What makes an alternater go bad?
Registered User
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 870
From: Cuyahoga Falls, OHIO
Diodes fail, brushes wear out, stators go bad, bearings fail, just from normal wear and tear. I've replaced over 100 alternators, all for different failures. Each brand/model of alternator has a weakness, I've never seen one go bad in an LT1 though.
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 1,138
From: DFDub, TX
My dad has owned and run an alternator/starter rebuilding and repair shop for 23 yrs. There's a LOT of things that make alternators go out. Usually different types have different "normal" problems. A lot of times the brushes go out or the diodes go out. Regulators seem to be popular on certain types too. Usually when it's a bearing problem you'll know, whether it whines like hell or just locks up altogether.
But like said above, LT1 alternators are some beefy ****'s. We took mine apart to rebuild it for precautionary reasons at (125K miles) and the brushes still looked new!
Damn good in my opinion. Although it doesn't make my dad too happy! Good alternators = no business.
But like said above, LT1 alternators are some beefy ****'s. We took mine apart to rebuild it for precautionary reasons at (125K miles) and the brushes still looked new!
Damn good in my opinion. Although it doesn't make my dad too happy! Good alternators = no business.
Registered User
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 1,041
From: Robinson, IL
Originally posted by KyleBlue85Iroc-Z
My dad has owned and run an alternator/starter rebuilding and repair shop for 23 yrs. There's a LOT of things that make alternators go out. Usually different types have different "normal" problems. A lot of times the brushes go out or the diodes go out. Regulators seem to be popular on certain types too. Usually when it's a bearing problem you'll know, whether it whines like hell or just locks up altogether.
But like said above, LT1 alternators are some beefy ****'s. We took mine apart to rebuild it for precautionary reasons at (125K miles) and the brushes still looked new! Damn good in my opinion. Although it doesn't make my dad too happy! Good alternators = no business.
My dad has owned and run an alternator/starter rebuilding and repair shop for 23 yrs. There's a LOT of things that make alternators go out. Usually different types have different "normal" problems. A lot of times the brushes go out or the diodes go out. Regulators seem to be popular on certain types too. Usually when it's a bearing problem you'll know, whether it whines like hell or just locks up altogether.
But like said above, LT1 alternators are some beefy ****'s. We took mine apart to rebuild it for precautionary reasons at (125K miles) and the brushes still looked new!
Damn good in my opinion. Although it doesn't make my dad too happy! Good alternators = no business.
Registered User
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,275
One cause we have encountered several times is the belt tensioner bearing went bad and it caused the tensioner to be jerky. We summised the jerking motion was loading and unloading the alternator and causing it to throw spikes. We don't have an O-Scope so we can't test our theory. But one our our mechanics went through 3 alternators before he finally changed the tensioner and it has lasted a year now.
Registered User
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 567
From: Texas
131,000 miles on my original one here. Front wheel drive alternators seem to fail more often due to everything compacted so tight and not enough ventalation to help cool alternator, at least that is what I have been told.
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 2,370
From: Germany
i just replaced mine i was having electrical problems, i think that fixed it, but im not sure yet just got it in there today...
93k
i donno what if anything was wrong w/ it tho, i just know my battery is keeping a charge now at idle instead of being down to <10
93k
i donno what if anything was wrong w/ it tho, i just know my battery is keeping a charge now at idle instead of being down to <10
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