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From: bob@vaxwaller.UUCP (Bob Palin)
Newsgroups: net.auto
Subject: Re: Dodge Van alternator failure #2
Message-ID: <266@vaxwaller.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 17-May-85 13:46:35 EDT
Article-I.D.: vaxwalle.266
Posted: Fri May 17 13:46:35 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 19-May-85 00:31:50 EDT
References: <866@cae780.UUCP>
Distribution: na
Organization: Varian, Walnut Creek, CA
Lines: 20

Oh what a familiar story !  I have had the same experience with my Ford E150
only it only got bad just as the warranty expired ( 1 year ).  
In the first few weeks after I got the van the battery went flat but by
the time I got to the dealer it was charged again and they could find nothing
wrong.  This situation occurred again a couple of times as the warranty
expired.  The Ford dealer would do nothing for us ( Ed Chovanes Ford in 
San Leandro, Ca. ) and the Ford factory people in Milpitas were equally
helpful 8-(.  Eventually we took the van to a local electrical shop who replaced
the alternator for us.  This worked for a short while but the problem recurred
at which point they suggested we put in a higher rated alternator and replace
the voltage regualtor and batteries all at the same time.  Not a problem
since !  8-).  There were no signs of damage to any of the replaced alternators
or regulators but it appears that they were being over taxed anyway.  It's
now been a couple of years since the last episode and everything has been
fine,  of course I've replaced all of the above parts twice on my 1971
Ford LTD ( a real car ! ).

So you may want to try a bigger alternator if one is available.

Bob Palin, Varian Inst., Walnut Creek, Ca.