[zx3_bmxrider]

I was on my way home from school, when my radio started cutting in and out. Then my lights started dimming and the windshield wipers started going really slow. I pulled into a park and shut the car off. I went to start it again and it wouldnt start. I called my dad, he said alternator, and so did my friend and my friends dad who I also called. So my dad came out to pick up the car with a tow dolly and his truck, and the car started up...which we thought was weird. I figured that it wa sjust because the car sat for an hour and a half it recharged itself for a little. because about 5 minutes after we started the car, the lights and everything started dimming again. So I just started working on it. Pulled some bolts out, the bottle for the antifreeze and some other misc. things. There is a plug on the back of the alternator. It has a red, blue, and black wire coming from it. The previous owner has a butt-connector in the middle of it, as if it had become cut at some point. Well the black wire and blue wire are hanging out of it...Could this be the problem? I wont be able to connect it back together till tomorrow, but I am hoping that is the problem. That would be alot nicer insted of paying $150 for a new alternator.

 

[whynotthinkwhynot]

That sounds like your problem, but the battery is likely to be discharged. You might want to put it on a trickle charge overnight.

 

[zx3_bmxrider]

Dang I shoulda thought of that...the only reason I didnt finish it tonight was because my friend came in the barn and was like "Hey, I have cake!" So I unplugged everything and ate cake. lol I will finish it tomorrow though.

 

[GO.army.1969]

Cake....lol

 

[whynotthinkwhynot]

I only stop working on my car for happy brownies. You sold out too soon!

 

[sleepyboy]

^^I know right!! Happy Brownies or nothing lol



But cake can be good too sometimes.....after eating the brownies lol




You can buy the whole pigtail at the dealership. It probably would be best just to replace the whole pigtail just to be sure you fixed it right.

 

[zx3_bmxrider]

Yeah I was thinking about just replacing it the right way. The previous owner has so many things jerry rigged....the door speakers were taped together in like 4 places. Insted of buying a replacement key he somehow made the door lock key work for an ignition key. he said replacement keys for the ginition were expensive or something. lol

It was carrot cake! haha []

 

[disciplerocks]

The ignition and door locks should be the same key. Posted via FF Mobile

 

[zx3_bmxrider]

I figured I would post this for anyone who googles this. I looked on Ford OEM sites and couldnt find diagrams or what the exact clip/harness was called. So I was going to google "alternator harness" when one of the things that popped up was called "alternator pigtail." So I googled that and a thread on focaljet popped up. I read it and I found out the part number and that alot of people have had problems with this alternator clip breaking. Anyways, here is the part number for it in case anyone ever needs it: 1U2Z-14S411-TA.

I found them for sale on amazon and ebay for $11:
http://www.amazon.com/Ford-Alternator-Harness-Connector-1U2Z-14S411-TA/dp/B0040O9LCK
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ford-Altern...11-TA-?cmd=ViewItem&item=120680688793&vxp=mtr

Here is a OEM site: http://www.newfordparts.com/ifrm_browse.php
But of course they charge way more. I am going to take the part number to my local dealer to see how much they will charge and how soon they can have it. Of course last time I went assuming I would have to order a part, they had it in stock! So maybe that will happen again.

 

[zx3_bmxrider]

The ignition and door locks should be the same key. Posted via FF Mobile

Hmm...lol He told me it was a really fat key that was for the ignition only and that the door locks wouldnt work in the ignition. I believed him, because you have to wiggle the key sometimes to make the door beeping go off. lol But if you say so I will take your word for it. [thumb]

 

[drunkyoda]

if your dealer doesnt have it i would suggest going to steve at tousley. they have awesome prices!

 

[zx3_bmxrider]

Okay thanks! I will look into that if the dealer doesnt have it. We get a discount because my dad works at Ford...but most times it is still cheaper getting the part from somewhere else. This is only the second time I have gone to a dealer for a part for my car. Usually I go to advanced, autozone, or ebay of course. lol