Lightning Alternator

driller

driller

El Presidente
Yes, the Cobra alternator works. You may find the wiring harness for the voltage regulator needs to be a bit longer which can be accomplished by partially taking it out of the harness assembly.

The last "new" alternator I was able to get local was from a NAPA store.

You can also look for a local automotive electrical shop that can rebuild the alternator you have.

Of course you can always spin the wheel and get a reman alternator with a "lifetime" warranty from your local parts chain store. Be sure to keep the receipt in the car. ;)
 
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evilscientistmoose

New member
driller said:
Yes, the Cobra alternator works. You may find the wiring harness for the voltage regulator needs to be a bit longer which can be accomplished by partially taking it out of the harness assembly.

The last "new" alternator I was able to get local was from a NAPA store.

You can also look for a local automotive electrical shop that can rebuild the alternator you have.

Of course you can always spin the wheel and get a reman alternator with a "lifetime" warranty from your local parts chain store. Be sure to keep the receipt in the car. ;)
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Oddly enough, I am employed at a NAPA store, and the car has one of their alternators on it.

I'm not anxious to have to repeat this experience anytime soon, hence the search for 'updates'.

I'm also researching as to whether or not a 2002-2004 Lightning alternator will fit, as the '02-'04 truck alternators got updates. In addition, the 'plug' is the same, and it's a slim-line unit to clear the intercooler.
 
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Lvnmarks

Lvnmarks

quandoomniflunkusmoritati
99-02 panther cars have the same alternator as well. If your looking for new I would rebuild (or find shop) a motorcraft one before buy a China one. It will last allot longer.
 
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steve

With "LOD" Since 1997
After getting a new NAPA one with the lifetime, I had to replace it a few months later, then the new NAPA one introduced some noise in the radio. It is still going strong but in retrospect I should have had some patients and found a shop to rebuild the OEM.
 
tonybrooklyn

tonybrooklyn

New member
Lvnmarks said:
99-02 panther cars have the same alternator as well. If your looking for new I would rebuild (or find shop) a motorcraft one before buy a China one. It will last allot longer.
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Not so sure about the China ones. I used to think as you do. But my buddy scored a gen 4 alt on eBay 3 years back. Made in China brand new no exchange one year guarantee. Well 3 years and 60,000 miles later still going strong. The factory one only lasted 50,000 miles. I see them on eBay from time to time some as low as $80 shipped. The local re-builder in town charged me 105 dollars to rebuild mine couple of years back. No complaints he did a fine job. YMMV
 
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evilscientistmoose

New member
I won't see a replacement until Wednesday (yay, holiday weekends!), but I didn't wish to tempt the wrath of management by ordering in 5 or 6 alternators. We are starting to see some more 'rebuilt in the USA' stickers show up, with the China units slowly disappearing in favor of 'Mexico' or "at least it ain't China/other Asian nation remanufacturers".

On another note, however, we were selling u-joints that were made entirely in the USA, but that line has since disappeared, replaced by another company which initially shipped only USA-made products...but during the last two or three freight cycles, some 'China' and 'Mexico' units began showing up.

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steve said:
After getting a new NAPA one with the lifetime, I had to replace it a few months later, then the new NAPA one introduced some noise in the radio. It is still going strong but in retrospect I should have had some patients and found a shop to rebuild the OEM.
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Yeah, I recall that happening right after I bought this car..and then the noise eventually went away. This unit was replaced March of 2013, it only has maybe 4k miles on it.
 
driller

driller

El Presidente
What I found odd was that I couldn't get an new one from the dealer, only reman.

NAPA was the only local store that could get a new one, every other choice was reman. Of course they didn't have it in stock but it was there the following morning.

I would be curious now what they offer, especially now since I can get most anything at the company NAPA store at cost.
 
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evilscientistmoose

New member
driller said:
What I found odd was that I couldn't get an new one from the dealer, only reman.

NAPA was the only local store that could get a new one, every other choice was reman. Of course they didn't have it in stock but it was there the following morning.

I would be curious now what they offer, especially now since I can get most anything at the company NAPA store at cost.
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I'm showing 4 different units: The Raylock standard and premium, the NAE rebuilt (preferred), and a new one...I think. I didn't check stock, but there is at least a part number.

By the way...does anyone have a line on a decent cigarette-lighter voltmeter?
 
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ONLYTONY

New member
Awhile ago I had problems with my 95. 1 year, 3 months the alt would die. 3 alts later I found a cracked pos+ clamp on the bat. Put a new one on, and no problems in 3-4 years. On my 97 the bat light would come on, but was putting out 14.4 volts. Found corrosion on alt where regulator screws on. Put on a new regulator, and now I have a good spare alt.
 
