Amsoil doesn’t offer me a code bc they don’t sponsor the channel, I’m an independent dealer in Amsoils network. However, visiting their site you can find promo deals, they change them frequently. Sometimes it’s a discount and other times they give free product with a purchase. Visit my Amsoil page using the link here www.amsoil.com/?zo=30606222 It’s located in the video description and half way down the page. If you click on the video title while the video is playing it will open the description tab. This does not work if you’re viewing on TV. Email me with any questions! RainmanRaysRepairs@gmail or email the shop off the websites link found at RainmanRaysRepairs.com - Schedule Appointment
I am not a mechanic, but if memory serves, Ford has always put the starter motor near the bottom of the engine and probably GM as well. But recently I have no Idea where to look for starter motor because as often as it is used it schould be located on top of the engine like the Flux capicitor on the time machine because that is what you will be changing out most of the time since it has to restart at every light.
@larryfromtoledo, I'll give a partial credit because whoever put it on upside down, at least put it back on! I've seen some of these "quick lube" shops not even put the cap back on, leave more than a quart of oil out, in some cases -- somehow forget that they hadn't refilled the engine with oil and tried to start it and drive it out.... x_x
This reminds me of South Main when he has a 1 hour radiator video and you get to thinking 'huh, why is it 1 hour...' and it turns into a massive reverse-engineering task just to get it out. Holy moly.
I had a Renault many years ago and it needed a new alternator. Thought to myself i'll just do it myself. Couldnt even see it or find it. Dealer did it in a couple of hours. They design them like that just to be assholes.
I changed a head gasket on a 1986 Buick Skyhawk turbo 1.8 many years ago in a sleet storm with a blanket on the hood wrapped around me because my wife at the time needed the car the next day. Fun times. Sometimes we do what we have to do lol
You couldn't do it. You would need at least one jack stand to hold up that corner of the car, to disassemble the knuckle, to get the CV shaft out of the way.
I was sent to a battery class, which was sponsored by a battery supplier. It was explained to us when charging a battery, best method was the hit the battery with 30 to 40 amps for a short period of time. That high amperage shocks the battery and knocks the sulfates off of the plates. Then a lower Amp rate until the battery is fully charged. Then allow the battery to cool to equalize the charge. Then test. That's in a perfect world where you have all that time.
I had a large 800AH AGM battery which was less than perfect. I have 40amp charger and also a bench top power supply 0-35v 0-10amps. I hooked this battery up to the bench top supply and ran it at 18v at10amps for several hours. I made sure the battery didn't get too hot so I monitored it regularly. After it cooled down completely I tested it with a battery tester and it read over 800ah. It still reads at well over 95% after several days. The purpose of putting a higher voltage into the battery than say 13.5v was to de-sulphate the battery cells. I have a 2007 BMW X3 E83 and batteries for these cars aren't exactly cheap and I want to get the maximum life possible out of it.
@@desoneill5489 You hit the big point. Temperature. Electronic stuff, even lead-acid batteries, don't do well when they get too hot. Metals soften, and reactions inimical to proper function occur more easily at high temperatures, as well as resistance in conductors increasing leading to even MORE heat.
@@MonkeyJedi99 - that's why I said you have to monitor the battery regularly and if it gets more than just a little warm then disconnect the power and let it cool down for quite a while and then recommence the de-sulfacation process again.
After being bombarded by political corruption and BS all day long, your channel brings me back to the days when hard work, honesty and family values were the norm, not the exception. I pray for you and Wife Unit (lol) and other good people like Eric O. and Mrs. O. everyday. Thank goodness for Rainman.
@@micahreid5553 , clearly they're pushing the public to see vehicles as "disposable" like the "all-electrics." So now all vehicles "Your vehicle needs repairs? Just dispose of it and buy a new one!" They basically did that with pushing "Why buy a new car when you can lease one! You never have to worry about repairs because you're driving a new car every 2-4 years!!" Sure, so you never actually own anything of value and you give up thousands for a down payment, then pay thousands to drive a few thousand miles, then "Turn in your _rental_ and _rent_ another!" Years ago I bought a new car and in less than 6 yrs paid it off for just under $22K interest included. Spent less than $5,000 on maintenance/repairs and most of that was "DIY" oil changes, replace batteries, brakes etc. And that was during a period of 20 yrs of ownership now, it's still on the road, no major engine nor transmission work yet, has over 250,000 miles on it.
Not just a Ford problem, GM is just as bad not to mention alot of the Chinese/ Korean/ Japanese imports. The compact vehicle market just translates to zero access space to parts 😥
I admire Ray's calm demeanor throughout the process of extracting this alternator and reinstallation. If I was tasked with this job, I'd have to order one of those inflatable bounce houses that are used for kid's parties so I could bounce off the walls in a rage.
