Alternator Rebuild?
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 72
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From: Down East NC
Alternator Rebuild?
Driving my stock '87 today and the battery light comes on the dash, so I flip on the voltmeter and it's reading 11.5 +/- a few tenths, slowly dropping. So, I figure I'm running on the battery now so I turned off all accessories and took it straight home. Tech manual indicates that the alternator is bad, so I pulled it off and had AutoZone bench test it, they confirm it's not charging.
While the car is nearly 20 years old, it only has 15,000 on the clock. The alternator spins freely, doesn't grind or make noise, I figure it can't possibly be physically worn out. At the same time I'm not too excited about an AutoZone Duralast replacement, and trading in my OEM housing in the process.
Are there rebuild kits with diodes, brushes, etc. out there so I can rebuild it? I haven't done that since high school shop about 22 years ago but how difficult is it? Or should I simply have it done by a local starter/generator shop? Thanks in advance for all the help-
While the car is nearly 20 years old, it only has 15,000 on the clock. The alternator spins freely, doesn't grind or make noise, I figure it can't possibly be physically worn out. At the same time I'm not too excited about an AutoZone Duralast replacement, and trading in my OEM housing in the process.
Are there rebuild kits with diodes, brushes, etc. out there so I can rebuild it? I haven't done that since high school shop about 22 years ago but how difficult is it? Or should I simply have it done by a local starter/generator shop? Thanks in advance for all the help-
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
Likes: 30
From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
A while back someone posted an internet site offering alternator replacement parts. Google ought to be a help here. An auto electrical shop can rebuild your alternator and they do a much better job than rebuilts from any auto parts store IMHO.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 3,110
Likes: 6
From: Red Sox Nation! RI
You might want to look for a local armature company who can test or rebuild your own core. I don't think Autozone tests regulators either. Try the yellow pages or ask any wholesale auto parts store if they can recommend a rebuilder. I've used one guy locally who did fantastic work. He'd even beef up low output alternators for cars running multi amp sound systems.
