Need new alternator, anyone tried a Beck-Arnley?

[PurpleHazel]

#5 in four months installed today.


90 amp lifetime remans are what its been chewing up and spitting out. I want to stick with bolt on. The new one from Mitsubishi is $450 at the local dealer. $169 is the price for the one it keeps eating. Beck Arnley offers one that's a little easier on the budget at about $230. Anyone had luck with one?

I'm open to suggestions here.

 

[1983gsp]

You are just having a bad run of luck with remans. I went through 4 in one year, 2 being bad bearings. Other 2 just quit. 5th auto zone alt has lasted 1 year so far, but, my lights are starting to flicker at low rpms now. Probably won't last much longer.

 

[DirtyDSMDan]

Do any of you guys ever buy the Bosch Canada spec alternator? Seems to me that the 90amp version might help a bit, and I havent ever had any issues with a Bosch product. It makes me wonder if Autozone is having issues.

 

[PurpleHazel]

R.I.P. reman #5. They found some corrosion at the alternator relay and replaced it as well as the pigtail. The shop just called me telling me that even so its now in the process of killing reman #5. They say the belt is okay and they have found no clues at all in the wiring yet. But it sounds like they are running out of ideas as well. Two of these haven't been in long enough for heat to bother them. Reman #4 had all of 20 miles on it, reman #5 hasn't even left the shop (not even the flippin' lift for that matter)

Only the low coolant light came on this last time, but coolant isn't low. Give any sort of clue?

Is the computer a possibility? I'm ready to give up and running out of mechanics! This is my DD.

 

[Lofty]

Its kind of crazy you went through 5. Did you try an OEM one? What is the voltage coming off of the alternator. It cant be the ecu unless the voltage regulator isnt functioning. Thats really all that can make an alternator faul. Voltage fluxtuactions, bad brushes or something, or fluid leaking onto it.

 

[PurpleHazel]

Its kind of crazy you went through 5. Did you try an OEM one? What is the voltage coming off of the alternator. It cant be the ecu unless the voltage regulator isnt functioning. Thats really all that can make an alternator faul. Voltage fluxtuactions, bad brushes or something, or fluid leaking onto it.

No leaks, clean as a whistle. I really don't think its bad/cheap remans. I've tried to keep brand out of this because I sell them, but what the heck. They are lifetime Ultimas from Oreilly. Ive sold literally hundreds of this brand of reman and never had anything even close to this happen with any customer. Also, the first two were stock 75 amp, the second *was* from another parts store because I didn't have another in stock. Then I switched to the 90 amp. So two different part numbers from two different stores. These remans are all new internal, the only thing reused really is the case.

I keep thinking that just the low coolant light on is a clue, but don't know enough about electronics to know what that might be. The coolant is not low. Hell, the light doesn't come on when the coolant *is* low.

I don't know what the current voltage us on the one that's puking on it now, didn't ask when he called. They all start out fine in 13.5-14 range and have ended up anywhere from 8-12.2. These guys are good, one of them is one of the best around at diagnostics. I don't know what ill do if they give up.

 

[this_tsi_8urV8]

I had 2 rebuilt alt go bad on me. So I finally purchased an AC Delco unit from Rock Auto and so far so good. They're also 'built in America' so that was another plus on getting that alternator.

 

[Lofty]

Its not terribly difficult. The alternator has two functions, to generate voltage, and maintain voltage. Id pull apart your harness and check the alternator wire for shorts. The poofs of smoke scream short to me. If not just rewire the alternator. Its actually not hard at all. On a 1g all you have to do is run the wire from the alt to fuseblock.

 

[PurpleHazel]

Its not terribly difficult. The alternator has two functions, to generate voltage, and maintain voltage. Id pull apart your harness and check the alternator wire for shorts. The poofs of smoke scream short to me.

Only the first one had an electrical stink to it when it was first started. Make any difference?

If not just rewire the alternator. Its actually not hard at all. On a 1g all you have to do is run the wire from the alt to fuseblock.

Does this apply to 2g as well? I may ask them to do this as a Hail Mary before they give up completely.

 

[bryanwheat]

This is pretty simple. Test the wires for short to ground than do a continuity test from each end of the wire. IT all test's good than the wiring is fine.

 

[Rexwagon1909]

Get an AC/Delco very good quality in my opinion. My old alternator went bad and I finally gave up and converted to Saturn Alt, using Jays Racing Relo kit. Not one problem so far

 

[Jesse2012]

I'm on my third remanufactured alternator in 6 weeks, I'm starting to wonder if its a wiring problem in my car too. Rockauto has a listing for a new oem one for $100, anyone know anything about it?

 

[DSM1G90]

Sounds like just too much current draw is at hand and the ALT just can't keep up with charging the battery all the time .. and blown regulators are the result.

Just too much audio junk, or too much lighting...