@mlieser1230, clearly Ray is a different kind of guy, he runs into problems and we don't see him "throwing wrenches" and cussing like a "Sailor", lol. Things just don't seem to get him like some of us. Maybe part of that is his ability to make some of the funny comments he makes. I think he and the "wife unit", lol, were definitely "made for each other." Two kind, fun-loving people who face the challenges in life with grace. No doubt anyone who had them as neighbors and friends would be blessed!
I AGREE BUT AUTO ENGINEERS SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO WORK IN A SERVICE SHOP FOR A TWO TO FIVE YEAR PERIOD BEFORE they are even allowed to touch a pencil to desige anything!
In the Bible of vehicle and engine designers it states... "All accessories on an engine likely to need replacing shall be placed in such a manner as to make said replacement almost completely impossible. Replacement of an accessory that requires removal of engine from vehicle is best practice!"
Replacing the alternator was the hardest repair job I have ever done on my 05 Escape... I want to call Ray and tell him to remove the crank sensor bracket and the alternator falls right out. Plastic air dam in the back of the alternator is a pain to deal with also... Some folks swap the fixed stud down to one of the bottom holes.
I just finished a similar job replacing an alternator on a dodge mini van. Without a lift sitting on my garage floor, what a job. I feel your pain, also I’m 70 yrs old too. Great video.
Man o Man, i thought changing the ALT on my 87 Honda Accord was a pain in the butt, If i had to go through that it would never have been put in by me Good job man, keep the good work.
I get how difficult it is to do proper drop testing when the alternator is so hard to reach. Once the belt is off, your diagnostic process is almost finished. But you can always do a drop test on the battery side of the ground wire, in less than a minute. I thought a bad ground would usually present under the severe demand of the starter motor. So, just last week when Eric O did a video of that very presentation, I was surprised. In that case the diagnosis was not made until the parts cannon was fired by another shop. I'll never forget the pro mechanic who fixed my alternator by simply finding a bad connection at the voltage regulator, decades ago. When you make a diagnosis like that, you gain life long admiration.
the old way of testing a alternator was find a dark place with no street lights ,put all of you lights on and all other electrical stuff with the motor running of course then put you foot on the brakes and if the alternator light came on a little bit then it was time to replace your alternator of course these days there are electrical tools to diagnose this , thanks for the video
I'm not sure about 12v lead-acid batteries, but for a lot of battery chemistries the standard charging mechanism is to start with high current and ramp it down once the battery is mostly full (80% or so). To use the same analogy as Ray, you want to put all the big rocks in first, then the gravel, then the sand. If you alternate between big rocks and gravel, the gravel ends up up spaces that would ideally be used by big rocks. It's more efficient to switch to gravel only when there's no more room for big rocks.
Most battery chemistries that have a constant-voltage charge termination also have more "delicate" characteristics when the battery is heavily discharged, as this one is. In fact it's worse for a car battery (as opposed to a leisure battery of the same chemistry), as the lead plates have to be made very thin to get the surface area for a high cranking current, and in the discharged state the lead changes into a compound which is structurally much weaker than plain lead. Leisure batteries are optimised for capacity rather than cranking current, and consequently have much more structurally robust plates. The batteries that you can reasonably put full current in from a fully discharged state are the nickel-based ones, which tend to have a dV/dT charge termination rather than a fixed voltage. NiCd is particularly famous for this, but modern versions of NiMH are also pretty robust.
That's an insane amount of work for an alternator. When I did mine it was located near the top of the motor. I unplugged it, undid the charging wire and undid 2 bolts (adjuster and mounting bolt) then just did everything in reverse. The only difficult bit was jamming the new alternator in (tight fit in the mounting bracket). Mind you, the vehicle I did it on is 20 years old with plenty of space there. The only mistake I made was placing the bolts on the heat shield (fell down it) so then I had to remove about 8 - 10 little bolts to retrieve them.
You didn't have to replace a starter on a Jeep wagoneer with the big v-8. Never saw a service manual but it was a choice of lifting the engine about 6 inches or using the cutting torch.
I'm actually not an automotive mechanic at all..... I hate working on the construction company pickup trucks. I also don't like working on my own cars. Ray. Is just a solid mechanic, tho. The practice is the same. Kinda like, he's a doctor for shoulders, and I'm a doctor for hips. I love his videos.
Oh man, after watching more of the video this brought back some memories. I had to replace the ABS tone rings on my Escape because they both cracked. When I found out that it was only a $5 part, but a several hundred dollar job, I said "nah, I'll do it myself". What a PITA! I understand why it costs what it does, but I'd still rather eat the hard work than the money myself.
Oh he'll not be fired for that because that's not his job. His job is to make it easier and thus, less expensive for Ford to assemble the vehicle. There are no profits to be made in making the mechanic's job easier.
Ray you take the time, and go the extra mile to do the job right & correctly, I can only imagine the screw ups that would happen if it was taken to "bubba's beat it with a sledge, and burn it loose with a torch",, my hats off to you sir !
Alternator: This really does the customer disservice. Yes, good shop money but most customers would not comprehend the flat rate charge...again, from car manufacturers, no real consideration for after sale. Excellent video.
