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Hey all,
I got a battery light in my 2003 f150 with the 5.4 motor yesterday and determined that it was the alternator. Just wanted to know if anyone has any recommendations on alternator brands to get or avoid. I'm looking on rockauto and trying to keep it under $130.
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I'd get a new one with a lifetime warranty
If you have the time and you're handy you can rebuild them also. Lots of parts and kits and instructions out there. I didn't have time but I kept the old one and have a kit waiting.
I have never had a problem with any alternator from parts store as long as it was a new alternator , not a reman. Well that's not exactly true I had an Isuzu trooper that was very finicky about the voltage from the alternator.... Computer only worked well with the factory OEM alternator. Unfortunately it was super expensive. I can say I've never had a problem with any new alternator from a parts store on any American made vehicle, or toyota, or Honda.
. They all lasted the rest of the life of the vehicle. Both AutoZone duralast and O'Reilly brands
I wouldn't bother to order one and wait a week to get it I would just go to O'Reilly and get a new one. You can be back on the road in an hour
I have never had a problem with any alternator from parts store as long as it was a new alternator , not a reman. Well that's not exactly true I had an Isuzu trooper that was very finicky about the voltage from the alternator.... Computer only worked well with the factory OEM alternator. Unfortunately it was super expensive. I can say I've never had a problem with any new alternator from a parts store on any American made vehicle, or toyota, or Honda.
They all lasted the rest of the life of the vehicle. Both AutoZone duralast and O'Reilly brands
I wouldn't bother to order one and wait a week to get it I would just go to O'Reilly and get a new one. You can be back on the road in an hour
Problem is that O'Reilly's, as well as AZ, prices at both for new >$200.
Great that you've had no problems with parts from the aforementioned stores, no O'Reilly's around
my location, and never a big fan of AZ parts, especially with the inflated prices, so I'd wait.
Purchased a cheapy as a temp until I rebuilt the original. It's still going strong. Guess I'll leave it on there. Went up in price though, it was 62.07 about 2 1/2 years ago.
I've got 2 or 3 spares that I've snagged from the wrecking yard. If I saw a sticker that said they were new units, I was buying them for 20 a pop. Also rebuilt one that was the original on my Expy - it lost the front bearing, but I did the whole thing.
If it's the battery light, the chances are very high it may just need brushes and a regulator.
I had the sound off so might have missed it if you mentioned it, but couldn't you have done that without removing the alternator?
The one downside to my Remy Gold wrecking yard alternator is that they used their own regulator and brush assembly, since it's Remy's design. The Remy gold is a new unit. My Motorcraft parts won't swap over.
It was actually my original intention to try and do it with the alternator in there. It was going to be cramped - even if possible, so I decided to just pull it. It's possible the 5.4 or a COP equipped 4.6 would be able to.
5.4 alternator
