I'm tired of freaking AutoZone alternators.I replaced one 4months ago and coming out of McDonalds, the gauge read 11.5 volts than it redlined to 18 volts! Went to AZ, got another one (I have lifetime warranty)put this one on at the store and it was bad out of the box!!!(12 volts). I finally had to get a Valuecraft. Does anyone sell oem CS130 alternators anywhere? I still have my original starter after 17 years and still going. Fuel pump lasted since the car was made!!

Ken

 

Only OEM alternators, I think, are remans, anymore. You MAY find a new one on eBay. It's not hard to rebuild it yourself, however, and it's about half the price of a complete alternator ($30 for a whole kit that includes all of the parts necessary to do this). You just need to make sure you get the stator wire extenders (or whatever they call those things) as well, or you won't be able to reattach the stator to the rectifier bridge and you won't get charging.

 

autozone alternators tend to be one of the better ones, have them check it before you leave the store, and if it goes bad again i feel theres something else causing them to go bad

**if you keep blowing them also, even if it is just a bad run of parts they eventually wont give you another alternator, lifetime warranty or not, they will only do so many in a short time, i used to work there lol

 

after getting a few bad altenators myself. i make a habbit of having them checked in store before i install in a car. i had one go bad after a week when it tested good. bearings crapped out was squealing bad. good reminder if the pulley needs changed have them do it in the store. they have the tools and should know how to properly change it. saves on the alt. since it should be done right. i think i might of nicked a winding trying to get the nut to break loose. good thing for lifetime warrentys.

 

Don't buy anything that is "Remanufactured" unless you want to put a new one on every few months or so and like being stranded.

I always buy brand new components now. It's not worth my time to constantly be replacing important pieces of my car.

 

Will cheap ignition modules and coils make an alternator loose its life? I might be getting bad gas mileage and rich condition due to those 2 things. Maybe I have weak spark and the car is throwing more gas to it to keep it running. I am thinking about some Borg Warner module and coil to put in and see if thats my problem. Any thoughts?

Ken

 

B-W stuff is just as crappy as the BWD, GP-Sorenson, and all the rest of that reman crap. Get an MSD Blaster coil (recommended by the guys who DESIGNED our ignition systems) and an AC/Delco ignition module.

Check and clean your engine grounds and all the connections for the alternator and starter to the battery. Run an 8 gauge wire directly between the alternator's BAT post and the battery positive terminal to get the junction block and the associated corrosion and fuss out of the way and provde better charging for a sound system if you're going to put one in. Also, upgrade the chassis to engine ground strap and the battery to ground wire with the same 8 gauge wire to help eliminate grounding problems.