ruskiegunlover

Ok, so about 2 weeks ago I tried to charge my ac system. Put a can in it, seemed to have a leak, so I gave up. But I noticed that when I ran the ac on MAX, the alternator gage in the dash went to the 'L' on normal, and ever since has never went any higher. At times, it sits on the line below the 'L'.....

Tonight, wife and I take it out for a drive. Notice that its is sitting CONSTANTLY on the line below the 'L' on the alternator gage......Suddenly, my cd player occassionally starts to turn itself off, or starts acting like it is suddenly shutting off, and then coming back on. I notice that the noise and speed of my green arrows when I hit a turn signal is slowing.... Then I notice that if I turn the on the fan on the HVAC controls, the stereo quits, and tries to come back on.

We start heading home.

On the way home, the alternator gage starts showing BELOW the line under the 'L'.....I notce the stereo is really struggling.....The green arrows in the dash for the turn signals are no longer blinking.....In fact, when I try to use my turn signals, it just kills the stereo. The dash lights start going low, and I barely make it home. Seemed like I was driving WITHOUT headlights, even though they were on. Car was trying to die pulling into the garage, stubling, and the gage was reading '8' now. BARELY made it home......

I checked the belt, and it was fine. Nothing out of the normal under the hood.

I am thinking the alternator crapped out on me, but I have not tested it yet, and will try to go to an autozone to have them check it tommorow. Anything else it could be? Bad battery? Seems like the alternator, as I noticed these symtoms were worse when I was at a red light, but when I sped up they breiefly got better.

Ideas?

enfausn

yep. Sounds like the alternator.

ruskiegunlover

Got the alternator out, going to go take it in in a few minutes....Can I get away with replacing it with a 75 amp unit? I have always heard the alternators used by ford in this period were weak.....Would a 75 amp still run everything? I have a cd player in it, but nothing loud and powerful.....No sub woofers or anything like that.


Before driving home in it last night, I tried disconnecting the plug to the ac compressor, as I wondered if it had a short, and I noticed that through all of the gages off for a moment, like they were all killed, and had to go back to where they were....

05screaminyellow

do yourself a favor and get one from a 95 gt and install it that what i did with my 87 gt vert i had ... no more dim lights at low rpm or slow top when lights and heater on etc the stock alternator does not have enough amps to run the car properly

http://www.allfordmustangs.com/forums/1231860-post.html

ruskiegunlover

Yup, alternator. Replaced it with a 91.....just don't have the time right now to modify it.....Car started up again, so I don't think I fried the battery.....