Its what im doing now,as far as taking it to the shop.I never rebuilt an alternator,and usually when one goes,its a FIX IT NOW item,since the cars cant be down more than a few days.Thats why it was easy to keep going back to the chain stores and swap them out with another unit on its last few legs.I learned my lesson!

We have some local shops around here that do nice work.The warranty sucks compared to the stores,but Im being told by some customers that they never had to bring it back yet,even after a few years.

I havent needed to have the local shop overhaul one yet,except for the time I had bearing installed in my 144 unit in my Van,and wont hesitate to use them if an overhaul is needed for any of my cars.

 

ok, here's the skinny on the alternator thing.
1. a weak battery will make the alternator work harder all the time.
2. a harder working alternator generates more heat.]
3. heat kills the alternator.
Every year for about 3 years my alternator would take a dump. I rebuild it with the internal voltage regulator, and diode board, and it's good for a year.
I had a buick that the alternator went out, and I needed it right away, so I went to the wrecking yard, and got one off of an S-10 pickup.
I was going to swap it with the buick unit, but the bolt holes weren't in the right place, so I used the front housing from the buick, and the back housing from the S-10.
When the alternator went out the third time on the vette, I took apart the buick back half, and the vette alt., and to my amazement, I found out something.
first of all, I took the vette unit apart, and there were crimps attached to the field wires that screwed onto the connections coming off of the stator coil, and the buick's were soldered on,
The crimps were loosening up under heating and repeated cooling, generating heat that was transmitted to the diode board, and allowed the diodes to pop.
I used the buick pieces, and ordered an "iceberg" alternator rear housing from Summit Racing, and screwed it all together, after soldering the wires to the lugs on the stator coil.
That was 5 years ago. the key I think is the crimps on the wires causing the diodes and voltage regulator to get hotter than it was designed for.
The Iceberg only helps shed some of the excess heat.
It gets 118 here in the summer, and for the last 5 years, it has never missed a beat.
form your own opinions, but shoddy rebuilds don't last. even if they are DELCO rebuilds.

 

Thanks for the heads up - found it for $85. When I called the shop, and told them I had one for $85, he said I can install it for $80. But I found some instructions online - Im not the handiest person to drive a vette - but this will definitely save me over $200 anyway I decide to go.

Thanks!

 

Those field wires should always be crimped, then soldered. I haven't run into one that was just crimped. I am intrigued, but not surprised...