Odd charging indicator warning 1998 Crown Vic

M

maxmk8

Registered
So the family work-horse is having some issues.

The charging light was on, yet the car never failed to charge a battery and the guys at the "autozone" found nothing wrong with the alternator.
After 145k miles and almost 10 years I didn't want to get stranded. So I purchased a brand new alternator. (not rebuilt). This was done as preventative maintenance.

In it went, no more charging light or so I thought...

At 3/4 throttle or WOT the charging light is blinking intermittently and fast. Thanks to Ford this car doesn't have a tach... but judging by the sound it is around 4000-5000rpms when it lights up.

Is this a slipping belt? This car still has the OEM belt, I took a good look at it and it looks solid with no cracks etc. Belt feels a bit softish, what tention does it need to be on? Is there any non-technical way to check that, since I don't need a belt tention tool for a one time use.

Don't really feel like throwing parts at this thing when no necessary.
 
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At 145 thousand miles, your belt NEEDS to be replaced! Altho you cannot hear it, it is slipping badly. Put on a Gater belt....you will never need another.
 
Most likely it needs a new harness connector for the regulator on the alternator. I've seen several of these type failures on FLM products. You can get one most anywhere and splice right in. Cheap enough to try.
 
Car is actually at 149,000 now!! lol Yea I am thinking a new belt won't hurt but darn... lots of things need to be replaced after 100k.

I doubt it has anything to do with the harness, since it is RPM related...
 
No way possible that the belt is original.....EXPECIALLY the way Max drives, haha.

The Gator belt stopped my stupid burnout belt squeeks. Max, look on the front of the alternator...see a rubber "splash" mark on the drivers side right by the pulley? When the belt slips, it will spew rubber onto the case.
 
J said:
No way possible that the belt is original.....EXPECIALLY the way Max drives, haha.

The Gator belt stopped my stupid burnout belt squeeks. Max, look on the front of the alternator...see a rubber "splash" mark on the drivers side right by the pulley? When the belt slips, it will spew rubber onto the case.
Click to expand...


I'll check tonight when I get home!! Thanks for the heads-up.
 
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