Alternator issues

[wraoffroad]

Okay, excuse me for being a noob but to me an alternator was an alternator; (unless your into stereo competitions) but then i got a replacement alternator for my DSM. Then every couple of months I would burn one up and it would squeal belts. So i looked into it and found out that replacement alternators from auto parts stores suck. Well where do i buy one then I searched the internet getting so desperate as to check eBay for racing alternators. Then it dawned on me Bosch makes stuff like that really well i had problems with water pumps until i bought a Bosch one. So i found them on autopartswarehouse.com it lists that the alternator may have a voltage regulator in the alternator or it may be in the ecu. also what amperage should i use they range all the way from 75 to 90 or can i just get the one that cranks the highest amperage cranking amperage. I'm not a very good electrician so any help would be appreciated. I just want the squealing to stop once and for all makes me sick just thinking about it.

 

[XiKeiyaZI]

The squeeling has nothing to do with the alternator, persay.

There is a little bracket that you have to tighten down. As you tighten it, it will pull the alternator away from the belt, thus increasing tension. It actually bolts into the side of the alternator. If I had a picture I'd upload it, and it's far too dark to go take one.

 

[akira235]

cars with power options (windows, locks, sunroof, etc) came with 90 amp alternators, and that should be plenty for your purposes. my suggestion would be to go to advance or any other parts store, and buy a re manufactured one. most auto parts stores provide a lifetime warranty on any re manufactured part, so when/if the alternator fails, you can just take it out, and swap in a new one for free.

like keiy said, if your belt is squealing that could be a contributing factor in alternator failure and you need to use the tensioner. make sure you tighten the lock bolt on the alternator so it doesn't rotate itself loose.

 

[wraoffroad]

i know how to get the right tension on the alternator its just that the belt squeals whenever the alternator has a load on it and my alternator does has a re-manufactured alternator on it it even has a lifetime warranty but the bearing fails after a few months every time even if the alternator has the right amount of tension on it. the first couple of times i even tried to get it a little extra tight but that just speeds up the process to the point that the alternator will completly lock up. I have taken advantage of the lifetime warranties but they aren't very useful when every couple of months i have to do it again. And besides i have to wait until it almost completely gone most of the time because even if it squeals the belt when they test it as long as it tests good amperage they wont take it. or at least not without an argument.
also sorry about it being so late i work thirds and i have a night off i didn't expect any one to respond until the morning thank you though.

 

[akira235]

this will sound completely off topic but it's not, I promise.

does your car have power steering?

 

[wraoffroad]

nope that sucker went out at around 120000 miles so i just got rid of it. i know where your going with that though. i know its my alternator because when the alternator is under load is when the belt slips and squeals. also if you take some wd40 and spray right behind the pulley while its doing it it will stop for just a little bit because it helps lubricate those bearings for just a sec. sometimes when the auto parts store wont take the alternator back i take the alternator apart and rub some grease in there and that will silence it for a couple of weeks then it will be back. the cheep bearings they use in those remanufatured things at the auto-parts stores is the culprit in the end.

 

[akira235]

well damn, I've been riding around on my auto parts store alternator for around a month and it hasn't given me any problems yet. fingers crossed I guess.

In your position I'd just do the saturn alternator swap for the bonus amps, plus they're usually a little cheaper. and some auto parts stores even have them in stock. (anything here for a dsm takes a week or more of "delivery time")

if you want a reliable one, go to a mitsu dealer and grab an oem one. other than that I'm not sure what else to tell you. I'm fairly sure no vendors carry the oem unit.

 

[wraoffroad]

well thanks a lot my only question is i have heard of the Saturn swap and what is that and how exactly is it done. Mod brackets or a wiring harness also what amperage are they running (just so i know)

heck i found one for a 95 sc2 to on the net it looks right but will it work I'm really not sure about this. The pics look right and i don't know the parts codes or any other specifics about it it is running a little higher at 96 amp. I'm just gonna order a Bosch one online i don't trust those chain auto parts stores for any dsm parts anymore.

 

[XiKeiyaZI]

There has to be SOMETHING contributing to these alternator failures...

When you tighten down the belt, how tight is the tension on the belt? When you flick it does it 'PLING' like a piano key, or can you move it half an inch? Are you ensuring that you have the belt on the correct track? I know you said that you no longer have power steering. If you have it on the wrong pulley, IE : The inside crank pulley and the outside Water Pump pulley, It could contribute to these failures because the belt will be pulling tension in a crooked manner and could cause the premature bearing failures.

This needs to be looked at from every angle before you go dumping money on a new alternator.

 

[eurytopic]

Are you running head shields on the o2 sensor housing and exhaust manifold? Heat will kill these things faster than anything. I bought one for a 97 galant. Bolts up like stock and puts out 90 amps.

 

[luv2rallye]

Some ideas:
1) Is your crank pulley (harmonic balancer) separating? It's then uneven load can give havac to alts and belts.
2) You say you got rid of the PS - did you physically remove the pump as any leak from it destroys alts.
3) Also did someone put one of the water pump pulley halves on backwards so the belt now has an offset?
4) Over tightening the alt belt will destroy it's bearings.
5) Exhaust mani heat shield on?
6) Buying one at an auto store as you found out (and we hear constantly) was your first mistake. And again as you found out, what good is a lifetime warranty when you are constantly returning it?

The best (definately most reliable and usually good price too) place to get a non-factory alt is at an alt/starter repair shop. They have good new, rebuilt, and also can rebuild yours. The worst place is at an auto store (certain ones are notorious). Bosch is a good brand if it really is new (or rebuilt at an alt/starter repair shop). Auto stores often sell rebuilt units as new. So do many on eBay - be careful. Of course it can be pretty hard to tell...especially in a picture. And how many times do you want to be paying return shipping to get their "free warranty" replacement?

 

[wraoffroad]

sorry i haven't been on for awhile i believe i have figured out the problem. yes the alternator is tensioned properly and on the right track. I did not remove the ps pump yet. because of school i haven't had time however i did drain most of the fluid to prevent that problem. And i did leave the heat shield on the turbo and o2 housing. The belt i like to leave between 1/8 to 3/8 inch play just like the way i have done with every car. However I have discovered that the FWD 95 talons call for a 90 amp alternator the only alternators that i can find at local parts stores are 75 amps. So that thing is running full tilt all the time. causing charging issues and all sorts of other problems. I have went and looked at an alternator for a 96 Saturn for a swap I noticed that the harness was different(of course) but i don't know how to hook it up correctly to swap harnesses and make it work. Also the external fan is is going the wrong direction. So how do i swap it the correct way to make it efficient. I am looking at some other options like taking my alternator to a shop and have them rebuild it to higher spec. Also i did find that bosch alternator that is running at 90 amps.

 

[91Bomb]

Like mentioned auto parts store alts are known to cause problems and I went through 3 pep boys alts in a yr before buying oem mitsu and would never use anything else again.

 

[dpok69]

I just changed my alternator. Autozone sells 90 amp rebuilt or new alternator for '99 eclipse turbo.

 

[moronthr33]

have you ever tried changing the belt?