lastcowboy32
Well-known Member
Busted out my 1969 Ford 4000 and its loader to clear driveways last weekend. Temps were below zero and wind was nasty.
Anyway, plugged the block heater in, and he (I call it Harrison de Ford)... started up. Once he got started, I turned on the lights and left him running.
Ran the old boy a solid three hours with the lights blazing, once he got started. I didn't want to shut him down when I got off to use the snowblower for cleanup...or even if I went into the house for a coffee.
Anyway, my last trip out, I got on and started plowing. Then I heard a loud buzz-saw-like sound... like a buzzing/knocking. For a minute, I thought something was wrong with the engine.
Then I looked along the left side, the alternator was throwing sparks out the back of it. Looked like something came loose in there as was getting ground up.
I high-tailed the old boy over to his spot next to the barn where I keep him parked within reach of his block heater power outlet. By then, the buzzing had stopped, but my alternator light was now full red...dead alternator, before I shut him down.
When I got off, I felt the alternator housing. Not even hot to the touch, but it would take a lot to heat up the casing.
Oh well... I'm going to take it off and take it to a local guy that rebuilds alternators and starters. Hopefully, he can rebuild it.
All I can say is... from the sound and the sparks that were flying... a bad alternator is sort of a relief. For a split second, I was thinking much, much worse.
In hindsight. I think this alternator has been slowly going bad. The alternator light would always just barely glow, if I had the lights on...unless I was running right at full throttle. I had used the lights quite a bit during haying season last year, but always drawing wagons...on for a while...off while we unloaded...rinse, repeat.
Never had them on for three hours straight.
Probably just put the last straw on the camel's back...
Anyway, plugged the block heater in, and he (I call it Harrison de Ford)... started up. Once he got started, I turned on the lights and left him running.
Ran the old boy a solid three hours with the lights blazing, once he got started. I didn't want to shut him down when I got off to use the snowblower for cleanup...or even if I went into the house for a coffee.
Anyway, my last trip out, I got on and started plowing. Then I heard a loud buzz-saw-like sound... like a buzzing/knocking. For a minute, I thought something was wrong with the engine.
Then I looked along the left side, the alternator was throwing sparks out the back of it. Looked like something came loose in there as was getting ground up.
I high-tailed the old boy over to his spot next to the barn where I keep him parked within reach of his block heater power outlet. By then, the buzzing had stopped, but my alternator light was now full red...dead alternator, before I shut him down.
When I got off, I felt the alternator housing. Not even hot to the touch, but it would take a lot to heat up the casing.
Oh well... I'm going to take it off and take it to a local guy that rebuilds alternators and starters. Hopefully, he can rebuild it.
All I can say is... from the sound and the sparks that were flying... a bad alternator is sort of a relief. For a split second, I was thinking much, much worse.
In hindsight. I think this alternator has been slowly going bad. The alternator light would always just barely glow, if I had the lights on...unless I was running right at full throttle. I had used the lights quite a bit during haying season last year, but always drawing wagons...on for a while...off while we unloaded...rinse, repeat.
Never had them on for three hours straight.
Probably just put the last straw on the camel's back...