My 83 TA is eating alternators. For the past month it's been going for a week, then dying. There are no shorts and I've been switching batteries with alternator changes. These are AutoZone DuraLast Gold alternators. My brother did the last switch for me and he told me he had the thing in, running, and turned on the headlights with the hood up. All of a sudden the thing started smoking and the pully turned blue. There are no shorts and the motor is stock. No crazy electronics. Even has the stock coil. My father thinks it's cuz the AutoZone alternators have crappy voltage regulators and I wanted to know what you guys think.

 

Where are you getting the alternators? Are they new or rebuilt? If theyre from PepBoys, disregard the last question because it doesent matter.

 

Like I said, they're AutoZone Duralast Golds

 

Oh... I guess I missed that part. Do you have subs/amps or anything else that would pull extensive voltage from the electircal system?

 

Completely stock... If anything, I blew the rear left speaker and the front speakers are removed. This is my "I don't care" car until I get my 86 Firebird back on the road. It's beat to hell, but I need it for another month.

 

Ya my battery is into the red 8 range. I think my voltage regulator is bad too this is my second one in 3 weeks. I bought it from O'Reillys. Now why cant these people sell us some new parts rather than rebuilt??? I mean come on they are just going to crap out again. You dont see Summit or Jegs having a sale on rebuilt parts do ya hell no

 

hey gilmour ( sorry about spellin) go to ur local chevy dealer and buy a brand spanking new AC DELCO altornator and u shouldnt have no problems. if u still fry the altornator after that have someone check all your wires in ur engine compartment to make sure nothing is screwed up.

 

Ya get a receipt. Ask about lifetime warrenty so they should just give you another one straight up with no questions asked. They should test it to see if its bad but hey I had a bad voltage regulator. So I just skipped merrily back to my Camaro installed the thing and it runs fine:lala:

 

Roughly...
1. Its not unusual to get a bad replacement alternator
2. It is unusual to get four...
3. Most common mistakes ...
-By far, failing to disconnect battery ground before doing anything else...
-Failing to charge the battery before installing the "new" alternator
-Failing to verify the operating characteristics of the system
once the new alternator is installed.

"Fun"damentals
The alternator is an AC generator that is "rectified" and then
regulated. It is set up to produce a slight potential difference
between a charged battery and the alternaor.

At the positive terminal, to ground...
12.5V or so...

With the engine running
Something a bit over 13.5V

If this isn't what you see you have an underlying problem...