Another bad alternator
 

Barely made it home this morning.
Battery was dead.(9.7volts)
This is the second alternator from Maniac Motors that has failed on me.
It does NOT instill confidence in their product.
The warranty is naturally up this time but I don't think I'll get one from them again.

Re: Another bad alternator
 

I feel your pain. I've had two fail from them as well.

I've also had 4 or so fail from advance auto parts. I purchased an autolite brand alternator from them back when they had lifetime warranties. It failed pretty quickly the first time so when I had an alternator failure on my 2nd SVX I purchased a Bosch alternator. I've had to replace both of them repeatedly since.

I lent my ebony SVX to my mom earlier in the year and of course the alternator failed while she had it. The shop she took it to put an alternator in it from oriely's. It failed about a month later after I had the car back.


I'm thinking they all use the same part from the same Chinese supplier that is complete garbage and makes the alternators a ticking time bomb.

Maybe if you ask Maniac electric to tell you what the failure is in the alternator and if there is an alternative part that can be used to get out of the cycle of failures? That's the only way I would consider another rebuilt alternator.

I deeply regret ever buying an alternator from anywhere other than the Subaru parts counter.

Re: Another bad alternator
 

Maniac had used a really quality built voltage regulator from Germany which was designed and built specifically for the 140A units. I have had their alternator running in my polo for 6 years, since 2009 and one of the first. Unfortunately, these German regulators are no longer in production and a suitable replacement has not been found.


POSSIBLE PROBLEMS

The alternator is mounted at the very top of the engine, shrouded by the insulating hood padding that covers the vents to cool it. When you turn the engine off, it gets a big heat soak into it, cooking the wiring and the regulator.

Heat is the enemy here. You have two sources, the internal heat produced by the alternator AND the external heat produced by the engine. The alternator basically sits next to the engine and, for reasons mentioned above, problems may arise.


POSSIBLE SUGGESTIONS:

Reduce external heat by cutting away that portion of the hood insulation that covers the vents on the alternator. a little breathing room may allow for alternator cooling when engine is off (or running), offering a path for heat to escape.


Find a way to keep our cooling fans running for a bit, after the ignition is turned off, to help cool down underhood temps. There are many cars that use this circuitry.


Reduce internal alternator heat by replacing normal alternators with high-output units. A high-output unit works more efficiently and produces amps more easily so it doesn't have to work as hard. A more efficient unit generates less internal heat to begin with.

Upgrade alternator wires to a larger gauge to reduce resistance (heat) and improve current flow, making the work of the alternator easier.


I wonder how many of these failures were replacement 95A units, without the new alternator wiring upgrade. Any failures reported on cars with uninsulated fiberglass hoods (with or without scoops) or carbon fiber?
.

Re: Another bad alternator
 

The autolite I have replaced repeatedly is an oe output alternator. The bosch I have replaced repeatedly is a high output alternator. I assume the alternator that my mom's mechanic got from Orieleys that lasted about a month was oe output but I don't really know.

I bought the maniac electric high output alternator to replace the autolite with hoping to get out of the cycle of constant failures. It failed on me twice. I haven't bothered to send it back to them yet. If they can't do something different to make it last I probably won't bother sending it back.

I currently have another new autolite replaced under the lifetime warranty on my SVX.

I would strongly suggest anyone paying for a replacement alternator to stay off the warranty treadmill. Go to the dealer. I assume an alternator from Subaru will have the genuine OE parts that last a decade or more.

Re: Another bad alternator
 

The 2 that failed from Maniac were oe. The wiring is stock.
I had the 2nd of the two that just failed checked before turning it in as a core.
The shop I took it to does nothing but alternators and starters. The tech showed me that there was almost no output. He was even suprised since it wasn't that old, just out of warranty.
I got another one at car quest, so I'll see how long it lasts.
SVXCESS, I do like your idea of modifying the plastic cover. I'll give it a try.

Re: Another bad alternator
 

Looks like the alternator from Subaru is around $300 on SubaruParts.com. If remans are that troublesome may be it is worth paying double. I have had 3 die so far, 2 in my current SVX and 1 in my previous SVX. They always seem to go at the worst possible time.

Re: Another bad alternator
 

They have new ones?

Re: Another bad alternator
 

I've not had any problems with mine yet but I have a local rebuilder and generally for the same price as a reman he'll rebuild. However if he sees a part is a problem he'll upgrade. Maybe find a local alternator rebuilder/remanufacturer for some help. Keep it in the USA.

Re: Another bad alternator
 

You're lucky to still have a local rebuilder. In Miami, we used to have a handful of radiator shops and a few alternator shops but every last one of them is out of business.

Re: Another bad alternator
 

This is what I did, found a local rebuilder. The alternator pumped out good power for two more years, and was still going strong when I sold my SVX.

Re: Another bad alternator
 

I also bought one from Maniac. Failed within 2 months of install. With updated wiring as advised. Sent back for warranty replacement. Heard nothing. No alternator, no money. I would definitely advise against purchasing from them, unless you want to just throw money away.