iwe/alternator problem
 

A couple of months ago I started hearing a grinding type noise from the front that lasted a few seconds to about 45 seconds. After doing some research I thought it might be an IWE solenoid/hub problem. I have heard it intermittently. I replaced the IWE solenoid (it had the rain cover on the old solenoid) but that did not fix the problem. I have heard it a couple of times since the solenoid was replaced. Today I heard it again and then the charging system light came on. It stayed on for about a minute. Then all was fine. Last May I had a dead battery and had it jumped. It made a similar noise to what I have been hearing and the light came on. I had a shop check it out. They said it was just a bad battery. They replaced it and I made a 300 mile trip and after 250 miles I heard the same noise , light came on, and my truck slowly died. After having it towed to a Ford dealer they said I had a bad alternator. Replaced the alternator. I thought it was the IWE system having problems. Could it be the alternator again after 6-7 months?

If your in a area that uses salt on the roads for snow or you have done some driving in the mud. It's a very real possibility that it is your alternator again. Your hubs need vacuum to stay disengaged and that is controlled by the vacuum solenoid. If it's getting any drop in voltage, it could be releasing the vacuum causing your hubs to try to engage.

This definitely sounds like a bad alternator. Sorry, that's not fun. There should be a warranty on the old one and if you could certainly replace it yourself with very little difficulty. Some folks here claim a non motorcraft alternator isn't any good with these trucks but I have had mine for a long time without any issues.

Shouldn't it be easy to diagnose the alternator as a problem?


I would assume all you need to do is when the truck is on your getting around 14V to the battery instead of 12V.....


I guess if it's intermittent maybe?

It is intermittent. Next time the noise comes back I will have to check the dash and see if the volts fluctuates.