I just replaced the alternator on my 95 GA with just 42k on it. Is this typical for an alternator? My toyota PU never needed an alternator and I sold it with over 100k miles. Just curious. My GA has been very reliable before this.
It depends on the engine.
I sold my '95 GA with 67,000 miles on it and I never had a problem. I always heard they go bad between 85-100k.
Lee
'00 SSEi '04 Volvo S60
Had to replace mine on my 98 Grand Prix after 4 1/2 years with less than
40k.
I am on my third alternator on my 93 with about 80k miles, but I run several
2 way radios in the car since I am a ham radio operator so current demand in my car is higher than normal.Do you have a high power audio amp 500-1000 watts? They will kill a normal alternator, in fact you really need a special alternator to run one of the thumper rigs.
Heat kills alternators. My 92 G/A is on alt #6. A hot running GM V-6 with hood pad in place does not have much air flow o= ver the alternator. If you plan on keeping the car, get a high temp alternator w= ith lifetime warranty. It will cost close to $200 but you won't be replacing= it yearly.
Don't regular AC alternators cost more than $200? Sounds like a good deal to me.
Lee
Heat kills alternators. My 92 G/A is on alt #6. A hot running GM V-6 with hood pad in place does not have much air flow over the alternator. If you plan on keeping the car, get a high temp alternator with lifetime warranty. It will cost close to $200 but you won't be replacing it yearly.
I don't remember the brand but new, not rebuilt alternators go for about $100 here.
Or at least that is what I spent on the last one I put in, after the trade in on the previous one.
Fortunately I have a parts store about 1/4 mile away so I could get the new one and take back the old on on my bicycle. This time I filed away the receipt so the lifetime warrenty might actually get used.
I went thru a $79 alternator from Oreillys every year. They did not cost anything after the first one put it was a pain to have them burn out. The last one of those spit out rear bearings all over the engine. Then I got a "heavy duty, heat resistant" one for $179. It lasted 3 years and I replaced it last summer for free. The summer heat sitting still on the freeway eats alternators and batteries. I removed the hood pad the same time I put on the better alternator several years ago.
Best way to go if you live a few days without your car is this. Locate a alternator/starter rebuild shop, look in the yellow pages. Take your alternator there and they will do a REAL rebuild on it. New brushs, bearings, electronics, true-up the comutator. Its as good a new. The cost is about the same for a quality big box rebuilt. The difference is the quality of the rebuild. The down side is having to wait a few days while its done right.
Short story, growing up in the 70's had a buddy who worked in a local parts store (long before the big box concept can to the auto parts market/) If the boss pissed him off that day, well there would be lots of "opps" of returned alternator and water pumps. Seems they always land shift side down into the floor. You would not want to have it back as a rebuilt!
Take care.
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