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Alternator Posted by Ari [Email] ![]() ![]() In Reply to: Altnator options, Rich, Sun, 18 Apr 2004 17:45:13 Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup |
I think I can be pretty comfortable in saying AVOID THE DEALER! Whoo, glad I said that. I've priced alternators from the dealer, and even the parts guy was embarrassed - and that takes some doing. For an '88 9000T, the stock 80 amp was $500, and a mere $1200 for the 120 amp one.
Try the folks that advertise on this BB - look at the bottom of the page. I picked up a very nice Bosch rebuilt for my '88 for about $150 - and that was the 120 amp version. Only $1050 less than the dealer. It's been working just fine.
The dealer is probably going to be selling you a rebuilt unit, too. Just a lot more money. The advantage of buying from the folks that advertise on the BB is that they have a nice thing going here - for a relatively few bucks, they can advertise on a medium where folks are looking for parts on a regular basis. The good news for the consumer is that if a vendor starts stiffing people, that info will show up on the BB within minutes. I've had very good luck with Sobstory, and eEuroparts.com has had good press. I'm sure the others are quite good, too - I just haven't had to order any parts for a while (knock on burled walnut dash!).
You can theoretically just replace the bearing on the alternator, but it's easiest just to get a rebuilt unit and swap it out for the old one. The new one will come with a new voltage regulator, so there isn't much to do there. Since you'll have the serpentine belt off to do this job, if the belt is more than a couple of years old, replace it. And you'll get a much better deal on a belt mail order, by the way.
The 'trouble' with replacing the alternator is that the best way to do it is to remove the right front fender inner-liner to access it. No big deal, and it exposes the entire accessory end of the engine. That's where the 'trouble' comes in - what else to do while you're in there? At a minimum, inspect the lower motor mounts for cracking, and the water pump for signs of leaking. Check around the main pulley for signs of oil, indicative of a main seal or oil-pump O-ring leak. Check the main pulley (AKA Harmonic Balancer) for signs of wear and cracking in the rubber - it's a sandwich of two pulleys with rubber in the middle. That rubber cracking is a problem. With the serpentine belt off, spin all the idler pulleys to see if the bearings in any of them are sounding/feeling worn.
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