Bad altenator......
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
Likes: 30
From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
You can repair an alternator yourself, or have a shop that specializes in car electrics do it or buy a rebuilt or even a brand new one. Use the search function and find the post that asked where to get alternator repair parts. Someone posted a link to a place that supplies alternator repair parts.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 14,130
Likes: 7
Cruise-In II Veteran
Originally Posted by cplonner
Is it possible to fix a bad altenator or do you just buy a new one?
If there is problems with it internally,you can have a alternator shop test and tell you what it will cost to fix.I havent had much luck with the parts stores alternators.In fact,another GM car,My alternator failed while I was 250 miles from home so I bought a reman unit.Its working fine but just began making alot of bearing noise.Looks like I will have to replace it under warranty with an unknown unit and not knowing if it was fixed properly.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 8,077
Likes: 4
From: Scarborough ONTARIO
Alternaterparts.com.
Bought from them 6 months ago still running way too good.
One happy customer from Alternaterparts.com.
They have parts as well as whole alternaters in various ranges
actually too many to choose from.
sami.
Bought from them 6 months ago still running way too good.
One happy customer from Alternaterparts.com.
They have parts as well as whole alternaters in various ranges
actually too many to choose from.
sami.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,110
Likes: 0
From: JUPITER FLORIDA
Originally Posted by sami85L98
Alternaterparts.com.
Bought from them 6 months ago still running way too good.
One happy customer from Alternaterparts.com.
They have parts as well as whole alternaters in various ranges
actually too many to choose from.
sami.
Bought from them 6 months ago still running way too good.
One happy customer from Alternaterparts.com.
They have parts as well as whole alternaters in various ranges
actually too many to choose from.
sami.
Intermediate
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 43
Likes: 0
From: Greensboro North Carolina
I personally have always bought my alternators, starters and other parts from places like Auto Zone, and Advance Auto and bought the ones with the lifetime warranties. Then if it goes bad you simply get another. Works for me. Same holds true for brake pads and other parts. hard to beat a lifetime warranty 
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Race Director
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 14,130
Likes: 7
Cruise-In II Veteran
Originally Posted by FDAMFA
I personally have always bought my alternators, starters and other parts from places like Auto Zone, and Advance Auto and bought the ones with the lifetime warranties. Then if it goes bad you simply get another. Works for me. Same holds true for brake pads and other parts. hard to beat a lifetime warranty
The problem with the "Lifetime" warrantys these days,they are changing.It may vary state to state.For example,here in KY,If I buy a reman. unit from Advance,it comes with the Lifetime warranty.
If it breaks in say,30 days,the replacement only gets a "90 day" warranty!!!
Theyre not doing the "multiple" free replacement as long as you own your car anymore.Please check your warranty and find out whats between the fine print.The warranty these days are only for the first part.After that,theres a 90 day warranty and its all over.Its deceptive advertising.A while back I posted about some problems I had with the Lifetime warranty scam.
Autozone has been more reliable for their multiple replacement warranties but I noticed thats changing in our local store too.They prob lost too much money on that.
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 155
Likes: 1
From: Melbourne Florida
I replaced mine with one from autozone about 8 months ago. It has been working great with none of the above issues. Luck or just coincidence I don't know, but I won't discount either situation. They are easy enough to rebuild yourself if you have any kind of mechanical ability and some standard shop tools. I know somewhere arond here I have a whole article on the rebuilding instructions with pictures and how to test each part as well replace each part. Let me know and I will dig up the info. You didn't really say what was failing on yours.
Woody
Woody
Pro
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 670
Likes: 1
From: charlotte nc
Yes , you can rebuilt it. There is a detailed how to in the tech tips under the tools header. Mine just needed a rectifyer bridge which I was able to find at the local parts store for ~ 15 bucks. Been runing well over a year. All of the diagnostics can be made with a multimeter. If you are able to do a little soldering, it's fairly easy. Go for it!!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 8,077
Likes: 4
From: Scarborough ONTARIO
Originally Posted by cplonner
Did you buy a brand new alt or did you rebuild yours? I was wondering how diffucult it is to rebuild one, i would think not that hard.
Its better u call them instead of browsing their web site they got too many to choose from so it might confuse you.
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 173
Likes: 0
From: St. Louis MO
My dad use to fix eletric forklift motors when i was younger (8-9). He taught me how to do it, and basically said an altenator was b asically the same setup. How ever to rebuild it you can get a way with a few bearings, and a few bushings.
To do it the right way, you need a metal lathe, to make sure the copperish looking end of it is balanced. And smooth all the way around. sorry for the vague details but its been 17 years since I rebuild one.
To do it the right way, you need a metal lathe, to make sure the copperish looking end of it is balanced. And smooth all the way around. sorry for the vague details but its been 17 years since I rebuild one.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,110
Likes: 0
From: JUPITER FLORIDA
Originally Posted by sami85L98
I bought new for 170 bucks 140 44 upgraded one for my 85 i just have to buy a adapter for 12 bucks. Those 44 series comes on 94 and up corvettes and i took this from tech tip (alternator conversion from S to C series) way too happy now.
Its better u call them instead of browsing their web site they got too many to choose from so it might confuse you.
Its better u call them instead of browsing their web site they got too many to choose from so it might confuse you.