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evilscientistmoose

New member
ONLYTONY said:
Awhile ago I had problems with my 95. 1 year, 3 months the alt would die. 3 alts later I found a cracked pos+ clamp on the bat. Put a new one on, and no problems in 3-4 years. On my 97 the bat light would come on, but was putting out 14.4 volts. Found corrosion on alt where regulator screws on. Put on a new regulator, and now I have a good spare alt.
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I've already replaced both ends with something that both crimps and solders on.

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Roadboss said:
I know you get a cool employee discount, and you may also want to look at this outfit. I have one of their powder coated units on my one car and a rebuilt unit on my DD. My rebuilt was done by a local shop. In their catalog is some great info on trouble shooting and harness adaption.

http://www.paperformance.com/scripts/prodList.asp?idCategory=19
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I'm not really concerned about the discount at this point. I really don't like breaking down.
 
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evilscientistmoose

New member
Update: The Cobra and Lightning unit share the exact same case, are clocked the same way, and both also share the same harness plug as the MK8 unit. The Lightning unit (2002-up) does indeed have the improved voltage regulator as well.

The only drawback is that the Lightning unit has an 8-rib pulley.

Darn.

Needless to say, I'm experimenting with the Lightning unit today.
 
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evilscientistmoose

New member
...and it's installed! About to go to work to do a voltage/charging check.

Everything looks good so far, As Driller mentioned, the alternator wiring was something of an annoyance, given that it's 20-year-old plastic wiring loom/insulation we're dealing with here, and I've had to cut it off (the short 4-inch piece of crappy plastic insulation between the three-pin harness plug and where it joins the main 12V charge wire) to gain some flexibility back into the wiring. Beyond that, some notes:
1. It's an even-tighter fit than the stock Mitsu turd. It clears everywhere...but just barely. If you're having trouble getting it installed, be patient, it will fit without having to grind everything.

2. I was hoping to retain the Lightning 8-rib pulley for some strange reason, but A. it's bigger in diameter than the MK8 unit, and B. It's too wide due to the coolant 'hoop' directly in front of the alternator being too close, meaning, you can't even get the belt off and on with it in place, it's that tight of a fit.

3. It took maybe an hour to swap it out, and that's even cutting off the old positive battery terminal, and crimping/soldering on a new one.

4. If you're patient with the wiring, it will work, you just kind of have to 'nudge' it over toward the passenger side of the car to get it to clear.

So far, so good, and although I found the original Apollo 13 control panel chaos oxygen tank explosion simulation rather entertaining (everything flashing on and off, practically every light either on or blinking, and shouting something or another about "Houston!" and "problems!"), it is also rather nice to have a non-eventful drive for a change.

I would have posted pictures...but really, there's nothing to this. If you've ever changed an alternator...well, there you go. You can't even tell it's got a different alternator in it, unless you're really looking for it.


Can an admin change the title of this thread to "Lightning Alternator"? Unless something explodes during the next test drive, I think it's in there.
 
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evilscientistmoose

New member
Update:

Well, I'd love to tell an interesting tale of woe, or talk about how the car exploded in a titanic ball of fury, vaporizing all plant and animal life within a 75-mile radius to the new alternator going off...but unfortunately, meh, it's still working great.
 
tixer

tixer

Lincoln Evangelist
Thanks for the follow-up. Intentional or not, I think your thread has become the definitive Mark VIII Alternator "howto."

Your efforts, humor, and presence, are appreciated. :D
 
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evilscientistmoose

New member
tixer said:
Thanks for the follow-up. Intentional or not, I think your thread has become the definitive Mark VIII Alternator "howto."

Your efforts, humor, and presence, are appreciated. :D
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I've even tried to introduce the element of danger by making a long, loud, wailing "BWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!" sound while I drive, like the alternator is ready to explode, and I only have ten seconds to pull over before my family is killed by the massive fireball of that part finally letting go...the only problem is, in this particular scenario, since I usually drive this car alone, I've also got to figure out how the alternator exploding in the car where I'm at somehow also blows up the family who are either at home, or at their places of employment...and the alternator explosion somehow blows them up too.

But alas, nope, nothing, nada, zero. Makes me wonder if I'm going to have to start putting cards in the wheel spokes.

It's a difficult thing at times, to possess an over-active imagination.
 
tixer

tixer

Lincoln Evangelist
Well, I've toasted my share of alternators over the years, and never gotten much more than a terrible squeal and a little bit of smoke. I'd say that the odds of death-by-alternator are minimal at best..
 
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enriquei

New member
tixer said:
Well, I've toasted my share of alternators over the years, and never gotten much more than a terrible squeal and a little bit of smoke. I'd say that the odds of death-by-alternator are minimal at best..
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Same here. I've killed two. One on a town car and one on a jeep... I found out about the towncar one because it killed my battery by jacking the voltage around. I found out about the Jeep one because it just stopped putting out voltage (and luckily spared the battery). No smoke or fire or squeals.
 
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