Ok, I am not a electrician so I need some idea's and possibilities.
I put in my 4th alternator in 2 years last week, today I went to leave work and it is dead already.
Brand new battery.
Brand new rebuilt alternator from Advance Auto.
Less than 300 miles and it is bad.
First alternator from Auto Zone lasted 1 year, second one from Auto Zone lasted 6 months, 3rd one from Advance Auto lasted 6 months 4th one from Advance Auto lasted one week.
Are they just that bad or is there something else going on?
Any idea's?
Could a short cause this? If so how in the hell do I find it?
I am going to rip out this alt and install the "new" one tomorrow after work.
Any body? Bueller? Bueller?

 

The one thing I do know, is the Advanced alternators are real crap. I talked with a guy in the late spring and he went thru 5, if I remember right.
I would look for a local starter/alternator/electrical shop and have them check and rebuild yours.
Also start checking every cable and ground to make sure you are OK there.

 

I have been trying to source a used one from my normal used parts supplier but they are all out, $50 for a used DI alternator that I was going to do just that Mike.
Buy it for $50, take it to a rebuild shop and have them crank up the amps and make it better than new.
But I dont have time to order a used one, I need my truck back on the road now.
As it is I have it in the garage on the charger so I can still drive it to work and back tomorrow.
Advance can get me a brand new one but they have to order it and it will take at least a week.

 

I had four bad starters in a year from Checker/Shucks a year back. The fourth resulting in a small fire. The one thing they all had in common was the rebuilder. After the fire they gave me one rebuilt by a different vendor, in this case Autolite, and I've not heard a word from the guy since.

 

I was just looking at NAPA and if I return the Advance one and buy the one from NAPA then I loose my core charge because I dont have one to turn back in.
We have a 500 mile or so trip the holiday weekend so I hope this next alternator lasts.

I always take a paint pen and write the month and year as well as the miles on the replacement alt, I do it just for $hits and giggles.

 

NAPA isn't much better. Personally, I've had no problems with electrical parts from Carquest.

Eric

 

We dont have Carquest.

 

I see that online you can get a new Bosch alternator for about $250, with no core charge since it's new. The price at Autozone for the reman is also $250. So why buy a reman???

 

Spike have you checked NAPA for a diode pack for your Alt? It may be a dumb farm kid question, but that little circuit board is all that controls your charge. I have replaced a bunch. I don't know if they will have one for Bosch, but it is worth a try. It should only take like 15 minutes to install. Think old time voltage regulator.

From what I understand there are only a couple of large companies that do starter and alt. rebuilds in the US and they do it for all the chain stores.

 

I got my reman alt for my Grand Prix from O'Reilly, and it seems to do pretty well.

I might be able to find you a used alt spike.