[American]

OK. 2005 ZX4 SES around 82K. Very little trouble in 2 years. A/C unit on warranty about a year ago. Nothing but oil changes and tires/brakes since.
I get in the car to go to work. It was parked for a day. I start up and I hear a weird and sort of loud whirrr. It sounded like the belt or some bearing was throwing a fit. The car was running at about 2000rpm which is usually 1500rpm at cold start.

Then the batt warning light comes on and I open the hood. I can smell burnt something. The battery is about a year old and no problems so far. Terminals are clean.

It was also running kind of rough. Probably due to low voltage. This does seem to all be making sense now. I just thought it would be a good idea to run it past all of you.

V regulator? Alternator? Anyone else having problems like this? Common?

 

[malim]

Test the voltage on your battery, while at idle. Should be around 14.x If it is any higher like 15 or 16 V then the battery is getting overcharged, therefore would be a voltage regulator.

 

[American]

That is what I was thinking. The smell, the high voltage.

It's at 14.95 and making weird noises. The noise is what got my attention right away. Then the batt warning light came on. The battery is at 12.5ish. I put a charger on it just now and it is at 13.6. And the V reg is still putting out about 15V.

Mr Ford will be fixing this later on today. Best $500 warranty I have ever had.

 

[American]

Ford is changing the alternator. Got a great big Lincoln rental. Damn Boat!
Should be ready Monday. Old buds are doing the job at Ford. They're still there 9 years after I left.

 

[whynotthinkwhynot]

If it wasn't for a warranty, I'd say have it rebuilt at a local rebuilder, but it sounds like you have it under control [thumb]