My question is well today I smelled wires burning and looked under the hood and the alternator was smoking from the big connector where it go's in, I pulled on it and the whole connector came out all melted. But all that is melted is the alternator part of the connecter that is in the alternator, nothing else not even the wires going to it. So what is going on? Did my alt. short out? Please let me know what all you think.

 

I went through three alternators in two years on my 92. Seems like they just short out now and again. Buy one with a lifetime warranty and you will be covered if it happens again. Good luck.

 

trike1946, did your's do the same thing as i said mine did?

 

You need to get a NEW CONNECTOR! The wiring on the Ford's are notoriously small for the loads they have to handle and they tend to melt.

Cal Term 08622 is the # for the pigtail. The wiring is at least 1-2 gauge larger than original wiring. Also you can change out the Rectifier bridge / diode set cheap.

Replace the voltage Regulator, Brushes and the Diode pack/rectifier bridge while you have it apart. Clean up the commutator lands (where the brushes sit). Spray it all down with electrical equipment cleaner and a toothbrush to get all teh carbon out. Make sure when you put the rectifier bridge and the voltage regultor in, that the METAL SIDE has a light coating of heat sink grease (same stuff you put on your CPU and cooling tower on your computer.) or the parts will get overheated and you'll be right back where you started.

OR if you're mechanically stunted, go buy a new alternator AND the pigtail. Install as per instructions. I use non insultated butt connectors(crimps), then solder them, then heat shrink each individual wire, then wrap in electrical tape. Makes for a solid connection and it won't burn out.

That's my story and I'm stickin to it!

Larry

 

The 91 I am parting out did the same thing. Great info on the fix to keep it from doing it again. Thanks

 

It's not the wires or the connector it's the connector inside the alt. that melted

 

Sounds like you lucked out. Mine was toast, both the connector and alternator were crispy.

 

Replace the alternator and the connector going to it. This has been a problem with these for quite sometime. If you get an alternator from NAPA the connector comes with the new one and it tells you to replace it. Make sure you use the silicone gel that comes with it when installing the connector to the alternator. That will help reduce the heat.

 

1990fordf150v8.....the connector INSIDE the alternator is part of the Rectifier. See my previous for repair / replacement.

 

You might have to do some looking in your area to find an alternator shop that will sell you parts, but if you are mechanically inclined this is the way to go. Individual parts at such places are cheap and if you do it right you'll have a better alternator than the "cheapies" at the chain parts stores. See Larry's post above. Good advice, and this is what I always do. I'm a regular customer at an alternator shop here in Nashville and I can go through one for about $40 or less and rebuild it in about an hour. They'll likely have the harness side connector too if you need that.

 

A friend of mine had a 90's F150 that was constantly going through batteries and alternators. He said it was because someone sold him the wrong belt for it. He doesn't remember the exact year of the truck.

HTH

 

My advice to you is to ditch the stock "2G" alternator altogether and upgrade to a later model 130amp "3G" alternator from a 94-95 Mustang GT. The 2G alternator is good for NOTHING other than risking burning down the whole front end of your truck thanks to the faulty rectifier plug. I have done this swap to both my 1992 F150 5.0 and my 1990 Mustang LX 5.0 and the 3G will quite simply handle just about any electrical load you can throw at it.

 

Is the 3G a direct bolt-up part? I just had the alternator in my 88 fry the other day and I replaced it with the one from my 92 parts truck. I have no doubt that it will happen again in the future.

 

Pretty much- you have to grind away a piece of the ribbing inside the alternator bracket, then it bolts in with no problems. As far as wiring it up, you have to cut off the old rectifier plug and attach eyelets to the two 10-gauge wires so that they can go on the threaded post on the back of the 3G alternator. The little black/white 16-gauge wire that was on the rectifier plug goes to the gauge/light plug on the side of the 3G, and you reuse the voltage regulator plug, as it is the same on the 3G.

 

Maybe your ****in voltage regulator is dickin up, Damn thing burnt up a brand new ****in battery in mine.