Wow alternator placement so glad that was you Ray not me- based on previous experience I would launch into replacing the alternator with confidence- but once in I would realize that there is no way my skill level would easily get the job done- well done Ray you have mad skills
When I was a youngster here in the UK you could buy the old rusty Mini cheap..... I had 3 minis in succession. Despite the diminutive size of the car the alternator could be changed by an average car owner, with basic tools in about 20 minutes....... How far we have come!!!!
I watched this after watching a starter swap on a smart car. Madness. Alternator swap should be an hour tops including finding your tools and going out to the store to get another 10mm socket
Hay Ray i have to REEEE! you for real this time you forgot to put the road grit shield back on the alternator if i missed it please say so also you need to clean up your tools this is the one thing i have ocd on tools should be in there place unless you are using them for a project
Kinda a group comment / suggestion here... Connect the traffic light, hang it mid shop. Next, Lauren should have control of the traffic light from the office. Red is lunch, green is normal operation - steady as she goes, and yellow is Ray's expertise is required in in the office.
As a Old Fart of 76, I remember when Vehicles were much easier to work on, never over 20 mins. to replace a Alternator with no lift and limited tools...
I once made a comment to an english professor that there are quite a few usages of the "F word". Without batting an eye, he shot back, "there are 27". Wait, what? He actually enumerated them?? Noun, Verb, Adverb, Pronoun. You get the idea... (I'd bet most of those usages came from the automotive repair world)
Beware a battery can drag down the charging volts if its on it's way out of its life BUT not very often, I check by disconnecting the earth lead whilst engine running and see if the alternator keeps powering the headlights .AND NEVER EVER disconnect the positive before the negative first!! You did an amazing job anyway. :) huge job just to get the alternator out and back in
@@evilgtidriver , actually I was told not to try "testing the alternator by pulling the battery cable" because the ECU/ECM uses various reference signal voltages from the battery so it may give false indications or shut down the vehicle. When I was a kid many yrs ago, that was my experience with my '92 beater, removing the (-) cable would cause the vehicle to shut down instantly and in fact the issues the vehicle experienced were just the result of the battery not holding a proper charge because I bought a DVM and checked.
@@zenithperigee7442 actually, no shit. You can also fry the ecu. I was just giving an example of what could happen so people would avoid doing it. Didn’t think it was necessary to list all outcomes of disconnecting the battery while the vehicle was running. I forgot that people on TH-cam are all professionals and feel the need to correct people or disprove them.
Saw an episode of South Main Auto the other day, and he had an interesting tool. A bar about 4 foot long with a sort of curved foot that had two offset pins top and bottom of the foot. The near pin went over top the A arm and the far pin slid under the A arm. Press down on the end of the bar and Bob's your uncle separated the ball joint.
Caveman Ray’s auto repair 😂. I replaced my ford alternator by taking it apart and removing it. Then I took the new alternator apart and reassemble it in the car. It was a lot easier than removing the axle.
Why do mechanic take the short cut. Remove all of the plastic shield, do not just bend it out of the way. I had a shop do the same thing and broke my shield then hide it from me.
Because most of those plastic shields are very pliable. The one on this Escape is super thin and bends very well. It won’t just break. If yours broke, it was probably rotted already.
As a home-gamer without the proper manual, this job was super hard for me! It does fit without removing the pulley! Once you've worked out how it fits through the "hole," take a photo! I got my unit bench-tested before installing it!
The work you have to go through to do one thing amazes me sometimes I do love the way you explain things blow by blow that is awesome keep up the great work you do Ray 👍
Ray, as someone who did this on a 2003 Mazda Tribute one way to finally get the unit out through the little opening is to loosen the motor mount(s) and actually lift the engine up to get that last 1/2 inch of opening to get the alternator out.
I had an '05 Escape, it was the 4 cylinder. The engine blew, and by that I mean grenaded onto the road beneath me while driving, at about 140k miles. It burned oil like the Deepwater Horizon, until it very suddenly didn't anymore. That was the last Ford I'll ever buy. I had a '94 Explorer (when they were still square) before that which was an absolute tank. I sold it because I got tired of fixing small stupid stuff. It probably still outlasted the Escape. I have a Tacoma now, so yeah, there won't be another Ford.
15:00 save yourself a headache and use a small length of chain to wrap around the end of the control arm, near the ball joint, stick the pry bar through it and pry it down that way.
The engine can run on surprisingly low voltage. Years ago church van's alternator failed in the night and we were 2 hours away from home. Drove 2 hours with head lights on with just battery power. Some how we made home and head lights were very dim. Battery was down to 7V.
I drive a 2003 Escape with that very same engine. I also repair vehicles for a living, and am glad I haven't had to replace mine....yet. I have done many of these and they are not my favorite. You made it look easy though. Well done.👍👍
Tiger tight placement of alternator and other parts has always been a challenge in the newer vehicles, back in the day there was always plenty of room to sit in the engine compartment while working even the big blocks.
