[RanK2]

You know how it is when you haven't needed something for a long time, and then you do. and the price floors you? ...... Just went through that with an alternator. Pretty sure the last rebuilt I bought for my F150 was around $60 five years ago, now they're $130.

Now I need one for my Mercury Sable, and both Advance and Auto Zone quoting about $160. Was going to pull and replace today, but think I will pull and take it to a local 'rebuild' shop tomorrow that has a good rep and has been around for many years. Will probably cost me half.

 

[MTN REMODEL LLC]

Boy... everywhere... Just went to grab some electrical tape at Lowes. Had to ask an employee where, and he pointed down an isle and said 10 rolls for 4.99. Went down the isle, and 10 rolls for $14.99 OR $1.60 PER ROLL. Strangly, it rang up at $11.99..

I have to think that many stores are raising prices not as a function of wholesale cost, but just as an opportunity to "blame" inflation and shear profitering.

Same store, found the very same package of Irwin countersink bits in two different locations One was 9.99 and one was 14.99..

Dollor store.... most everything went up 25%.

 

[Osh]

You know how it is when you haven't needed something for a long time, and then you do. and the price floors you? ...... Just went through that with an alternator. Pretty sure the last rebuilt I bought for my F150 was around $60 five years ago, now they're $130.

Now I need one for my Mercury Sable, and both Advance and Auto Zone quoting about $160. Was going to pull and replace today, but think I will pull and take it to a local 'rebuild' shop tomorrow that has a good rep and has been around for many years. Will probably cost me half.

A rebuilder will probably charge you twice as much. I used to buy batteries for $35-50, last year it was $115 for a standard one for my El Camino.

 

[Old Thomas]

Inflation. Nice job, both political parties, for spending too much borrowed money.

 

[MTN REMODEL LLC]

Inflation. Nice job, both political parties, for spending too much borrowed money.

Yepppers...OT.... Thanks for an honest representation.

I might add on..." for spending too much borrowed money...that will be "repaid" by borrowing/printing more money.

 

[Colbyt]

Did you enjoy those stimulus checks? Time to pay the fiddler.

 

[RanK2]

A rebuilder will probably charge you twice as much.

LOL ...... may never know ...... tension pulley will NOT budge (with a boxed end and an 18" extension pipe. Letting it soak awhile with WD, but not hopeful. ...... Alternator R&R piece of cake, who'd of expected the tensioner to be the road block. Hope I don't have to pull THAT. It's 'not' a piece of cake.

 

[chandler48]

I used to buy batteries for $35-50, last year it was $115 for a standard one for my El Camino.

Battery price for my Ram Cummins = $300....EACH !! I went stupid on them.

 

[Matt1963]

I know even domestic parts are crazy priced. What's wrong with it?

If the bearings are good sometimes you can just replace the brush assembly.

What year sable?

Here is one example of a Ford alternator.

 

[RanK2]

I know even domestic parts are crazy priced. What's wrong with it?

If the bearings are good sometimes you can just replace the brush assembly.

What year sable?

Here is one example of a Ford alternator.

1999. ...... May not be anything wrong with it, but will get it checked Monday at the rebuilders shop. ..... Got it off, but had to cut the belt to do so, as the tension pulley appeared to be frozen and would not release. Was slightly bending the 15mm boxed in the attempt. Didn't want to start stripping the head so I backed off and went to plan B.

Belt was probably the original with 81K on it, or if not, it was showing age. Had some minor cracking so no big loss. ...... Have ordered a new tension assembly and belt. Will need to get a 'T47' star bit to change the assembly.

BTW, great video ....... I may give that a shot if it tests bad, as it is making no noise, so I don't suspect any bearing issue, it's just that my new battery is not getting recharged, but yet my dummy light is not coming on. ...... But next step is to eliminate the alternator.

 

[530Foreman]

I bought a 2019 F150 long bed at the beginning of 2021 to be my work truck. Had to have it shipped down from Washington, it was the only long bed for sale on the west coast that wasn't beat up. It was used, had 115K on it, I figure it must have all been highway miles and it would be in good shape mechanically. No such luck, after a few months it started stalling and the power dropped off significantly. Took it to my mechanic, he said it looked like they had never changed the oil, cylinders were scored and there was a lot of noise in both the top and bottom end. Rebuilding the motor was going to cost over $10K, and depending on the damage they weren't sure it would ever be right. There were no rebuilt 5.0s anywhere that would work to pass smog (had to be 2019 or newer to match the vehicle), and all the salvage ones were from serious accidents. I ended up spending just over $15K installed on a new motor from Ford, took 3 months to get here. Talk about sticker shock. I'm now planning on driving this truck until the end of time considering all the money I put into it . I priced it out, I would have spent about $5K total more if I had ordered a 2021 identical to my 2019.

