I know, I know, I'm gonna get some "I coulda told ya that's" and "I told ya so's" but I needed an alternator and spent $73 instead of multiples of that for an alternator.
So Tuesday it went out in Denver, over an hour from home, but not completely out. It would bring the voltage up to 12.65 at speed, but that's not a healthy voltage. Also, when the key was off, the charging idiot light was on full bright. I think that means something shorted out in the alternator and was running full voltage back through the bulb when the key was off.
No idiot lights weren't on at all with the key on, unlike my original alternator which allowed them to burn ever-so-dimly whilst charging at 12.6 volts or so.
But Autozone gave me a lifetime warranty, and after pulling the first one it took less than 15 minutes to install the replacement. Just a little annoying.
I only paid $200 for the car, so I have this aversion to paying a lot for parts.
KennyH
Horsepower is cheaper than therapy.