Aerostar, alternator or voltage regulator...

[crw]

OK, let me first explain...

I'm friends with a young couple who live in the area. These people don't have a lot of money. Basically, they are a couple in their young 20's, with four young kids and barely making it. They were formerly into gangs and drugs, and now they are making the transition to kids and church. Really. Anyway, that's just some background.

They have an early '90s Ford Aerostar which is their sole means of transportation. Recently the battery died. I was not available to help, and so they took it to a local mechanic. He changed out the battery and some cables, and also declared the alternator to be sound. Well, the car still dies. Now, the story we get from the mechanic is that it's some strange problem from the voltage regulator or the PCM... and that will cost $$$$ (four digits) to fix... Of course the car isn't worth that.

So, tonight I'm bringing the vehicle into my own garage. I'm going to take out the alternator, take it to O'Reilly and have it tested. If it's bad I'm buying a new one and just see if that solves the problem. I just recently did this to my Lincoln with good results.

As I look online, I see that the voltage regulator is either integrated into the alternator (or maybe not) but in any event it's only a $40 to $50 part. I'm trying to balance this against what the mechanic appears to be saying. The mechanic is not a bad guy; I've used him in the past and found his service to be top notch. I just don't understand what could be causing him to think that it's a $2000 repair?

 

[Lead Shoes]

Hes gotta pay that overhead somehow...

But really 2 grand? sounds like he is yanking them around to me..

 

[crw]

I do wonder... I'm an engineer, and if I need to take something in, I always research it first, then go in talking in technical terms so the mechanic knows that I'm educated. Anyway, I'm not trying to be rude but these kids don't know hardly anything and it shows. (In other words, it's not a knock on my friends, but the mechanic might have some explaining to do.)

My purpose in bringing this to this forum is to find out, technically, if there is *anything* in this description that should necessitate a $2000 repair?

 

[Donald]

There is another thread about a voltage regulator being part of the PCM. So maybe thats where he is coming from. But he should have done a little more digging into it before he said $2K to fix it.

 

[Trav]

If the battery is draining when the vehicle is in operation i would suspect faulty a alternator or internal alternator components, or maybe a broken wire on the starter coming from the alternator.
The quickest and the easiest way to fix this is to change the alternator itself and check the wiring connections.

If the battery is discharging overnight suspect some sort of a drain on the system. You can somewhat localize it by pulling fuses while using a meter.
I cant think of anything related to the charging system on this vehicle that could cost 2k.

 

[brianl703]

Originally Posted By: Donald
There is another thread about a voltage regulator being part of the PCM.


I'm pretty sure that Ford didn't do that on an early 90s Aerostar.

 

[crw]

Thanks... the battery drains while she drives it. They put it on the charger and then hope it gets them to town! (Probably very bad on the battery, I know...)

 

[crw]

UPDATE: I just found out that my friend took the vehicle back to the mechanic, and now he says that it is the alternator after all. He is going to fix it for fairly cheap... not as cheap as I would have done it, but I'm always the last to hear things. lol...

 

[HTSS_TR]

For people who don't know much about car they trust mechanic more than friends/neighbors.

If they already took their van back to the same mechanic to have the alternator replaced at reasonable cost then it's better than $2000 repair. Also, you are not responsible for other failures in the near future. Many people blame one repair causes other part(s) to fail, even if they are not related.