 

[Matt1963]

1999. ...... May not be anything wrong with it, but will get it checked Monday at the rebuilders shop. ..... Got it off, but had to cut the belt to do so, as the tension pulley appeared to be frozen and would not release. Was slightly bending the 15mm boxed in the attempt. Didn't want to start stripping the head so I backed off and went to plan B.

Belt was probably the original with 81K on it, or if not, it was showing age. Had some minor cracking so no big loss. ...... Have ordered a new tension assembly and belt. Will need to get a 'T47' star bit to change the assembly.

BTW, great video ....... I may give that a shot if it tests bad, as it is making no noise, so I don't suspect any bearing issue, it's just that my new battery is not getting recharged, but yet my dummy light is not coming on. ...... But next step is to eliminate the alternator.

We have a 2004 Taurus so it's close to yours. Ours is the 2000 to 2007 platform. Probably the same Vulcan engine though.

Saw that and some other videos and was thinking of doing mine. The guy says it extends the life of your existing.

Would have never even thought of doing that before but now.....

 

[RanK2]

If the bearings are good sometimes you can just replace the brush assembly.

Gave it a shot. Pulled the brush assembly, but the armature bands have grooves about 1/16" deep from the brushes. Have not taken it for bench check yet though.

 

[Marq1]

both Advance and Auto Zone quoting about $160

In my neighborhood we have auto parts stores on every corner, you would think that competition would be fierce but they are all crooks and I refuse to buy from them.

Replaced my sons stab bar links, on Amazon they were $12 each, at auto parts stores $40 each. Needed a serpentine belt, Gates belt on eBay was $10, auto parts stores were all around $25.

I lied, I do buy from local auto parts store but then promptly return the cheaper part and get my money back, screww them.

Look at what they charge for oil!

 

[Matt1963]

Gave it a shot. Pulled the brush assembly, but the armature bands have grooves about 1/16" deep from the brushes. Have not taken it for bench check yet though.

How'd the brushes look?

 

[RanK2]

How'd the brushes look?

Didn't seem too bad (I guess), about 3/4" long, rounded from the bands, so I assume still making contact. But the bands look pretty worn and that is not a task I want to take on.

Dropped at rebuilder, waiting for a call. ....... Kind of like their shop. If you like neat, clean, and pretty, that ain't the place. No frills ..... waiting room is in your car, or a lawn chair. We'll see about the price.

 

[Matt1963]

Okay.....let us know.

 

[toolturnr_1281]

If bearings are good and slip rings in decent shape you can definitely usually get by by doing what's in the video. It not only replaced the brushes but the voltage regulator as well. You could also buy a kit pretty cheap or even just the slip ring assembly if needed. Here's example of a cheap kit. FORD 3G SERIES ALTERNATOR REPAIR KIT WITH SLIP RING FOR MERCURY SABLE 3.0L 3.8L | eBay. Brushes and regulator make up a majority of the issues but your tensioner is definitely another. If frozen it could be allowing belt to continually slip. If it's older i would still do the brushes and voltage regulator. Blow it out good and you could take light sandpaper to the slip rings just to clean them up a bit. I love repairing parts for cheap that they just put a kit in and shine it up and charge you 5x what it should cost.

 

[RanK2]

If bearings are good and slip rings in decent shape you can definitely usually get by by doing what's in the video. It not only replaced the brushes but the voltage regulator as well. You could also buy a kit pretty cheap or even just the slip ring assembly if needed. Here's example of a cheap kit. FORD 3G SERIES ALTERNATOR REPAIR KIT WITH SLIP RING FOR MERCURY SABLE 3.0L 3.8L | eBay. Brushes and regulator make up a majority of the issues but your tensioner is definitely another. If frozen it could be allowing belt to continually slip. If it's older i would still do the brushes and voltage regulator. Blow it out good and you could take light sandpaper to the slip rings just to clean them up a bit. I love repairing parts for cheap that they just put a kit in and shine it up and charge you 5x what it should cost.

Yes, changing the brushes and regulator appears a piece of cake, but the copper bands that the brushes come in contact with both have about a 1/16" groove in them from that contact. ..... That can't be good, and I'm not willing to take it apart to attempt 'that' replacement.

Am starting to think this shop changed hands in the last 10 years. Stopped this morning, still had not checked it 24 hours later. Promised they would check it today. If no call by 5, I will just go get it AM and go buy a rebuilt.

 

[raylo32]

Maybe I am an outlier but those prices don't sound too bad to me. I paid $240 for a replacement for my Tacoma about a year and a half ago. But it was an OEM Denso reman, however, not the crap you get from the parts stores.