This video shows the diagnosis and replacement of an alternator on a 1998 Ford Counter. I believe it’s called a Mondeo in the UK.
It’s tricky business. It’s very difficult to access the fasteners for the alternator. It’s also difficult to get to the belt tensioner. So if you tackle this job, be sure to allow yourself plenty of time. I found it easier to use long extensions and universals to access the fasteners.
Be sure to allow yourself plenty of time to complete the repair.
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Tools
Multimeter: https://www.jbtoolsales.com/fluke-88-5-88v-automotive-multimeter#oid=1002_1
Less expensive multimeter: https://www.jbtoolsales.com/actron-cp7677-digital-multimeter-and-engine-analyzer#oid=1002_1
Hood Prop: https://www.jbtoolsales.com/otc-4705-telescopic-support#oid=1002_1
T-handles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QB8pYRs2JSo
Grey Pneumatic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6Ib1gMdm2o
Cost Lights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAtp7bUQWM0
AC Delco Impact: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pucv_29a8-8
Cat Plugs: https://parts.cat.com/en/catcorp/caps-and-plugs#facet:&productBeginIndex:0&orderBy:&pageView:grid&minPrice:&maxPrice:&pageSize:&
Bendpak Lift: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vE_DXU9toes
Related videos
Alternator Diagnosis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTGz0PKIl84
Load Testing a Battery: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QiKyjWWiRo
Battery Care and Maintenance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhnVZ7ZPunw&t=11s
How To Perform a Parasitic Draw Test: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KF1gijj03_0&t=2s
Other Fixing it Forward videos with this car
1998 Ford Contour No Start: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aM8LA5Yygjk
Eliminating Brake Pulsations 1998 Ford Contour: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfGcYbGt5vA
1998 Ford Contour Blower Motor and Window Repair: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AV1gbURpVo4
1998 Ford Contour Brake Line & AC Repair: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiqTN7o-A5U
1998 Ford Contour Electrical and Transmission Leak Repair: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9vRBzqc3Ac
1998 Ford Contour Fuel Smell and Hood Cable Repair: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tzU36qmum8&t=3s
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I'm having the same problem I just changed my battery and put new terminals..and light still comes on flashes on and off..so I'm thinking it's the alternator..so I'm ready to sale this car..lol
Same as the mondeo v6 in the uk. Just for reference if anyone is changing an alternator on one of these v6 engines, best way I have found to remove the top bolt is to use long extensions from the gearbox end front wheel well. You can get straight along the back of the engine on the top bolt. Extensions need to be 1/2 or thicker or they will twist and make cracking the bolt harder. Great job and great videos
He did these same jobs WITHOUT A LIFT in his earlier videos. Great video
Who puts an alternator all the way down there? The location may have contributed to the damage. The wheel may have flung something up that hit the thing.
Mucho trabajo para este carro, pero Gracias a ti Eric lo hacer ver facil
Muchas Gracias
Exelente trabajo
Some days being a mechanic really makes you scratch your head and wonder who the f@ck thought of this bullsh@t. 🤣
Wtf dude, it isn't that bad, me and my brother did one on a svt in 2 hours and got the belt on in less then 5 mins. Ha
“If I round this off – I will be pulling this engineâ€ÂÂ
Ugh- what a pain that replacement is for a commonly replaced item. Good work!
2:30 "ITS STILL ON" why is that so funny
Many things seem to have been built differently on 90's vehicles. Things werent as well thought out for many vehicles.
Wow!! What a strange switch on this particular ford. The alternator is hard to get too. But the fuel simple to get too. Because it's in the back seat. When other fords, such as the Tauruses and vehicles that looks pretty much like the alternator is easy access while the fuel pump is quite alot of labor to get too. Because that part is under the car.
This man is very calm
I have a 1998 ford contour took 10 minutes to remove alternator from top of car
Whoever designed this screwed his own mother
I own a '98 Ford Contour with the 2.5L six. I'm on my fourth alternator and always dreaded the process. The last time the alternator went out was on the way to work and I had to be towed two blocks to a garage. I didn't have time to do the job myself. The alternator just went out a few weeks ago and now that I'm retired I decided to do the job myself using your wheel well procedure. What a time saver! I did have trouble getting to the bolts so I removed the Y exhaust pipe. We don't have salted roads here so the Y pipe was easy to remove. It was a pleasure not having to remove the axle. I'm going to do the oil pan gasket next. Thank you!
I have a Contour and these comments are funny. 😀
Thank you mr. Eric, with help of this video I was able to replace the alternator on my '99 Mondeo. It really helps to see beforehand what you have to do to get it out. Note that you do not have to take the powersteering and stuff off, it can all be done from beneath and through the right wheelwell.The tensioner can be gotten to with a 3/8 rattlewrench, there's a square hole in it so you can put the 3/8 in and release the tension. Whole thing took me 4 hours with lots of extensions for the wrench and 2 angle connectors. It's actually not that bad if you know what to do, which is where this video came in. Again, Thanks!!!
Henry Ford would be proud of this Ford Engineering.
I'm facing this monster right now. Alternator died on my 1999 Mondeo Stationwagon. Normally I'd do this in no-time at all, Ford line-4's are like cracking open a beer. Used to work on 70's Taunus (Cortina in UK) and 2 Litre Sierra's. Those were fun. Swap an SIerrra 2L into a 1.6 Taunus in an afternoon, those were the days!
Still I love the old tank, it's supercomfy, excellent for long autobahndrives @ 170km/h and pulls big trailers with no effort. The engine, despite being way too big for the bay it lives in, is a gem. It's supersmooth, revs like a racing engine and gets you there very, very fast. It's a bit of a gas guzzler but the nice thing is that it uses just as much gas doing 170 as when it's in city traffic.
It's also a great driver's car, handling is brilliant. Confirmation of this can be seen in the "Death of the Cortina" episode of Grand Tour, the car that they agreed upon being the nicest, most universally likeable one ever was a Mondeo St220 2.5 v6. Basically the same car except the engine is tuned higher. Mine is a 2.5l V6 Ghia, same engine but tuned lower and much more luxurious inside. They really are fine machines, despite the fact they're impossibly cramped to work on.
So I'll bite the bullet, get the required tools and follow this fantastically good video.
Thank you so much Eric, now i've seen how it's done I'm confident it's possible to save a zillion bucks and DIY.
–
PS:
Spiders are nice, they eat muskitos by the hundreds so if you leave 'm there you'll never get bit by a muskito in your car.
I'd be supermad if you removed my army of 8-legged friends from my car. They're there for good reason and earned the right to live there, kind of a symbiotic benificial agreement.
Nice going Ford you over complicated that engine bay my god
I have no clue why, but this video was so satisfying to listen and watch to.
Hey what is the fixing it forward fund? What is that? Tell me? Also do the latch do the ford 98 hood latch do it thanks dude