custom or factory alternator

[SVXMAN2001]

I am going to need an alternator in the future and was wondering which would be the better, less expensive and reliable way to goabout getting a new alternator, either custom rebuilt one, or just have a brand new factory oem one installed. Input greatly appreciated and wanted
thanks
chris

[Beav]

What do you mean by 'custom'?

Many alternator rebuilders turn out very good products for the money, and I can't imagine a single reason to buy a new from the factory unit.

Beav

[mohrds]

Mike and I just installed a Premium Valu brand rebuild from CarQuest in his car. It seems to be of pretty good quality. It was the only one that had a 95A rating. All the others from Checker, Parts Plus, etc. had a 80 Amp rating.

It was a bit over $200.

If you can have the downtime without needing the car, get it rebuilt at a local shop, then you can get it kicked up just a bit to over 100 Amps.

I bought Mike's core from him and I'm going to have that rebuilt to about 140A with an external regulator (non adjustable based on Shotsky's advice) since the alternator gets really hot and heat+regulator=shorter life.

Doug

[Beav]

Sidebar: If you think they're expensive now hold on to your shorts. In the next year or so cars will be going to a 42 volt system. Electric power steering, brakes and more digital equipment are the big reasons. Where would we be if we couldn't have 'peacock' accessories (big thumpers and bright lights), and we gotta have climate control, auto headlights, etc., etc. I don't know about y'all, but I can still muster the energy to slide a button when I get too hot. At least you won't have puddles of p/s fluid in the garage, just a $1300 rack and pinion gear replacement when it fails.

BTW - Cadillac has a water-cooled alternator now because of high demands and high temperatures. Figure at least $600 for one, plus labor...

Beav

[1994SubaruSVX]

if mine ever goes out again. but since randy did the alternator mod on my car.......i have had no problems at all.

[Mr. Pockets]

Originally posted by Beav
Sidebar: If you think they're expensive now hold on to your shorts. In the next year or so cars will be going to a 42 volt system. Electric power steering, brakes and more digital equipment are the big reasons. Where would we be if we couldn't have 'peacock' accessories (big thumpers and bright lights), and we gotta have climate control, auto headlights, etc., etc. I don't know about y'all, but I can still muster the energy to slide a button when I get too hot. At least you won't have puddles of p/s fluid in the garage, just a $1300 rack and pinion gear replacement when it fails.

BTW - Cadillac has a water-cooled alternator now because of high demands and high temperatures. Figure at least $600 for one, plus labor...

Beav

I've been reading about 42-volt systems lately. Some speculation suggests that we may see cars directly driven by electric motors and the engine just acting as a generator with no mechanical draw from belt-driven accessories. I hope not. But then at least there would be little stopping us from just replacing the source of electricity.

Water-cooling an alternator seams like a poor solution to the problem. I remember a couple of years ago being in a shop, where they were replacing an alternator on a 2-year-old Monte Carlo. The mechanic excused GM's awful reliability by saying 'these new high-power engines just eat up alternators.'

Yeah...that's one way of looking at it. Another is that they picked a poor-quality alternator. Maybe it ought to have been water-cooled.

[Beav]

I seriously doubt that they'll go with the gas generator/electric drive type propulsion. It works for locomotives but they normally run steady-state for hours and acceleration isn't their strong suit. Besides, what would the boys down in tranny engineering do? Best bet: fuel cell technology - once figured out not as difficult to implement and mate with current designs and customer expectations.

I don't know about y'all but I'd sure as heck hate to be in an accident in an electric car. Forty-two or so batteries leaking acid and hydrogen gas all over your fanny while sparks are flying all over creation....

Of course Dean Kamen is expecting all of us to stand during our trip to work and back. He may have a hit but I don't see grandma in NW Fort Lauderdale trading in her '72 Chrysler behemoth for an electric hand truck. Best bet: if it takes off, be ready to make accessories such as a bubble umbrella thingy for when it rains. Better bet: convince Daimler-Benz to toss one in the trunk of every Chrysler product they sell...

Just how hot is an alternator getting that it's necessary to cool it with 180 degree coolant? I don't recall many electronics having an operating range that high (the rectifier bridge is what they're trying to cool.) And the CS series alternator that they've been installing in GM vehicles for a number of years now is overburdened in a 'heater and key' Cavalier, let alone in an Aurora. To top it off they also had to make it ridiculously difficult to service. The engine has nothing to do with the alternator's faults, I'd lay blame on the bean counters and design staff.

Another sore spot: what kind of drugs are they passing out in Detroit that would cause someone to price new alternators at $400 - $600 when they know that 98% of the public will buy a rebuilt at NAPA for $50? I guess that partly explains how Ford had $10 billion in cash laying around last year when the poo hit the fan. Yeah, a real vote of confidence, buying $5 billion of their own stock back - duh!! Who wouldn't, especially at half its normal trading price??

Beav

[vkykam]

Downtime's all relative.

When I had my alternator rebuilt, it took them about 2 hours, and tag on a 1/2 hour for the R&R.

105 Amps, <$80USD.

VK

Originally posted by mohrds
Mike and I just installed a Premium Valu brand rebuild from CarQuest in his car. It seems to be of pretty good quality. It was the only one that had a 95A rating. All the others from Checker, Parts Plus, etc. had a 80 Amp rating.

It was a bit over $200.

If you can have the downtime without needing the car, get it rebuilt at a local shop, then you can get it kicked up just a bit to over 100 Amps.