Good morning from Spartanburg South Carolina. This is a fine example of FERD engineering. In my part of the country we refer to this situation as a “Classic Goat Roping”.
![[MV] A leap of faith...ความเชื่อใจครั้งสุดท้าย (From "Petrichor the series")](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/U1piZH2CNXA/mqdefault.jpg)
Want to buy amzoil break in oil for my just bored to 40 over pontiac 400. Do you have a promo code and where to order it?
Amsoil doesn’t offer me a code bc they don’t sponsor the channel, I’m an independent dealer in Amsoils network. However, visiting their site you can find promo deals, they change them frequently. Sometimes it’s a discount and other times they give free product with a purchase. Visit my Amsoil page using the link here www.amsoil.com/?zo=30606222 It’s located in the video description and half way down the page. If you click on the video title while the video is playing it will open the description tab. This does not work if you’re viewing on TV. Email me with any questions! RainmanRaysRepairs@gmail or email the shop off the websites link found at RainmanRaysRepairs.com - Schedule Appointment
@@RainmanRaysRepairs done Thank You
What about the other manufacturers that put the starter motor under the intake manifold?
I know like Honda they put there starter under the intake manifold on some of the newer Hondas kind of sucks
I am not a mechanic, but if memory serves, Ford has always put the starter motor near the bottom of the engine and probably GM as well. But recently I have no Idea where to look for starter motor because as often as it is used it schould be located on top of the engine like the Flux capicitor on the time machine because that is what you will be changing out most of the time since it has to restart at every light.
The alternator stud is the engineers and their sadistic sense of humor.
Thanks for fixing that oil filler cap! 😢
@larryfromtoledo, I'll give a partial credit because whoever put it on upside down, at least put it back on! I've seen some of these "quick lube" shops not even put the cap back on, leave more than a quart of oil out, in some cases -- somehow forget that they hadn't refilled the engine with oil and tried to start it and drive it out.... x_x
@@zenithperigee7442I wonder what's worse, a bad oil change? Or never changing the oil?
Once again the engineers win, dismantle half the car just to get at the alternator. 👌🏼
I was about to make the same comment.
Changed the alternator on my '08 Isuzu recently.
Took me maybe 10-15 minutes...
This reminds me of South Main when he has a 1 hour radiator video and you get to thinking 'huh, why is it 1 hour...' and it turns into a massive reverse-engineering task just to get it out. Holy moly.
Looks good on their drawing board and clay models lol
Don’t forget to remove the rear hatch lift to remove the alternator.
It takes a special type of stupid to put an alternator so as you have to dismantle half the vehicle to get to it !
That was crazy! I remember when we used to be able to change our own alternators.
'I need to pull the wheel off...' and so the battle begins.
I have a truck for that reason, a 2010 corolla I can change it even.
Typical ford pos
@@shadowopsairman1583, agreed. I had a 2009 Corolla, replaced the alternator in less than 30 minutes without any special tools.
I remember when we didn't have alternators. Generator $35 and changed in 15 minutes.
I had a Renault many years ago and it needed a new alternator. Thought to myself i'll just do it myself. Couldnt even see it or find it. Dealer did it in a couple of hours. They design them like that just to be assholes.
This job is really a lot of fun when you just have ramps and no lift. Ask me how I know..... Great Video as always Ray!
What about replacing a gearbox with no ramps, just carjack and few cinder blocks(fwd) 😂😂😂 not a fun job. No wonder why men die younger
I was thinking about that during this procedure. A driveway operation would be so horrible...
@@golf25radioman In the winter !!
I changed a head gasket on a 1986 Buick Skyhawk turbo 1.8 many years ago in a sleet storm with a blanket on the hood wrapped around me because my wife at the time needed the car the next day. Fun times. Sometimes we do what we have to do lol
You couldn't do it. You would need at least one jack stand to hold up that corner of the car, to disassemble the knuckle, to get the CV shaft out of the way.
I was sent to a battery class, which was sponsored by a battery supplier. It was explained to us when charging a battery, best method was the hit the battery with 30 to 40 amps for a short period of time. That high amperage shocks the battery and knocks the sulfates off of the plates. Then a lower Amp rate until the battery is fully charged. Then allow the battery to cool to equalize the charge. Then test.
That's in a perfect world where you have all that time.
Wow you'll make enough $ on this job to vacation at Hawaii for a month😮
I had a large 800AH AGM battery which was less than perfect. I have 40amp charger and also a bench top power supply 0-35v 0-10amps. I hooked this battery up to the bench top supply and ran it at 18v at10amps for several hours. I made sure the battery didn't get too hot so I monitored it regularly. After it cooled down completely I tested it with a battery tester and it read over 800ah. It still reads at well over 95% after several days.
The purpose of putting a higher voltage into the battery than say 13.5v was to de-sulphate the battery cells. I have a 2007 BMW X3 E83 and batteries for these cars aren't exactly cheap and I want to get the maximum life possible out of it.
