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Got stranded today. :(

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Old Apr 10, 2013 | 07:14 PM
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Default Got stranded today. :(

Beautiful weather today, in the 80s. Drove from northern VA to Fredericksburg and back. Ran a/c. No probs. had to make another 30 mile round trip. Saw the electrical warning light come on. Switched to volts. It was running 11.5 volts down to 10.7 or so. On the way home was down to the 9s then 8s then died when I came to a stop. Waiting for the flatbed now. I'm guessing a bad alternator though I think this one was replaced along with the battery not long ago. Oh well. Stuff happens, right?

1989 L98.
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Old Apr 10, 2013 | 07:34 PM
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You didn't pull off the road with a warning light and watched as the voltage dropped?

No exits with big box autoparts stores on your route?

MIke
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Old Apr 10, 2013 | 07:56 PM
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Yep, stuff will happen! Your vette is 24 years old! Mine had a collapsed pcv hose last week and about went up in flames (or so I thought with oil blowing out of the dipstick onto the exhaust!)
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Old Apr 10, 2013 | 08:01 PM
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Originally Posted by aboatguy
You didn't pull off the road with a warning light and watched as the voltage dropped?

No exits with big box autoparts stores on your route?

MIke
Bad idea in hindsight. Tried to limp home. Came up 5 miles short.
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Old Apr 10, 2013 | 08:08 PM
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Just looked at receipts. Reman alternator was installed in Nov 06. Shoulda lasted longer than that, huh?
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Old Apr 10, 2013 | 08:29 PM
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Originally Posted by Little Red L98
Just looked at receipts. Reman alternator was installed in Nov 06. Shoulda lasted longer than that, huh?
By todays junk parts standards yours lasted longer then most of the remanufactored ones I"ve seen..The junk there selling today is just sad......Some guys are putting the CS144 alternators from the later model Vettes (94-96) on their early C4s and they"re suppose to be a much better alternator....WW

Here's the sticky from the Tech Tips section....

https://www.corvetteforum.com/techti...=189&TopicID=2
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Last edited by WW7; Apr 11, 2013 at 08:06 AM.
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Old Apr 10, 2013 | 09:52 PM
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I replaced the CS130 in my '88 three times in the first four years of having the car. I finally did the CS144 upgrade and haven't had a problem in four years. Batteries are still crap though, but luckily they usually fail before the warranty is up.
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Old Apr 10, 2013 | 10:20 PM
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had my 89 alternator's guts replaced with the higher output innerds by an alternator/generator shop when I polished out the cases back in 99'. charges like a champ.
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Old Apr 10, 2013 | 11:55 PM
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Originally Posted by Sleazy Rider
had my 89 alternator's guts replaced with the higher output innerds by an alternator/generator shop when I polished out the cases back in 99'. charges like a champ.
This is going to be one of my winter projects. I have a guy who does this in his back yard shop. I will have him do the starter too.
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Old Apr 10, 2013 | 11:58 PM
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Mine went on me last year in late summer. It was the original as far as I could tell.
Hoping this reman one holds up even 1/2 as well as the stocker did.
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Old Apr 11, 2013 | 08:00 AM
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When I had my 89, I noticed my Alternator never lasted more then 25,000 miles for some reason, so at 20,000 I used to replace it, never got stranded again. In fact I got good at it, 15 minutes was my time to replace it.
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Old Apr 11, 2013 | 09:11 AM
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I hope your battery is ok. I just replaced my (8 year old) battery two days ago. I think I got my moneys worth. The new mid-line one cost me $130.00! I remember buying batteries for about $50.00-$75.00 for the top of the line replacement just a few years ago. What happened to those days?
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Old Apr 11, 2013 | 09:41 AM
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Originally Posted by FOURSPEEDVETTE
I hope your battery is ok. I just replaced my (8 year old) battery two days ago. I think I got my moneys worth. The new mid-line one cost me $130.00! I remember buying batteries for about $50.00-$75.00 for the top of the line replacement just a few years ago. What happened to those days?
The US Dollar is only worth 60% what it use to be.that is why everything has gone up in price 40%. Fuel, food, gold, even car batteries.
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Old Apr 11, 2013 | 12:11 PM
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Originally Posted by 1bdvet
When I had my 89, I noticed my Alternator never lasted more then 25,000 miles for some reason, so at 20,000 I used to replace it, never got stranded again. In fact I got good at it, 15 minutes was my time to replace it.
Battery is a 650 CCA Interstate that was replaced less than a year ago. Should be good to go once charged.

If an $85 reman alternator from NAPA lasts 7 years (like the one I'll be replacing), I suppose that's a decent bang for the buck.

Props to Doug M with Eddie's Towing & Recovery out of Stafford, VA. He was super careful about loading the 'vette on the flatbed!

My kid's expression says it all...
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Old Apr 11, 2013 | 12:28 PM
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Correction. $129 for a new 110 amp alternator from NAPA

http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/Ca...84D_0367698204
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Old Apr 11, 2013 | 12:38 PM
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Originally Posted by Corvette40
Batteries are still crap though, but luckily they usually fail before the warranty is up.
Mine never has in any car I've ever owned over 40 years. What in the world do you do to them?
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Old Apr 11, 2013 | 07:52 PM
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you daughter looks like she's been stranded in the desert for a week, lol. what kind of warranty did Napa offer for the alternator? i would also have the battery tested and you may as well replace the serpentine belt while you have it off. glad you were able to make it close to home!
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Old Apr 11, 2013 | 09:59 PM
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Originally Posted by mazdaverx7
you daughter looks like she's been stranded in the desert for a week, lol. what kind of warranty did Napa offer for the alternator? i would also have the battery tested and you may as well replace the serpentine belt while you have it off. glad you were able to make it close to home!
Was thinking about all those things. Battery is less than a year old, so hopefully it only needs a charge. Alternator was from 2006, so whatever warranty from the PO has probably long expired. The belt looked a little glazed, but I will look closer and replace if necessary.

The kid is a drama queen. Everything is worse than it appears.

AAA basic coverage covered the first three miles. Then cost $16 out of pocket ($4 per mile). Gave everything else in my wallet to the driver for a job carefully and well done.
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Old Apr 11, 2013 | 11:59 PM
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It's all part of the adventure.

Back about 2006, went for a spin in my old 84. Was on I-10 around UTEP when it first started to bog down. Exited and went down Montana, tried to nurse it home. Nope. It did have the good graces to finally quit running in front of a great Mexican restaurant. Had dinner while I waited for the flatbed.

Buddy of mine owns a towing service, so the ride home was free. Well, cost me a few beers...but I would have bought those anyway.

A $65 Carter fuel pump from Pep Girls later, and all was well.
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Old Apr 14, 2013 | 01:45 AM
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Stranded no longer! Got a reman alternator from Napa auto. Installed in a jiffy and volts reading normal (~13.5-13.7) according to another thread. Did a little over 40 miles today. Good to be on the road again!

Last edited by Little Red L98; Apr 14, 2013 at 02:00 AM.
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