> I remembered, maybe erroneously, that sometimes
> alternators have to be run at speed before they begin working.
On modern cars, shouldn't take more than a slightly elevated idle to get plenty
of charging. And just idle should turn the light out.
> So I am now in Solvang. The battery light is still on. I need to make
> Orange County in the morning first thing.
>
> Can a 875 CCA battery carry me for three hours of freeway driving?
Should be no problem. However, I'd take it easy on electrical things : don't
run the A/C or heater blower, no rear window defogger, take it easy running the
windows up and down, disable the headlights (if you can), etc.
> Why in the world didn't the alternator work? Could it be the different
> model alternator will not work with my computer?
Could be. Could also be the fault was not in the alternator. Did you have your
original tested ? I don't know anything about 95 Fords, but if it's linked to
the computer, the fault may well be inside the computer. Also check all the
fuses and fusible links, as some cars have a fusible link for the alternator.
If so, it might even be that the original alternator failed, taking a fuse or
fusible link with it, which then kept the new one from working.
Could also be that the second alternator from Kragen was just as bad as the
first one.
Randall
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