@@desoneill5489 You hit the big point. Temperature.
Electronic stuff, even lead-acid batteries, don't do well when they get too hot.
Metals soften, and reactions inimical to proper function occur more easily at high temperatures, as well as resistance in conductors increasing leading to even MORE heat.
@@MonkeyJedi99 - that's why I said you have to monitor the battery regularly and if it gets more than just a little warm then disconnect the power and let it cool down for quite a while and then recommence the de-sulfacation process again.
Did they mention what is the best way to test a battery? If with a carbon pile or one as shown by Ray.
After being bombarded by political corruption and BS all day long, your channel brings me back to the days when hard work, honesty and family values were the norm, not the exception. I pray for you and Wife Unit (lol) and other good people like Eric O. and Mrs. O. everyday. Thank goodness for Rainman.
Don't pay attention to it, if you are being bombarded by it you obviously watch a lot of it.
What were the wonderful Ford engineers thinking about? Absolutely crazy. Love your patience, Ray.
@tradde11 It's all about streamlining the robotic assembly line process.
What a palaver to remove an alternator well done sir you made it look easy ...
It is amazing watching you manipulate fasteners with your flanges in very tight spaces! Congratulations, you are a miracle worker! 😊
Good morning from Centralia IL... Every newer Ford engineering has made me invent new cuss words...
That wonderful modern design to make an alternator swap damn near an engine out job 😆
My dad is from there. Have cousins (veltman)(holzhower) still there🙂
@@micahreid5553 , clearly they're pushing the public to see vehicles as "disposable" like the "all-electrics." So now all vehicles "Your vehicle needs repairs? Just dispose of it and buy a new one!" They basically did that with pushing "Why buy a new car when you can lease one! You never have to worry about repairs because you're driving a new car every 2-4 years!!" Sure, so you never actually own anything of value and you give up thousands for a down payment, then pay thousands to drive a few thousand miles, then "Turn in your _rental_ and _rent_ another!" Years ago I bought a new car and in less than 6 yrs paid it off for just under $22K interest included. Spent less than $5,000 on maintenance/repairs and most of that was "DIY" oil changes, replace batteries, brakes etc. And that was during a period of 20 yrs of ownership now, it's still on the road, no major engine nor transmission work yet, has over 250,000 miles on it.
Not just a Ford problem, GM is just as bad not to mention alot of the Chinese/ Korean/ Japanese imports.
The compact vehicle market just translates to zero access space to parts 😥
@@azthundercloud unknown I'm an old man and originally from MO.
I admire Ray's calm demeanor throughout the process of extracting this alternator and reinstallation. If I was tasked with this job, I'd have to order one of those inflatable bounce houses that are used for kid's parties so I could bounce off the walls in a rage.
@mlieser1230, clearly Ray is a different kind of guy, he runs into problems and we don't see him "throwing wrenches" and cussing like a "Sailor", lol. Things just don't seem to get him like some of us. Maybe part of that is his ability to make some of the funny comments he makes. I think he and the "wife unit", lol, were definitely "made for each other." Two kind, fun-loving people who face the challenges in life with grace. No doubt anyone who had them as neighbors and friends would be blessed!
Ray got me he waited till it was almost back together to tell me he put the wires on
i think he does that on purpose so you can scream at your computer PUT THOSE F!#@% WIRES ON LOL
Yep, got me, too.
And did Ray tighten the battery terminal clamps at the end? Or just spray on some goop, and she's out the door!😎
Also, the heat shield on the 'nator. I didn't see that go on.
The engineer that put the alternator there should be made to work in a shop and have to R and R his mess for a week.
With the cheapest Harbor Freight tool set made of "Chinesium" LoL
@@richb.4374 Nah, with a hammer and a chisel ... only!
I've got the same engine in a Ford Taurus and while it's a tight fit and goes in a very specific way, it's not this big of a pain, lol.
I AGREE BUT AUTO ENGINEERS SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO WORK IN A SERVICE SHOP FOR A TWO TO FIVE YEAR PERIOD BEFORE they are even allowed to touch a pencil to desige anything!
In the Bible of vehicle and engine designers it states... "All accessories on an engine likely to need replacing shall be placed in such a manner as to make said replacement almost completely impossible. Replacement of an accessory that requires removal of engine from vehicle is best practice!"
Wow
That probably hasn't been followed since the Model-T😅
Being fair, that's the original, and this Escape is nearly 20 years old with 170k miles on it... this isn't exactly a battery or windshield wipers.
Amen brother.
I'm sure an Engineer that worked for Ford is sitting at home smiling at you as you navigate this Nader out of there. 😅
There is something cathartic about watching Ray repair vehicles.
Very true, I put myself to sleep sometimes when I’m editing
So it's not just me 😂 my unwelcomed nap is always ray induced
Took me 5 hrs. on my back on Jack stands to do this. I'm 61 and I cramped up good the next day..lol.
