HELP!! Bad Alternator

I need your assistance out there in this forum. I have become to like these forums and am now in need of your help again. I have a 1998 Ford Contour and it has the 2.0 4 cylinder. I had a funny deal going on you would drive it and the ABS and brake light would come on and then it would eventually die.

I had the battery and alternator checked both times it did this and was told they were good. It did it again and had it checked at a mechanic shop and was told the alternator was bad. They wanted 450 dollars to replace it.

I dont have that kind of money and like doing it myself so here I am wanting to know the easiest way to change this alternator. I would appreciate the help here and would not even know how to repay for all the experience that is grouped in this forum.

Thank you Alan

You will need a 3/8 inch drive socket set with metric sockets. A 1/4 inch socket set with metric sockets. Look at the tensioner and Advance or Auto Zone will probably loan you a tool.
Disconnect the battery negative cable first. A 1/2 or 13mm box or combination wrench should work. Use a pad and mark down where each wire goes by color code.
Take your time and it should go smoothly.

We have 2 detailed how-to's on contour.org for an alternator replacement. They are for the duratec but they should be similar for the zetec.

http://www.contour.org/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=v6maint&Number=838883&Forum=v6maint&Words=alternator%20how%20ray&Match=And&Searchpage=0&Limit=2500&Old=allposts&Main=838883&Search=true#Post838883

http://www.contour.org/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=v6maint&Number=716210&Forum=v6maint&Words=alternator%20how&Match=And&Searchpage=0&Limit=2500&Old=allposts&Main=716210&Search=true#Post716210

They are using far more expensive tools than an average shade tree mechanic. I doubt if most of them have the tools you recommend. This would double their time if they can do it at all.
Can you disconnect the motor mount and pick up the motor rather than removing a tie rod end. A good smack with a dead blow hammer and the joint would pop out. I could see them using a pickle fork and damaging the rubber.

They are using far more expensive tools than an average shade tree mechanic. I doubt if most of them have the tools you recommend. This would double their time if they can do it at all.
Can you disconnect the motor mount and pick up the motor rather than removing a tie rod end. A good smack with a dead blow hammer and the joint would pop out. I could see them using a pickle fork and damaging the rubber.

I doubt most have a cherry picker either to lift the motor.

I thought if on jack stands you could use a board under the pan and move it up with the floor jack.
If on a lift in the garage a screw jack under the motor would move it up I used these instead of a engine hoist as it was high enough you could stand under it.

Before replacing the alternator...check for battery power to the alternator . See if you are getting 12 volts to the feeder cable on back of the alternator from the battery . the cable runs from the alternator to a box below the manifold. It has two connectors, one for the wire to the alt.,and the other to the batter. Between them is a fuse/fuseable link. On the battery side ,test for 12 volts. good,then check the other end . good...then check the cable end to the alt. to the connector. if good,bad alt. if bad..there is the problem . We installed a new alt. and it still wouldn't charge. so ,after shaking this feeder cable ,from behind the pulleys and to the alt., it started charging again.. I think the fuseable link may have a void in it which may be making contact after shaking the wires. I plan on pulling it out later today..now that it is not dark out,and seeing if this is it. May replace the 10gage wire also,in case it is going bad. A lot cheaper than a alternator!! I'll post the fix when I get it done.

it has to be there if it started charging so i think your on right path on running a new wire.

Well..it has been two days since messing with it and the ovner hasn't returned..ise him driving around..Just wonder when it willl drain the battery again . I guess if they aren' worried about it,I shouldn't be. I was nice enough to pick up two extra cables and fuses for them..just waiting on them to contact me first. Found parts from a 98 mercury mystique. same motor and parts .

It was a bad battery cable wire to the fuse link. The dang thing had rubbed through the coating and was grounding against the motor whenever it moved. I got a extra ,checked good alternator ,the guy decided to keep the new alt. in his car. I don't need it ,don't want it... good deal for $50.00. also got a couple of them fuseable links.