View Poll Results: My bonneville has eaten ___ alternators that I know of!
6 or more (time to buy an extension cord for long commutes)
0
0%
Voters: 33. You may not vote on this poll
Alternator kills!
Senior Member
Posts like a Corvette
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,587
Likes: 0
From: Cali
Ok I had 4 before I finally received a good one Napa has a great lifetime warranty but be ready to speed change alternators in the Napa parking lot.
I have had one return on the alternators and it was repaired.
The main reason I offer the high output alternators is because the warranty is as good as Napa and the options are better.
If you are happy with a Napa or Delco and it works for you I am the first to say go for it.
The main reason the ALT can die is the heat. All the alt companies I talked to reiterated this. The heat on the rear bearings can destroy the unit. The good stock units can last a long time though so they were most likely built well. I assume the remans floating around are the biggest problem because they are far from a good unit.
Ty
I have had one return on the alternators and it was repaired.
The main reason I offer the high output alternators is because the warranty is as good as Napa and the options are better.
If you are happy with a Napa or Delco and it works for you I am the first to say go for it.
The main reason the ALT can die is the heat. All the alt companies I talked to reiterated this. The heat on the rear bearings can destroy the unit. The good stock units can last a long time though so they were most likely built well. I assume the remans floating around are the biggest problem because they are far from a good unit.
Ty
Senior Member
Certified Car Nut
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 15,408
Likes: 1
From: Robbinsdale, MN
Just out of curiosity, how many of you with alternator problems are driving portable concerts? I've owned I don't know how many cars, and I've only ever had one alternator go bad, and that was because I was overseas and the wife let the battery go damn near dry.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Posts like a Ricer Type-R
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 11
Likes: 13
The OEM alternator I removed from my car was 140. Autozone told me the same thing. They don't want to stock 2 different Alts for the Bonnevilles, so they go with the cheaper one. It'll work, but not for long. Then you're back buying a new battery.
The SSE only got a 105 from the factory, but I always thought with the same loaded electronics, that it and the SLE should have had the 140 also.
The SSE only got a 105 from the factory, but I always thought with the same loaded electronics, that it and the SLE should have had the 140 also.
Senior Member
Certified Car Nut
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 12,433
Likes: 2
So my Optima could be in jeopardy here? I sure as hell hope not. Should I go to Napa and demand a 140? I don't want to lose my lifetime warranty, nor do I want to lose my battery investment.
Senior Member
Certified GM nut
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 2,128
Likes: 0
From: Charlotte, NC ________ SEBF 07 survivor
Anyone know what the stock alternator is on a 92 SE? On another subj when would be a good time to replace a serpentine belt? I looked at mine the other day and it appears to be in fairly good condition. Didn't see any signs of cracking or splitting. I don't know if it has ever been replaced or not.
Senior Member
Posts like a Northstar
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 538
Likes: 1
From: southern California
When the 3rd one failed, I bought a brand new "duralast" or something like that from Auto Zone. They claimed that it'* been redesigned to fix the known weaknesses. It has a lifetime warranty and cost around $130. It'* been on the '93 SSEi for about 2 years so far.
I wouldn't buy a standard "rebuilt" alt from Auto Zone or any other place, but that'* only because I already know that the alternators on these cars tend to fail sooner than they should.
I wouldn't buy a standard "rebuilt" alt from Auto Zone or any other place, but that'* only because I already know that the alternators on these cars tend to fail sooner than they should.