What a load of dismantling for an alternator. Definitely not a DIY job. Great work Rae
I just did this job on a 2007 Dodge Caliber - same tight squeeze, but I was WAY more frustrated than you! Kudos to your patience.
Replacing the alternator was the hardest repair job I have ever done on my 05 Escape... I want to call Ray and tell him to remove the crank sensor bracket and the alternator falls right out. Plastic air dam in the back of the alternator is a pain to deal with also... Some folks swap the fixed stud down to one of the bottom holes.
The more I watch your videos the more I love my 83 Oldsmobile Cutlass so much easier to fix.😊
I love your OCD over belts and caps having to face the right way.
I just finished a similar job replacing an alternator on a dodge mini van. Without a lift sitting on my garage floor, what a job. I feel your pain, also I’m 70 yrs old too. Great video.
Just a tip: put magnetic trays on each lift arm, very handy
Man o Man, i thought changing the ALT on my 87 Honda Accord was a pain in the butt, If i had to go through that it would never have been put in by me Good job man, keep the good work.
I get how difficult it is to do proper drop testing when the alternator is so hard to reach. Once the belt is off, your diagnostic process is almost finished. But you can always do a drop test on the battery side of the ground wire, in less than a minute. I thought a bad ground would usually present under the severe demand of the starter motor. So, just last week when Eric O did a video of that very presentation, I was surprised. In that case the diagnosis was not made until the parts cannon was fired by another shop. I'll never forget the pro mechanic who fixed my alternator by simply finding a bad connection at the voltage regulator, decades ago. When you make a diagnosis like that, you gain life long admiration.
I love how you explained the charging with the marbles thing. Classic ray
3:00 that test lead was shaking hands with danger bouncing off that spinning pulley 😂
Twice!
the old way of testing a alternator was find a dark place with no street lights ,put all of you lights on and all other electrical stuff with the motor running of course then put you foot on the brakes and if the alternator light came on a little bit then it was time to replace your alternator of course these days there are electrical tools to diagnose this , thanks for the video
You fight the fight then when it becomes battle you stay in the fight with a different plan of attack. Thanks for your attitude
I'm not sure about 12v lead-acid batteries, but for a lot of battery chemistries the standard charging mechanism is to start with high current and ramp it down once the battery is mostly full (80% or so).
To use the same analogy as Ray, you want to put all the big rocks in first, then the gravel, then the sand. If you alternate between big rocks and gravel, the gravel ends up up spaces that would ideally be used by big rocks. It's more efficient to switch to gravel only when there's no more room for big rocks.
Most battery chemistries that have a constant-voltage charge termination also have more "delicate" characteristics when the battery is heavily discharged, as this one is. In fact it's worse for a car battery (as opposed to a leisure battery of the same chemistry), as the lead plates have to be made very thin to get the surface area for a high cranking current, and in the discharged state the lead changes into a compound which is structurally much weaker than plain lead. Leisure batteries are optimised for capacity rather than cranking current, and consequently have much more structurally robust plates.
The batteries that you can reasonably put full current in from a fully discharged state are the nickel-based ones, which tend to have a dV/dT charge termination rather than a fixed voltage. NiCd is particularly famous for this, but modern versions of NiMH are also pretty robust.
That's an insane amount of work for an alternator. When I did mine it was located near the top of the motor. I unplugged it, undid the charging wire and undid 2 bolts (adjuster and mounting bolt) then just did everything in reverse. The only difficult bit was jamming the new alternator in (tight fit in the mounting bracket).
Mind you, the vehicle I did it on is 20 years old with plenty of space there.
The only mistake I made was placing the bolts on the heat shield (fell down it) so then I had to remove about 8 - 10 little bolts to retrieve them.
Ray you have just made a difficult PITA job look simple, well done, keep up the good work. Watching from NZ.
I sure miss the 50s and 60s automobiles.nothing was difficult to replace or troubleshoot.
You didn't have to replace a starter on a Jeep wagoneer with the big v-8. Never saw a service manual but it was a choice of lifting the engine about 6 inches or using the cutting torch.
Just for instructional purposes only, my mechanic watches rainman rays repairs. So that's telling you something.
As a heavy equipment electrical troubleshooter. I'm stealing your marble explanation..... aka, I'm stealing your marbles. Lol
We already knew he lost his oem marbles😂
He has lost some over the years so leave the good ones alone.
The engineer of this vehicle has to be a sadist and loves causes mental distress to all mechanics
I'm actually not an automotive mechanic at all..... I hate working on the construction company pickup trucks. I also don't like working on my own cars. Ray. Is just a solid mechanic, tho. The practice is the same. Kinda like, he's a doctor for shoulders, and I'm a doctor for hips. I love his videos.
When I look for new or used car's I make sure I can change parts easy so any car with an alt or starter that hard to get to is a no go for me,
That is why I like my 96 silverado 5.7 up front on top 10 minutes it's fixed
yes sir I love my 1991 GMC 1500 ,every thing is so easy to work on .
Same here, my old 98 Silverado is 4x4 very easy to work on...
Bingo! I love 90's OBS trucks. I have 2 Silverados, K1500 Cheyenne, and a Surburban. Lots of common parts.
Oh man, after watching more of the video this brought back some memories. I had to replace the ABS tone rings on my Escape because they both cracked. When I found out that it was only a $5 part, but a several hundred dollar job, I said "nah, I'll do it myself". What a PITA! I understand why it costs what it does, but I'd still rather eat the hard work than the money myself.
Dave took a wide berth from that pry bar action
That is just CRAZY to replace an alternator. I'll keep my older Fords - alternators are right up top for easy replacement!!
This is why I don’t want a Ford take the suspension apart to get the alternator off the engineer should be fired for that
Fire beancounters too
It's not just ford
Oh he'll not be fired for that because that's not his job. His job is to make it easier and thus, less expensive for Ford to assemble the vehicle. There are no profits to be made in making the mechanic's job easier.
@@BrandonBuckaudioanarchy Unless the alternator also regularly fails within warranty, in which case he's not getting a good review.
I know right? Who in their right minds puts an engine in sideways anyway....
Can't believe how they laid out this engine's components. For my old 66 Ford 390, it was a 15 minute job.
I know. Now a days forget it
Hi from Melbourne, Australia.. I really enjoy your videos. Very educational.
This car was engineered so no one could do the work except an experienced tech. That was crazy.
Ray you take the time, and go the extra mile to do the job right & correctly, I can only imagine the screw ups that would happen if it was taken to "bubba's beat it with a sledge, and burn it loose with a torch",, my hats off to you sir !
Alternator: This really does the customer disservice. Yes, good shop money but most customers would not comprehend the flat rate charge...again, from car manufacturers, no real consideration for after sale. Excellent video.
Ray the alternator is back in its cage. This car was well designed to suck the money out of the owner for a new alternator.Have a great day Ray
Thank God my Escape have the 2.5L I just replace the Alternator all through the top 3 bolts and out. Good job Ray
Wow alternator placement so glad that was you Ray not me- based on previous experience I would launch into replacing the alternator with confidence- but once in I would realize that there is no way my skill level would easily get the job done- well done Ray you have mad skills
I love hard strategic jobs like this. It's why I love being a mechanic. Frustrating for sure but when the job is done it's so rewarding.
When an alternator replacement almost turns into an engine out job.
He could probably drop the subframe by an inch or two to give him room instead of pulling the engine lol
When I was a youngster here in the UK you could buy the old rusty Mini cheap..... I had 3 minis in succession. Despite the diminutive size of the car the alternator could be changed by an average car owner, with basic tools in about 20 minutes....... How far we have come!!!!
I can remember when changing a 'nator was a 10 minute job. How ever did we get to this?
Engineers and designers flipping a coin on where it goes.
I watched this after watching a starter swap on a smart car.
Madness.
Alternator swap should be an hour tops including finding your tools and going out to the store to get another 10mm socket
Hay Ray i have to REEEE! you for real this time
you forgot to put the road grit shield back on the alternator
if i missed it please say so
also you need to clean up your tools
this is the one thing i have ocd on
tools should be in there place unless you are using them for a project
Kinda a group comment / suggestion here... Connect the traffic light, hang it mid shop. Next, Lauren should have control of the traffic light from the office. Red is lunch, green is normal operation - steady as she goes, and yellow is Ray's expertise is required in in the office.
I agree 100%
Alternator placement...................In the late 1960s, “Ford Has a Better Idea” captured the innovative spirit of the company
As a Old Fart of 76, I remember when Vehicles were much easier to work on, never over 20 mins. to replace a Alternator with no lift and limited tools...
That marble glass jar analogy is amazing and I’m immediately stealing it
Is there an update on the charity motor swap project?
And are you ever going to put the seats in your Sliverado, and has the awful Jeep rusted away yet ?
Wow, what a load of work to replace that alternator. Good job you don’t lose your temper.
RAY YOU LOST YOUR MARBLES 😅😅 GREAT VIDEO SIR😅
Great job Ray, another 50 minutes that convinces me never even slow down in front of a Ford dealership.
who designs these things
Ray, the angle of the ball joint pin was leaning in not vertical, hence won't cooperate. Great show.
I once made a comment to an english professor that there are quite a few usages of the "F word". Without batting an eye, he shot back, "there are 27". Wait, what? He actually enumerated them?? Noun, Verb, Adverb, Pronoun. You get the idea... (I'd bet most of those usages came from the automotive repair world)
Free is a better 4 letter word😊
😂
I didn't see Ray put the heat shield back on the alternator.
Beware a battery can drag down the charging volts if its on it's way out of its life BUT not very often, I check by disconnecting the earth lead whilst engine running and see if the alternator keeps powering the headlights .AND NEVER EVER disconnect the positive before the negative first!! You did an amazing job anyway. :) huge job just to get the alternator out and back in
And that is how ecu/ecms that have components that run off of millivolts get fried. Don’t do that. That why we have volt meters.
