an hear the motor load down due to the alt actually powering the battery. I have verified that I get about 12V with it off and 14.85ish when the alt is working correctly.

I have done a minimal search but is this single part that just pushed the positive most out replaceable / serviceable? or does it require a whole new alternator? i.e. am I able to take it to a local re builder or do you have to buy a new one?

I hate the plastic pieces on cars. Why make something plastic that is in the engine bay that sees many heat cycles and engine environments is beyond me. Sure there are things that maker sense but on the alternator?

any help would be great.

Thanks.
 
#3 ·
The cable is good. its 4 gauge with soldered connectors a simple just push on the plastic arm even slight fixes it.

I guess I should have gotten a better look at it when I had it all out of the car during my rebuild. I don't recall how the plastic arm connects / bolts on.

How do you narrow it down to see if its a damaged plastic thing? I can do a continuity test on the cable but it should be un measurable / low.
 
#4 ·
<O> That's about how the arm looks going into the alternator, 2 alignment tabs. You really shouldn't be able to move it at all, least not W/O some good force. If you can move/wiggle it, then it's loose ... or the stud going into the *name slips my mind at current* is loose, it can be removed IIRC.

Most times though, something is loose.

And disconnect the battery before you go tightening anything. You're dealing with + power and everything you'll touch will ground out.
 
#5 ·
Will do. I will have to take a look at it first thing tomorrow. Thanks for the input.
 
#7 ·
I hate the plastic pieces on cars. Why make something plastic that is in the engine bay that sees many heat cycles and engine environments is beyond me. Sure there are things that maker sense but on the alternator?

any help would be great.

Thanks.
Well, since you said any help, plastic bits like the one on this alternator can be made for stupidly cheap prices. Even if the they were not making a bajillin of the posts, adding a plastic post to the alternator would still cost a lot less than adding a metal one or changing the alternator itself (which I assume was borrowed from a different car). As long as the part is designed well and the right type of plastic is chosen, the post should not fail outside of your one in a million/hundred thousand/whatever type failures.
 
#9 ·
^There are at least 2 different ones though. There's a short one and long one.
And I think I've seen the clocking on the top in different positions also. But I don't have that many here to look at. I've got a few long and 2 short ones I think.

IIRC, the long one works on the Focus. The short, you run into clearance issues with the intake manifold.
 
#10 ·
I dremel the guard off because I use 2ga wire to the battery. Clearance issues
 
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