Hi,

I think I need a new alternator, just got a few questions..

How easy is it to fit one myself?

Where is the best place to buy one?

Are they specific for my engine (2.0l Zetec) or can I buy any second hand focus mk1 one?

Thanks,

Dan.

Hi,

I think I need a new alternator, just got a few questions..

How easy is it to fit one myself?

Where is the best place to buy one?

Are they specific for my engine (2.0l Zetec) or can I buy any second hand focus mk1 one?

Thanks,

Dan.

first what makes you think you need a new alternator? if its battery drain then do you have a calcium lead or silver calcium battery almost every person that thouight they needed a new alternator didnt 9 out of ten it was cheap halfpords lead acid batteries that caused the problem

first what makes you think you need a new alternator? if its battery drain then do you have a calcium lead or silver calcium battery almost every person that thouight they needed a new alternator didnt 9 out of ten it was cheap halfpords lead acid batteries that caused the problem

The headlights dip for half a second or so randomly sometimes, and the headlights become dimmer when the heated windscreen is on and sometimes the car takes a little while to start in the mornings..

What do you think mate?

The headlights dip for half a second or so randomly sometimes, and the headlights become dimmer when the heated windscreen is on and sometimes the car takes a little while to start in the mornings..

What do you think mate?

here i go again lol okay first up the heated windscreen is a high draw piece of equipment it uses more juice than everything else the fact the lights dip is normal because the heated screen is taking a lot of power to run easy way to check the alternator start the car switch youre heater on the windscreen and lights when they dim tap the accelerator if the lights brighten then the alternator is fine hard starting can be many issues as i said check youre battery make sure its the right one for the car a dirty air filter old plugs and leads can cause starting issues as can the idle control valve. do the dash trick on the main page withthe car running scroll through the list past dtc codes etc till it has b-and numbers this is the battery voltage mark down the voltage should be 14.8 etc now switch on the heated screen and mark down the voltage now tap the accelerator and see if the voltage increases now have lights and heated screen on and do the same if the voltage increases with the accelerator alternators fine with all the electrics on you should see voltages of 12.5 and above if alls okay check the battery and see whats written on it is it a lead acid battery if so its wrong it should say lead/calcium or silver/calcium on it

My alternator went last week and I got it replaced under my RAC warranty, so sorry I cant help you on how to do the job, but I can tell you the symptoms I had of my broken alternator.

Symptoms of this were:

Battery warning light would come on after 30 seconds.

If the heated front screen was put on within 30 secs. it would work briefly then turn itself off. If attempted after 30 seconds the heated front screen would not work at all (no light on the button)

My alternator went last week and I got it replaced under my RAC warranty, so sorry I cant help you on how to do the job, but I can tell you the symptoms I had of my broken alternator.

Symptoms of this were:

Battery warning light would come on after 30 seconds.

If the heated front screen was put on within 30 secs. it would work briefly then turn itself off. If attempted after 30 seconds the heated front screen would not work at all (no light on the button)

if you understand the smart charge system on the alternator the reason for this is the car starts off the battery to reduce consumption the alternator does not instantly engege like most cars instead it stays off and the high draw circuits in the car ie heated front and rear screens work off the alternator not the battery so if the alternator is faulty these high draw systems are designed not to switch on its why on these cars you cant get in the car and before the ignition is cranked and the car started these systems cant be turned on they just switch off again so if youre rear screen wont work or switches off the smart charge is telling the system the alternator isnt working and its switched off to conserve the battery usually its indicated by the battery lighjt but sometimes it doesnt come on through fault and the easiest way of telling is the highest drawing circuits keep switching off which are fog lights front and rear heated screen