@@evilgtidriver , actually I was told not to try "testing the alternator by pulling the battery cable" because the ECU/ECM uses various reference signal voltages from the battery so it may give false indications or shut down the vehicle. When I was a kid many yrs ago, that was my experience with my '92 beater, removing the (-) cable would cause the vehicle to shut down instantly and in fact the issues the vehicle experienced were just the result of the battery not holding a proper charge because I bought a DVM and checked.
@@zenithperigee7442 actually, no shit. You can also fry the ecu. I was just giving an example of what could happen so people would avoid doing it. Didn’t think it was necessary to list all outcomes of disconnecting the battery while the vehicle was running. I forgot that people on TH-cam are all professionals and feel the need to correct people or disprove them.
pry bar for the win!!!!!! I guess the manufacturer planned on the alternator not to go out. Wow what a job!
To my way of thinking, that oil leak contributed to the alternator failure.
Saw an episode of South Main Auto the other day, and he had an interesting tool. A bar about 4 foot long with a sort of curved foot that had two offset pins top and bottom of the foot. The near pin went over top the A arm and the far pin slid under the A arm. Press down on the end of the bar and Bob's your uncle separated the ball joint.
you almost lost that wire Ray 2:59
Caveman Ray’s auto repair 😂. I replaced my ford alternator by taking it apart and removing it. Then I took the new alternator apart and reassemble it in the car. It was a lot easier than removing the axle.
Why do mechanic take the short cut. Remove all of the plastic shield, do not just bend it out of the way. I had a shop do the same thing and broke my shield then hide it from me.
Because most of those plastic shields are very pliable. The one on this Escape is super thin and bends very well. It won’t just break. If yours broke, it was probably rotted already.
Reminds me of my 2005 Focus which required axle shaft removal. Covered under warranty thank god!
Boy i’ll tell you having the right tools sure does make all the difference!😅😅😅👍🏿✋🏿😂
They really put that alternator in the perfect screw you spot.
OMG this was so painful to watch. I used to own a Contour where to get the starter out you needed to pull the engine. Hats of to yo Ray
Damn Ray, your ability to keep your cool doing some of this stuff is impressive. That's a 400 f-bomb job in my garage!
Gotta love it when replacing a crucial bit of the charging system is one of those "To extract part, first remove vehicle," operations, yeah?
I am glad the alternator worked ! that is a flip of a coin anymore !!
The more of your videos I watch, the more amazed I become at Ford and their unfriendly placement of parts that do wear out.
Ray, that lower ball joint is shot! I’m surprised you wouldn’t call the customer, to have that replaced? It was right there.
As a home-gamer without the proper manual, this job was super hard for me!
It does fit without removing the pulley!
Once you've worked out how it fits through the "hole," take a photo!
I got my unit bench-tested before installing it!
Good job. Me being me, I would have verified the alternator was working before putting everything back together.
The number of innuendos is amazing.
Tenacity and persistence - thats the Rainman Ray way
The work you have to go through to do one thing amazes me sometimes I do love the way you explain things blow by blow that is awesome keep up the great work you do Ray 👍
Ray, as someone who did this on a 2003 Mazda Tribute one way to finally get the unit out through the little opening is to loosen the motor mount(s) and actually lift the engine up to get that last 1/2 inch of opening to get the alternator out.
I had an '05 Escape, it was the 4 cylinder. The engine blew, and by that I mean grenaded onto the road beneath me while driving, at about 140k miles. It burned oil like the Deepwater Horizon, until it very suddenly didn't anymore. That was the last Ford I'll ever buy. I had a '94 Explorer (when they were still square) before that which was an absolute tank. I sold it because I got tired of fixing small stupid stuff. It probably still outlasted the Escape. I have a Tacoma now, so yeah, there won't be another Ford.
15:00 save yourself a headache and use a small length of chain to wrap around the end of the control arm, near the ball joint, stick the pry bar through it and pry it down that way.
The engine can run on surprisingly low voltage. Years ago church van's alternator failed in the night and we were 2 hours away from home. Drove 2 hours with head lights on with just battery power. Some how we made home and head lights were very dim. Battery was down to 7V.
94th! Happy Tuesday morning Ray, Lauren,and Dave, the not-so-new employee. Roger in Pierre South Dakota
The way you explained your charging procedure made perfect sense.
With that many cracks, no good
I replaced an alternator in a late 90s Voyager that was a real beast to get to, but nothing like what you dealt with there.
I drive a 2003 Escape with that very same engine. I also repair vehicles for a living, and am glad I haven't had to replace mine....yet. I have done many of these and they are not my favorite. You made it look easy though. Well done.👍👍
Tiger tight placement of alternator and other parts has always been a challenge in the newer vehicles, back in the day there was always plenty of room to sit in the engine compartment while working even the big blocks.
Good morning from Spartanburg South Carolina. This is a fine example of FERD engineering. In my part of the country we refer to this situation as a “Classic Goat Roping”.