Weird sound in engine bay.

[killj0y]

Noise got worse, I see the alternator needle fluctuating a little now. I leave tomorrow afternoon guess I'll change it out in the morning.

 

[killj0y]

96 explorer alternator will fit a 96 ranger right?

 

[shane96ranger]

96 explorer alternator will fit a 96 ranger right?

If they are both 4.0's - yes.

Sent from a Commodore 64 using a 300 baud modem

 

[Mark_88]

I know there are variations in the 2.3 alt bracket from various years so check where the two bolts are and also the connectors...I've seen them look identical yet the plugs or bolt holes are not quite the same...

I found one off an 87 Mustang that was the exact same as mine in appearance but the plugs were actually backwards...I would have had to mount it upside down and run it backwards...which I don't think works...and since mine doesn't have power steering the bracket would have been useless from the Mustang also...

I think if you get the same year engine and model it would probably be the same mounting arrangement though...

 

[killj0y]

Ok pulled that sucker out and sure enough the bearings were shot. Got a replacement/upgrade 130 amp alternator meant for an explorer and slapped it in before we head for home. Engine sounds great now. I think it might have been dying long before. Maybe this will fix some other issues I've been having. Thanks for the help guys! Good thing I always carry tools

 

[killj0y]

I know there are variations in the 2.3 alt bracket from various years so check where the two bolts are and also the connectors...I've seen them look identical yet the plugs or bolt holes are not quite the same...

I found one off an 87 Mustang that was the exact same as mine in appearance but the plugs were actually backwards...I would have had to mount it upside down and run it backwards...which I don't think works...and since mine doesn't have power steering the bracket would have been useless from the Mustang also...

I think if you get the same year engine and model it would probably be the same mounting arrangement though...

Well the one I got was meant for a 4.0/3.0 explorer and I have a 2.3 ranger. It just bolted right up. Connections were the same so I nice little upgrade. Made the crappy situation a little better :thumbup:

 

[shane96ranger]

Well the one I got was meant for a 4.0/3.0 explorer and I have a 2.3 ranger. It just bolted right up. Connections were the same so I nice little upgrade. Made the crappy situation a little better :thumbup:

That is good to know. I didn't know the 2.3 used the same design.

Sent from a Commodore 64 using a 300 baud modem

 

[Mark_88]

Thanks for the update...good to know it worked out for you...

Your alternator is on the opposite side as mine...and I think that the early versions all had the alt on the driver side on the same belt as the water pump...yours is definitely not like mine or any earlier versions so that upgrade would not work directly with the older 2.3...it might be worth looking into though because the older alternators used a very specific bracket that is almost impossible to find...

My alternator bracket broke last year and I didn't realize it for a while...until I found that I couldn't tighten the belt any more...turned out that the head I used did not have bolt holes for that bracket...when I swapped on the 87 head recently the head had the proper holes tapped so I was able to secure the bracket with two bolts as opposed to one (it actually takes three on the block on this style).

 

[killj0y]

Thanks for the update...good to know it worked out for you...

Your alternator is on the opposite side as mine...and I think that the early versions all had the alt on the driver side on the same belt as the water pump...yours is definitely not like mine or any earlier versions so that upgrade would not work directly with the older 2.3...it might be worth looking into though because the older alternators used a very specific bracket that is almost impossible to find...

My alternator bracket broke last year and I didn't realize it for a while...until I found that I couldn't tighten the belt any more...turned out that the head I used did not have bolt holes for that bracket...when I swapped on the 87 head recently the head had the proper holes tapped so I was able to secure the bracket with two bolts as opposed to one (it actually takes three on the block on this style).

Man that sucks sorry. Well if it's possible go for it been working great and believe it or not actually it smoothed out a rough idle problem I had been having.

 

[doorgunner]

A noise problem under the hood with a solution and a fairly happy ending.......



(just relaced my Alt. yesterday....it was draining the battery every 2 to 3 days)

 

[killj0y]

A noise problem under the hood with a solution and a fairly happy ending.......



(just relaced my Alt. yesterday....it was draining the battery every 2 to 3 days)

Yup made the 3 hour drive home from Laredo just fine after that. Found another noise after that from another item but can't locate exactly what's making it since it only happens while driving. Oh well trucks running good anyways :thumbup: