vs
Alternator OEM FORD or OEM Volvo
Those alternators are damn near bulletproof, it’s the voltage regulators that crap out. If it were me, I’d keep the OEM unit, replace the pulley, and swap out the voltage regulator while I was at it.
Pros: alternators are bulletproof
Cons: voltage regulators crap out
Vehicle:
Volvo V70
Mileage: 300000 km
I replaced the alternator on my Windstar last month. Disconnect the wires, remove 3 bolts and lift it out. Takes like 10 minutes or less.
Pros: easy to replace, takes 10 minutes
Vehicle:
Ford Windstar
The alternator I have on my 3.0 Ford Ranger does over 130 at idle and 300 at 2,000 engine RPM. It's the same size as factory, just custom built for $550 for the truck since I use it for car audio competition.
Pros: high output at idle
Cons: custom built, expensive
Vehicle:
Ford Ranger
Just sold mine to a friend... owned this one for 5 years, put 40+ thousand miles on it, and it needed nothing except for an alternator, and battery. It was a great car for me. Never let me down, drove, and sounded great...
Pros: drove and sounded great
Cons: needed alternator, battery
Vehicle:
Ford Contour
Mileage: 64373 km
We have an '05 ZX5. The alternator crapped out at about 45k miles. $50 part, did it myself. Otherwise, it's been flawless. 60k and counting.
Pros: flawless otherwise
Cons: alternator crapped out
Vehicle:
Ford Focus
Mileage: 72420 km
I had one during college... For a V6 it wasn't particularly quick and handled a lot bigger than it was. In three years it ate five alternators and the intake runner control box was notorious for failing (killing what little power it had).
Pros: sounded good with exhaust
Cons: ate five alternators
I had a Cougar (same underpinnings) and mine went through alternators like candy. I'm sure a better-designed aftermarket version would probably take care of it though.
Pros: better sounding V6s
Cons: alternators like candy
Vehicle:
Ford Cougar
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