Man, I have had it with crap re-maned parts. I bought an alternator up toward San Fransisco ( 7 hrs. from me) and I didn't have the cash to get the top of the line so I got the 70 buck one. Thta one went out already and I bought it in Jan. I went to Kragen to replace it ( in the parking lot) and the new one they gave me had a freakin' heli-core in a bolt hole instead of threads...so I was there for like 1 1/2 hrs. doing a 20 minute job. I finally got a good one, or at least so i thought, but now it makes a freakin' nasty whining sound. Sounds totally like a supercharger or turbo. Are the bearings no good?
I loosened the belt just a tad to where it's tight enough so the belt doesn't squeak but looser than I had it previuosly.

Is this common for alternators?

ALSO: someone took the 1-2 alt. plug off the car and instead used simple spade terminals for the regulator hookup.

Which terminal does the RED wire go to? I am pretty sure it's #2 but I want to be positive. YOU MUST have an alternator with a 1-2 setup cause the newer thirdgens have one with like 5 pins. My car is an 84'.

 

I'm on Checker alt #7 I beleive. #6 sounded like a turbo fan engine above 3000 RPMs. One day it just didn't put out juice. Ahh, lifetime warrantes

 

Turbo noise usually means bearing problem. I'm on #4 since I've owned mine.

 

hey guys


It's a fact that if you own a gm car/truck that it will have to have a alt/starter replace at least 2-3 if not more. WHY cause of the design sucks But my stock finally gave way about 145k thn i put a ADVANCE AUTO special

 

Previous owner got a NAPA alternator with a lifetime for mine and gave me the reciept. Ive been through 3. Those small 105amp alternators just cant last for some reason.

Lifetime warrenties are nice. They are remanufactured PIECES of crap tho. Id rather rebuild it myself so i know i replaced everything. But oh well I have a lifetime replacement warrenty

 

My alternator sounded like a supercharger before it burned out

 

The car had a new alternator on it when I bought it, then I replaced that one in San Fran....than went thru the one in the parking lot, now I have a turbocharger....so I guess that's 5 that have been bad and I'm going for #6!

Pretty weird to have a bearing problem after just one day of use eh.....

 

My alternator sings me a song too. Sounds like a turbo and it really screams at high RPMS.

I blew 3 of the Advance Auto specials last year. I already blew 1 this spring, and the current one is only 2 weeks old and I'm waiting for it to die on me too. Sitting at lights with my headlights, fogs & fans on it dances alittle above 8 volts...heh

 

More than likely that sound is not the bearings but one or more of the diodes are bad, that will make the supercharger sound, and will cause the alternator to heat up VERY quickly because the current that it's producing can't get past the bad diode so it just goes up in heat instead, mine did this twice and then I installed the Iceberg conversion that Summit sells with the finned back cover to reduce built up heat, that was 3 years ago and it's still going strong.

 

I agree with dartbyu.the bearings usually out last those crap internals they use.I dont see how this works out as profit for a company.I had one die today,my 3rd duracrap in 2 years.Took it to autozone and the guy says "I have to test it first to make sure its bad".I had removed it smoking from the car about 2 hours earlier and this thing was still on fire.If it wasnt so easy to change I guess id mine more.