What alternator goes to my 89 2.9.

Zachalanche · Jan 5, 2016

I have an 89 ranger xlt 4x4 2.9 with ac. The accessories use v belts, not serpentine. I've been through 3 alternators in the past year. Warranty replacement is nice, but I'm about to start installing the things with wing nuts so I can swap them out every oil change. I don't prefer autozone, but there us one within walking distance from my house, so I often end up purchasing there.

Last go around with this alternator, I found the one I keep replacing is for a non ac truck. I'd love to buy one for the ac truck, but it doesn't exist with a v belt. Now I am fairly certain I don't have the only ranger with ac and v belts ever made, so I am curious if any one knows what the amp rating of the oem alternator for this truck was. Is it possible I am overloading the only replacement autozone carries for my truck?

adsm08 · Jan 5, 2016

It's possible. I have a 2.9 with A/C and it def has V-belts, and I was not burning through alternators when I pulled her for a 4.0 swap.

Zachalanche · Jan 5, 2016

Yeah 220k on the oem, then 8k, 1k, and 500 MI on the duracrap alternators. No electrical or battery issues that I can find yet.

Shoddy Cologne · Jan 6, 2016

Couldnt you just swap the pulley?

Sent from my LGL16C using Tapatalk

Zachalanche · Jan 7, 2016

Shoddy Cologne said:
Couldnt you just swap the pulley?

Sent from my LGL16C using Tapatalk

Funny you suggest that. if I was buying this for the first time, I would do that. but since this is warranty autozone insists on swapping this out like kind (the 60 A unit), even though they may have sold me the wrong thing in the first place. So, I figure that's fine, Ill just keep exchanging these things until someone decides to get to the root of the problem.

This was a non stock item, so they order it. It shows up last night with the 6grove pulley on it. so I told them to swap it with the vbelt pulley in the store. which was quite amusing.

I really whish I knew what the amp rating of the original unit was, but if I have to exchange it again, I may try to get my money back so I can buy something I know will work.

Mark_88 · Jan 8, 2016

I almost hate to ask such a simple question but...are you putting the proper tension on the belt or is it an auto tension pulley? My old V belt was not auto tension so I had to check the tightness for the first few miles to make sure it was correct...and mine was no drop on the belt but they vary...putting too much tension can destroy the alternator in no time.

Of course, if it is not bearing failure that is the problem then...forget I mentioned it...

Zachalanche · Jan 8, 2016

Mark_88 said:
I almost hate to ask such a simple question but...are you putting the proper tension on the belt or is it an auto tension pulley? My old V belt was not auto tension so I had to check the tightness for the first few miles to make sure it was correct...and mine was no drop on the belt but they vary...putting too much tension can destroy the alternator in no time.

Of course, if it is not bearing failure that is the problem then...forget I mentioned it...

going by feel so certainly a possibility. but no bearing failures so I suspect I am good. its also really hard to put a lot of tension on it with the awkwardness of the pry locations available. conversely you can easily over tension the power steering pump with the jacking bolt. pretty much just pulling on the alternator case by hand, and then tightening the bolts. I can easily twist the belt 90* when done, but not quite 180*

thanks for the input.

now with the replacement I the ruck idles a lot better. this makes me wonder if the last one was truly defective causing large enough voltage swings to mess with the engine controls. the idle was always hunting, and on a cold morning it would always die immediately after startup sometimes 2 or 3 times. shifts were rough too. now everything is as it should be. hopefully this is the one.

I sometimes wonder if AZ is just wiping the dirt of the old ones and sticking them back in the box.

Mark_88 · Jan 8, 2016

Zachalanche said:
going by feel so certainly a possibility. but no bearing failures so I suspect I am good. its also really hard to put a lot of tension on it with the awkwardness of the pry locations available. conversely you can easily over tension the power steering pump with the jacking bolt. pretty much just pulling on the alternator case by hand, and then tightening the bolts. I can easily twist the belt 90* when done, but not quite 180*

thanks for the input.

now with the replacement I the ruck idles a lot better. this makes me wonder if the last one was truly defective causing large enough voltage swings to mess with the engine controls. the idle was always hunting, and on a cold morning it would always die immediately after startup sometimes 2 or 3 times. shifts were rough too. now everything is as it should be. hopefully this is the one.

I sometimes wonder if AZ is just wiping the dirt of the old ones and sticking them back in the box.

No problem. Glad you got one that is working the way it should.

I remember returning a few alternators for one reason or another a few years back and I was getting real suspicious of what they were giving me...then I got one that worked too.

I know at least one of mine was returned because the nut that fastened my alternator was actually slipping even when I had good leverage and tightened it as much as I could. When I noticed the belt drop was there right after running the engine for just a few minutes I went and found another bolt and that fixed it.

So thought I'd mention this...I've also had techs tighten a belt too tight and it blew out the water pump seal on my Zuki...which eventually lead to a head overheat and losing the truck because it was too expensive to fix...but, that's another story.

:icon_thumby:

4x4junkie · Jan 9, 2016

The original alt is rated 60A

My '90 OEM one lasted to about 150K. The alt I replaced it with was said to be beefed up (90A), but it never could hold proper voltage at idle. After a diode went out on it I finally swapped straight over to a 95A 3G unit from a 300I6 ('95 E-150 van). The alt bolts right up to the 2.9L engine but you do have to change a couple wiring harness connectors, and swap the pulley with your original V-belt one.

And yeah, sounds like yet another error in AZ's wonderful listings, as mine also is a 2.9L with A/C and has V-belts.

Zachalanche · Jan 12, 2016

4x4junkie said:
The original alt is rated 60A

My '90 OEM one lasted to about 150K. The alt I replaced it with was said to be beefed up (90A), but it never could hold proper voltage at idle. After a diode went out on it I finally swapped straight over to a 95A 3G unit from a 300I6 ('95 E-150 van). The alt bolts right up to the 2.9L engine but you do have to change a couple wiring harness connectors, and swap the pulley with your original V-belt one.

And yeah, sounds like yet another error in AZ's wonderful listings, as mine also is a 2.9L with A/C and has V-belts.

Just what I was looking for.
thanks.

Raider_130 · Apr 29, 2023

I need a v-belt alternator pulley. Anyone know what diameter it is?

What alternator goes to my 89 2.9.

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