My car has gone through maybe 3 or 4 alternators through its lifetime, and it doesn't seem to matter if it has an amp or not. It has killed alternators w/ a 200 watt amp, w/o any amp, and then w/ 300 watt amp. I figure before the 3 yr warranty on this alternator, it'll die again. Has anyone else experienced this?

Sounds like you've got a wiring problem or you're buying junk alternators. Check your power wire for shorts, check any other wiring that may be shorting... if you don't find anything drop the $$$ on a delco alternator and it'll probably outlast your car.

After about 6 months after I put my system in I upgraded to a 160 AMP alt. ALOT better. Brighter lights, more juice to keep everything happy. My gauge does not go below 13.6 now. I spoent about 190 on the alt. Still tring to find the page again so don't ask. I forgot the addy.

How's your battery doing? How are the battery cables?

Earlier alternators (85-86 "large" style) had an overheating problem. I've been through three in the 8 years I've had the car (1986 alternator). Supposedly the smaller 87-up (serpentine belt drive) alternators fixed this problem. Where are you getting the alternators from? All the alternators I bought -- excuse me, the ONE alternator I bought -- had a lifetime warranty. As in, when the alternator takes a crap, I bring it back to Pep Boys, and they unhappily hand me a new one.

I have to guess you've made the same mistake that I and many others have made. You've bought rebuilt alternators. Many parts stores don't even carry factory new alternators. You may have to get them from a dealer.

So, when you buy the rebuilt alternator MAKE SURE you get a warrenty. If will probably fail and you'll have to get another one. Eventually you'll get a "good one" and it will last for a while.

I talked to a guy who worked at Delco and several other experts and they all had the same basic opinion. Factory new Delco alternators are some of the best you can get. Factory quality control is very high. Most of are original alternators lasted many years (many over 10 years) before the factory orginal died.

The problem is with the rebuilt units. As I understand it, the rebuild place basically has a big pile of "bad alternators". They test it and find out what component went bad. Replace just that part, clean it up, and throw it in a box. It passes a test, but there is basically no quality control.

So, you can keep playing the "gimme another alternator ... this one's still under warrenty" game, or you can shell out the big bucks for a factory new one from a dealer, or you can go with a aftermarket unit (which is probably not as good even though it is claimed to be rated higher).

i went through 2 alternators last winter! it pissed the **** out of me because the first time it went was during the worst snow storm of the year, so i had it towed to the dealer (that was back before i realized how easy it would be to fixt it myself), and they "fixed it" my ***, a few months later it went out again. ever since it's been fine though.

I probably will just do the "oh it died, here's the receipt, see its under warranty" speech again. I just have this strong feeling with my subwoofer now blasting louder than before (check the sig for a new addition!) that it will die. If it doesn't die within 3 years, do you think Kragen will notice that it isn't dead, and still give me another one?

I really don't think they care; they just slap a tag on it, give you a new one, and send it back to the main store. I don't even think they test them; I think they just rebuild them.

Make sure the negative battery cable is unhooked when removing the old alternator. Make sure the battery is fully charged before you put the new alternator in, and leave the negative cable off the battery while you install the new one, and connect the wires back up. Then, put the neg cable back on the battery.

I read something about "alternator death", it's supposed to occur when you start your car with a new alternator and a dead battery... something about frying the regulator. But, I don't get that; because if we change an old/dead battery out for a new one, we don't have to fully charge the new battery before installing it! (And no battery comes fully charged, by the way).

But, it might be something to try when installing your next alternator. I think you can even rent a battery charger for a couple bux a day, or hell, at $20, just buy one.

I do own a battery charger, selectable 6 amp or 2 amp. I use it for when I run my battery down by playing my stereo too much.:rockon:

If you have a system that is around 4-500 watts like mine I highly suggest getting a higher amp alt. You, your system and your car will be happier. I went to a 160 with no changes at all to the wires. I could probly use a higher guage power wire though. 140-160 upgrade you should have no probs with the stock elec system. Above that you need to start upgrading the wires.

Camaro Hunter where did you pay 190 for a 160 amp alt?? i paied 300 for a 140 alt amp from summit.
I herd our cars like to eat alternators it has something to do with the tensioner from what i herd.

It was a company in South Carolina. I am still tring to find the reciet to get the name. I found it on the web though. The use all new parts in a used case, to make sure the case is correct. But this has been in for almost 8-9 months I guess now and it still works great. The alt was 189 and S&H was like 15 bucks?.

If you buy an aftermarket alternator be sure to compare output at lower rpms (not just peak output) to a stock alternator. Then you can make a more informed decision.

Mine puts out about 90 AMPS @ Idle