Alternator issue.
03-21-2005, 07:56 AM
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Alternator issue.
Ok, I am having a seriously annoying problem with my alternator. I just replaced my battery and alternator. The battery is an optima red top and the alternator was a Duralast reman from Autozone. Well my voltage started raising and dropping anywhere between 12 and 15 volts...needless to say not good. So I start thinking voltage regulator. So since they're internal in the alternator and it has a Lifetime warranty I go to them, they give me a valucraft because they had no duralast ones in stock and put the lifetime warranty onto it. I replace it, it acts a little funny but not as bad right off, but neither did the first one. Now a day later it'* acting just like the last one...could it be a wiring issue, if so what could it be? Or is it still the alternator...should I go to Advance and get the Delco for the extra and give them the current one for the core charge and take the loss? Note that this alt is 140 amp and not 105 like the stock one. Please help me asap, I would like to go pick up the new one tonight or tomorrow night if possible.
03-21-2005, 09:09 AM
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Alternator issue
Good morning 96LaSabre
I had similar problems 3 years ago. My solution was to get a battery and an alternator
from A.C. Delco. After many trips to my favorite G.M. Dealer with seven different
alternators ( also different makes ) and 4 different batteries ( again different makes ) I found out that different alternators will produce more amps than others. Meaning that the battery will get avercharged or it won`t get enough charge.
After a year my AC Delco battery & alternator ( 105 amps ) are still going strong.
By the way my bonnie is a 94 with 190,000 km.
I hope that this will help you
I had similar problems 3 years ago. My solution was to get a battery and an alternator
from A.C. Delco. After many trips to my favorite G.M. Dealer with seven different
alternators ( also different makes ) and 4 different batteries ( again different makes ) I found out that different alternators will produce more amps than others. Meaning that the battery will get avercharged or it won`t get enough charge.
After a year my AC Delco battery & alternator ( 105 amps ) are still going strong.
By the way my bonnie is a 94 with 190,000 km.
I hope that this will help you
03-21-2005, 10:50 AM
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I have been through 3 aftermarket alternators on my 95 bonneville that came stock with a 124 amp unit... None of them worked properly or for that matter lasted... Funny thing though was that the battery actually survived all 3 of those alternators and held a good charge...
The first gave me 2 months, then left me stranded as it sucked the battery dry in 2 or 3 hours...
The second, after a certain point I couldn't even turn on the lamps as the car would run on the battery...
The 3rd started flucuate too much, and to top it all off the bearings were shot...
I finally got pissed and got my money back, and invested the money in an AC Delco Reman with a lifetime warranty... I have yet to have another single issue with the AC Delco unit.. About 6 months after the alternator the Battery did tank... I bought a new one, and still have had no issues... Car has been sitting for a week as I have been driving my other car... And still has 12v, hasn't dropped... So its been 2 years on the AC unit with no trouble...
I was actually told that the Reamans that are sold by Advance and Autozone are actually AC Delco remans, and that AC Delco I guess outsources or contracts companies to rebuild them... AC Delco takes all of the alternators that pass the test and puts their lable on them( AC Delco Reman ) and the rest are sold at the autoparts atore... This is what i was told by a guy that worked for AC Delco... So I can't say that it would be true... Who really knows...
But so far I have had very bad luck with aftermarket reman alternators, and know many people in the same boat... I have had great luck with AC Delco Reamn alternators....
Good Luck
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The first gave me 2 months, then left me stranded as it sucked the battery dry in 2 or 3 hours...
The second, after a certain point I couldn't even turn on the lamps as the car would run on the battery...
The 3rd started flucuate too much, and to top it all off the bearings were shot...
I finally got pissed and got my money back, and invested the money in an AC Delco Reman with a lifetime warranty... I have yet to have another single issue with the AC Delco unit.. About 6 months after the alternator the Battery did tank... I bought a new one, and still have had no issues... Car has been sitting for a week as I have been driving my other car... And still has 12v, hasn't dropped... So its been 2 years on the AC unit with no trouble...
I was actually told that the Reamans that are sold by Advance and Autozone are actually AC Delco remans, and that AC Delco I guess outsources or contracts companies to rebuild them... AC Delco takes all of the alternators that pass the test and puts their lable on them( AC Delco Reman ) and the rest are sold at the autoparts atore... This is what i was told by a guy that worked for AC Delco... So I can't say that it would be true... Who really knows...
But so far I have had very bad luck with aftermarket reman alternators, and know many people in the same boat... I have had great luck with AC Delco Reamn alternators....
Good Luck
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03-22-2005, 07:58 AM
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Ok, I went last night because luckily the local Advance had an AC Delco in stock, just 1. I bought it and will be installing it this afternoon after class...hopefully this will solve my problems.
03-24-2005, 09:10 AM
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Originally Posted by 96LeSabre
Well I put in the new all seems well, seems as though the AC Delco unit is the only one that will work properly.
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03-24-2005, 03:37 PM
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alternator
I had a problem with my alternator on my 93 bonnie. the voltage always ran low and my battery went prematurly then one day I stoped at a deli picked up some french toast then got my car and she wouldn't start. I open up the hood and notice the side of alternator has a blown seal with the bearing coming out of the alternator. I call my dad up he brings a newone and since then my bonnie has ran a good 14 volts.
03-24-2005, 05:13 PM
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It goes to figure that AC is the only that will work. Ever try putting the wrong bulb into your car? Previous owner cautioned me about this problem. Close is not good enough. Car will not run right if it doesn't have the exact light bulb. If a light bulb can effect a motor...what can a renegade alternator do? Odd though, I'm sure the stereo guys have put higher outputs in nearly every car.
03-24-2005, 07:03 PM
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I'm sure they have too. I'm also sure those were high quality aftermarket ones...I'm talking Autozone aftermarket like duralast and store brand.
03-26-2005, 02:07 PM
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My 93 ssei had serious alt problem. Replaced one a year, including another oem, untill Auto Zone came out with their Duralast and it'* been fine since (3 yrs). I think sometimes there are just bad production runs. Local shop claims 20% failures on new electronic components including ecm'*. It'll probably get worse as production shifts to China.
