1997 alternator on my 2003

[themudgician]

my batt light came on today so i took the alt off and headed to autozone/ he looked at it and said it was a older alt and not off a 2003. i assured him i know what year my truck is. so he pulled on for a 2003 and it wasnt what i have so he pulled one for a 1997 7.3 diesel and that was it so i bought it and plugged it right in and it works. im confused why does my truck have 1997 style alt on it? the wiring apperars to be original and the wire loom has the time and date on a sticker that says 02 my belt diagram matches my pullie set up. any ideas the truck had 80,000 on it when i bought it cant imagine somebody changed the engine to a 1997. thanks for any info

[RadarRider]

Originally Posted by themudgician

my batt light came on today so i took the alt off and headed to autozone/ he looked at it and said it was a older alt and not off a 2003. i assured him i know what year my truck is. so he pulled on for a 2003 and it wasnt what i have so he pulled one for a 1997 7.3 diesel and that was it so i bought it and plugged it right in and it works. im confused why does my truck have 1997 style alt on it? the wiring apperars to be original and the wire loom has the time and date on a sticker that says 02 my belt diagram matches my pullie set up. any ideas the truck had 80,000 on it when i bought it cant imagine somebody changed the engine to a 1997. thanks for any info

I think, but not 100% sure, that both alts would work. The one that's supposed to be in your truck is a newer generation of alt., basically a revamped version of the '94-'97's. It's just possible, in the short time the last owner had it, he replaced it with a '97's for cost efficiency or something to that effect. If you've heard how an '02-older PSD sounded, you'd know. The '03's 7.3 has the quietest idle out of the entire run of the 7.3.

[themudgician]

i figured out why, i opened up the wire loom and someone spliced in a older plug to match the alt of a 1997. and ya it was $130 for that alt and the 2003 alt was $210. so i guess it saved me a little money,thanks for the reply

[RadarRider]

Originally Posted by themudgician

i figured out why, i opened up the wire loom and someone spliced in a older plug to match the alt of a 1997. and ya it was $130 for that alt and the 2003 alt was $210. so i guess it saved me a little money,thanks for the reply

No problems. Glad you figured it out, man! I guess the previous owner of your rig would've done anything to save $80, huh?

[themudgician]

ya seems pretty silly to cut the wiring up on a pretty new truck to save 80 bucks or maybe he got it off a junk truck.

[RadarRider]

Originally Posted by themudgician

ya seems pretty silly to cut the wiring up on a pretty new truck to save 80 bucks or maybe he got it off a junk truck.

Well, either way you now have a better(& correct) alt. in your rig. You've got me worried now..................I better check my alt. & make sure! LOL!