does anyone here have a good reccomendation for an alternator? i feel like i have to change mine out every two years! my shop guys (this is the third shop to work on it) all tell me that they don't make new alternators for my car. only rebuilds...is this true??
thanks!!!

 

all I see on the site for advance (easy to check) is reman, but one has a lifetime warranty and is only $85

 

does anyone else have this problem. is there a fix?

 

Living in Vegas, the heat kills batteries, starters, and alternators. The electronics can't stand up to the heat. I get lifetime warranties on my alternators and starters and the best batteries. These things go bad, and alternators take 15 minutes max to replace.

 

85 is v-belt, right? A CS144 out of a newer vehicle (older CS144 had 180* mounting ears, newer have about a 100* mounting) should bolt right into place. There are pictures on here of a guy who put one in his V6, you just need to change the pulley.

If you're interested, I have one that I got from a yard for $45 out of a '99 Yukon Danali. I'm switching over to Serp, so I can't use it. $45 plus shipping and it's yours.

Edit: Scratch that. Neither of the mounting holes on mine is threaded, which means you'd have to find an alternate means of mounting it. Oh well. Maybe you'll find something that works for you.

Edit2: Also, a CS130D might be an upgrade. They have better cooling, better output, and are much more stable. All you need to plug one in is a conversion harness (can find on the internet) and a trip to the parts store to look at the different ones they have. www.alternatorparts.com is a good place to look at stuff.

 

dont think u have to have a threaded alternator, i have mine set with a nut and a bolt right through the holes. works just as good. i have a 95 silverado alt on mine

 

I also had the same problem on my 92 z28. I have gone thru 4 alternators since I bought the car in 1998. The stock alternator was 105 amps, I would up buying the 140 amp alternator from Powermaster (thru Summit) two years ago. I haven't had any problems and the installation was the same as stock.

 

Autozone sells new alternators. The DURALAST GOLD are brand new, not remanufactured. All of the lower lines ("CS Series", valucraft, regular Duralast, not Gold) are remans. I have a Duralast Gold alternator from an 85-application that I bought a couple years ago. It has much better quality bearings than even the OE unit used (I took an OE alternator and the new one apart to compare). This is the easy answer. I'd much rather buy new than try to fudge a junkyard alt. on that may or may not mount and line up properly.

 

I didn't read all the posts, but i bought a brand new alternator from Carquest Auto Parts. They do have new ones, not only reman's.

 

Believe it or not, I did something different than everyone else...

I used a newer style (like the 87 and ups use) CS alternator and got the "Iceberg" kit from JC Whitney. It comes with a modified back half and a larger rear bearing. I never had an alternator problem on my other F-bodies when I did that.

I like it so much that nearly every GM engine I run gets that conversion after the one that was on it when I bought it takes a dive....

See ya!