Recommended re-manufactured alternator brands?

Roboplex

Registered User
So a month ago I replaced my factory Alternator with a Duralast one (save the laughs for later, I know I screwed up :eek:). I read the reviews, but decided to risk it. I just needed something immediately, and my Autozone had one in stock. This morning, as I'm about to leave for school, battery light on. Immediately knew it was the alternator. Took it in, tested it (it failed), and they miraculously gave me a complete refund (including the core charge) so I could buy a different brand. So now I'm looking for another brand to go with. My mechanic here in town said he could get me one from his parts supplier, but I'm waiting on a call back from him for a price and brand. My local Ford Dealer said they don't make the Motorcraft ones anymore, and quoted me $350 for a re-manufactured Mitsubishi unit.

I don't have the old alternator (or else I'd just get that one re-manufactured, shouldn't have turned it in to Autozone, big mistake). So I just want to know which brands you've had luck with in the past, or others I should shy away from.

Thanks a bunch!
Joseph Betros
 
and quoted me $350 for a re-manufactured Mitsubishi unit.

I believe that's who made the originals that the factory used.

Shop warranty, as always ;)

But here's the deal - the fastest way to kill a fresh SC alternator is to install it with a dead/drained battery and expect the alternator to bring the battery all the way back up. Avoid that by using a battery charger first.
 
Good afternoon

I am not a fan of re-manufactured alternators and started from stores. So far I have had nothing but bad luck. So I decided to have failed units repaired at a local highly recommended rebuild shop. One of the best things I have done for the car. But this doesn't help in your case. If you are look for a new alternator try this company. For all supercoupe year 1989 -1995. Pricey but less than $300. In the bellow attachment I used model year 1993


http://catalog.oehq.com/item.wws?sku=GLE-338&itempk=931026&mfr=MOTORCRAFT&weight=10



Good Luck.
 
I believe that's who made the originals that the factory used.

Shop warranty, as always ;)

But here's the deal - the fastest way to kill a fresh SC alternator is to install it with a dead/drained battery and expect the alternator to bring the battery all the way back up. Avoid that by using a battery charger first.
Yup the last one was installed with a fully charged battery, so I'm fairly certain it was just refurbished with shoddy components, and that's why it failed.
 
Good afternoon

I am not a fan of re-manufactured alternators and started from stores. So far I have had nothing but bad luck. So I decided to have failed units repaired at a local highly recommended rebuild shop. One of the best things I have done for the car. But this doesn't help in your case. If you are look for a new alternator try this company. For all supercoupe year 1989 -1995. Pricey but less than $300. In the bellow attachment I used model year 1993


http://catalog.oehq.com/item.wws?sku=GLE-338&itempk=931026&mfr=MOTORCRAFT&weight=10



Good Luck.
I did just find an ACDelco unit online for $125. I looked in the specifications and it says it was built by Mitsubishi. 24mo/24k mile warranty. KMT said the OEM units were Mitsubishi, would this be a good one to pick? I looked at the one you sent me, it's a little out of my price range at the moment, but I might be able to make it work if I have no choice.
 
Only $9, ends up being cheaper than the one I bought from AZ.

I usually prefer doing parts like this locally, but since that hasn't worked out for you so far, this doesn't sound like a bad deal.

Good luck w/whichever one you end up with this time.

Ken
 
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Only $9, ends up being cheaper than the one I bought from AZ.
I REALLY don't like non store suppliers for these units. The reason being since their likelihood of failure is so high, and since they are so difficult to verify that they have failed, you can't easily return them when they do. I stick with the local Azone, Oreillys, etc.. because I can drop the anchor on their counter and get a refund/replacement right then and there.

When I say not easily verified, what you will often see is the alt will gradually fail occasionally. Thats the regulator circuit cutting out (I suppose it could be the diodes, but I don't have anyway to test the unit under a load). When the unit cools down, and you remove it to have it "bench tested".. it will pass about 90% of the time.. at the counter. :mad: You go through this exercise of reinstalling, and using your own volt-meter to check it out and damm..... its working again.. :confused::confused: But only until it fails again.. only THIS time, you're left stranded. (Rinse and repeat!) Until it FINALLY fully fails and will test consistently as bad.

So you take it in, and finally convince the store that its bad.. and they order you a new unit.. cross your fingers.. charge the battery, and HOPE and PRAY that this one holds up. Your chances of getting a good unit are about 50%.

BTW, the only way you can see this is to keep a volt meter plugged into some power source in the vehicle somewhere.. e.g the cigarette lighter. Then watch as you see the output drop to 12V (batt voltage) on the display with the engine running :eek:
 
I disassembled a couple of remanufactured ones...yeah, they don't care about the work they're doing.

One had the front bear fail (in a few thousand miles)...when I took it out, I found that the bore in the case wasn't even round. :rolleyes:

Rebuilding one yourself isn't hard, if you can find the parts.

And yes, the factory alternators were made by Mitsubishi.
 
I REALLY don't like non store suppliers for these units. The reason being since their likelihood of failure is so high, and since they are so difficult to verify that they have failed, you can't easily return them when they do. I stick with the local Azone, Oreillys, etc.. because I can drop the anchor on their counter and get a refund/replacement right then and there.

When I say not easily verified, what you will often see is the alt will gradually fail occasionally. Thats the regulator circuit cutting out (I suppose it could be the diodes, but I don't have anyway to test the unit under a load). When the unit cools down, and you remove it to have it "bench tested".. it will pass about 90% of the time.. at the counter. :mad: You go through this exercise of reinstalling, and using your own volt-meter to check it out and damm..... its working again.. :confused::confused: But only until it fails again.. only THIS time, you're left stranded. (Rinse and repeat!) Until it FINALLY fully fails and will test consistently as bad.

So you take it in, and finally convince the store that its bad.. and they order you a new unit.. cross your fingers.. charge the battery, and HOPE and PRAY that this one holds up. Your chances of getting a good unit are about 50%.

BTW, the only way you can see this is to keep a volt meter plugged into some power source in the vehicle somewhere.. e.g the cigarette lighter. Then watch as you see the output drop to 12V (batt voltage) on the display with the engine running :eek:
So I ended up ordering the one from my (SC friendly) mechanic. He said if it fails within a year, I can get a full refund from him. He also said that he's never had a problem with them. $150 even. Im thinking I'll just see how this goes, if it fails, I'll just shell out the money for the Motocraft one.
 
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