Well, this is the final week for Sabrina here in Texas. She moving lock stock and barrel to Portland OR.
The past two months or so I've been doing preventive maintenance on her car, the 95 Cougar listed in my signature. I replaced all the items that were likely to go out while she's 2200 miles away from her mechanic.
The last items I replaced was a perfectly good alternator and battery. Two days after replacing the alternator, she started complaining about the Battery Light turning on. I checked the alternator system and it was charging fine. Several days later she complained again and then told me that the voltage gauge rails past 18V when the light comes on.
I confirmed the alternator was outputting too much voltage due to a defective regulator (built into the alternator.)
The next day, I go to replace the alternator and find it too hot to touch. It was drawing field current over night even though the car was switched off. That drained the new battery.
A replacement alternator fixed that and a battery charger topped off the battery. That was a first for me on a new alternator.
The movers are coming to get her stuff tomorrow. She leaves Sunday morning, driving her car with her drugged out cat, Spicer.
The wife is feeling empty nest syndrome already.
I guess it could be worse -- she was thinking of moving to Hawaii.
The past two months or so I've been doing preventive maintenance on her car, the 95 Cougar listed in my signature. I replaced all the items that were likely to go out while she's 2200 miles away from her mechanic.
The last items I replaced was a perfectly good alternator and battery. Two days after replacing the alternator, she started complaining about the Battery Light turning on. I checked the alternator system and it was charging fine. Several days later she complained again and then told me that the voltage gauge rails past 18V when the light comes on.
I confirmed the alternator was outputting too much voltage due to a defective regulator (built into the alternator.)
The next day, I go to replace the alternator and find it too hot to touch. It was drawing field current over night even though the car was switched off. That drained the new battery.
A replacement alternator fixed that and a battery charger topped off the battery. That was a first for me on a new alternator.
The movers are coming to get her stuff tomorrow. She leaves Sunday morning, driving her car with her drugged out cat, Spicer.
The wife is feeling empty nest syndrome already.
I guess it could be worse -- she was thinking of moving to Hawaii.
