7.3 idi ambulance advice.

[notenuftime]

So i got a buddy who is looking at this 7.3 non turbo ambulance. Seems clean, 60000 miles the seller has sent lots of videos and pics of the truck and everything looks pretty good. The guy says the alternator needs replaced, never done work on a idi van before. Lots of wrenching on my truck over the past 10 years. How hard is it to put a new alternator in a van?

Here's the other part to this.
We live in NW PA so we would be driving 5+hrs to Indiana to this thing and have to replace alternator there then hope she makes it home. I told my buddy he should find someone to haul it home lol but maybe she would make it.

Check out the FB listing and let me know what yall think. And is there any members close to the van that could take a look at it for me before we commit to the drive?

Any advice from idi ambulance owners would be great, thanks everyone.

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[Black dawg]

In a normal idi van the alt is easy, not sure on an ambulance as the tend to have different alternators.

 

[franklin2]

If you can get the diagrams for the ambulance body, it would be helpful. That is the problem, the ambulance people buy the chassis/cab cut-off van, and then modify it extensively for the ambulance body. And their documentation is not the greatest, with not much support for older stuff.

 

[nelstomlinson]

I have a '94 Road Rescue. Access to the front of the engine is miserable. Mine has a single alternator, haven't had to look into changing it yet. Odds are decent your machine has the alternator in the stock location, may have the Ford Ambulance package alt. Try you toob university, look for videos on changing van alternators.

It would be very helpful to find out which upfitter built it. Some keep records of what they sell, most don't. I got the builder's manuals with mine, but I gather that's very rare. Most folks wind up stripping all the ambulance wiring out, and I'll probably do that, too.

Mine has the batteries in a drawer underneath, and has cables running to big posts up front where the factory put the batteries. It makes a little more room under the hood. It has loads of electronics and relays under and behind the drivers seat, and there is a master switch that triggers a relay that sends power to those posts. There is another switch that powers a relay that sends power to the box. I never turn that one on unless I want the heater in the box. Road Rescue left most of the Ford wiring alone, and just tied in to it where necessary.

 

[Fredrickson]

I've got '94 ambulance.
Alternator on the top passenger side.. Batteries also in the front.

Changing it just takes a lot of reaching and contorting.. You might be sore the next day..it's like yoga with a wrench.

I had been driving with a bum alternator for a while.
Whenever I parked.. I hooked up a battery charger.

As long as the batteries are decent enough to power the glow plugs and the starter at the start of the trip... You'll be fine
Fuel solenoid doesn't require much, and if you start early enough in the day.. you wont need the headlights.
(Just don't be turning all the accessories on.

There may even be an ammeter and volt meter on the center console.

I put an Oreiliy 165 Amp Reman in it. and haven't had any issues.