I just recently replaced my alternator and battery on my Tribute and it worked perfectly for a couple months, now the battery light is on and my alternator isn't charging. I'm trying to see if there are any tests I can do to check every inch of the charging system before I pull the alternator since it's not the easiest of jobs. Any help/ideas would be greatly appreciated!

 

Check the battery connections and the earth cable connection to the chassis.

 

Check with the engine running what your voltage at the battery is with a multi-meter should be around 13.5 volt to 14.5 volt any lower and either there is a resistance in the wiring or the new alternator or regulator in the alternator is dying or even a lazy cell in the battery if you find it is 1 of the new components you should be able to get warranty

 

There might be an alternator field fuse, but more than likely the alternator is bad again.

I have two Tributes and both now have a Bosch installed. For the 04, you can get an all new Bosch and for the 05, only a remanned from Bosch. But Bosch is the only remanufacturer that I know of that puts in a new regulator and rectifier plate whether it needed it or not. I actually called them and a Bosch tech guy returned my call and confirmed that all Bosch remanned alternators for Ford and GM do indeed get new rectifiers and regulators (but not for other makes strangely).

I would guess that most alternators that get rebuilt have worn out brushes. New brushes, new bearings, and a cleanup of the armature is what they get as well as a paint job or sandblast. If the alternator passes a 10 second run up electrical test they get boxed for sale. I figure that most regulators in these alternators are good for maybe 150K total miles, and if the rebuild (say a 130K mile core) doesn't get a new reg and rectifier, it has a limited lifetime left when it gets installed. My Motorcraft lasted 13 months. In my opinion an alternator that is sold with old regulators and rectifiers is only marginally better than a used part.

All new alternators can be had under many names but most come from China, and even if they're all new, they're still cheap Chinese parts.