I was on my way home when I started to smell this bad burning smell.. when I got home I popped the hood and somewhere on the pulley side of the engine I heard a loud squealing sound as the engine ran and there was light smoke coming from somewhere and a god aweful burning smell. It smelled like it was coming from the alternator but I wasn't sure. My question is where you guys are getting the higher powered aftermarket alternators. My stock one is 140 amp but might as well go bigger if it costs aroudn teh same as a stock one.. how reliable are these aftermarket bigger alternators compared to the stock GM ones?

well.. I guess nobody really has any comments. Are idler pullies common for giong out? could it be this instead? I put a screw driver to teh alternator to listen to it and I can't hear any grinding or anything, it doesn't sound too bad, so I'm thinking something else is making the sound but I really can't tell where it'* coming from. Would a bad idler pulley make a bad smell like what I'm getting?

Is it still doing it? You'll need to take the belt off and hand-spin each pulley to figure it out. How'* the voltage output?

yup, still doing it.. Don't know the voltage exactly, I don't have a gauge.. I'll have to use a voltmeter to test it. I've noticed when I stop at stop signs the lights go dim and as soon as you push the gas they go bright again, they also flicker at times while driving.

Could be the Alternator, the battery, or both, even belt slip. You're gonna have to dig, or get a FREE diagnosis on the charging system at Autozone. If either the battery or Alt is dying, replace both.

Don't you have a scantool? If so, it'll tell you the charge voltage.

nope, no scantool.. I really wish I had one though, that'd be nice.

Where do you stay in Michigan? Some members on here have a scantool that might be in your area.