Elbi

iTrader: (1)

where can i buy a new alternator from if its even possible?..i have a 91 coupe and i blew my alternator about a month ago. I guess the regulator went but im not even sure it just sat at 12V and all the idiot lights went on but the belt was in tact. About a week and a half later i just swapped that one out wit a spare S5Tii alty that i had laying around and problem solved until thge next day. I dont know if its just my luck that i happen to blow two alternators in the same month or if there is something wrong with my wiring maybe that would cause some kind of overcharging which might blow my voltage regulator maybe...im in need of some help guys. Also, the second time it happened i was on the highway back home from like an hour drive and all kinds of crazy **** started happening. My idiot lights kept coming off but the volts would still be at a steady 12(Optimas Rule ) and then my tach just decides to go which leads me to believe that my trailing coils werent firing for some reason so the car kept dying on me. And the worst part about it was that out of all things...my starter just didnt feel like working for me so i couldnt let the car stop. Everytime the car would shut off i would just put it in gear and let the clutch go and it would run for another minute or two and do the same. The good news is...i didnt catch ANY lights..and once i pulled it in to aspot it shut off. Hopefylly this is all just resulting from just lack of volts but if anybody knows otherwise...pleeeaaase share your knowledge before i blow another one. Thnx in advance

ericgrau

iTrader: (1)

Ask a mechanic in your area for a good supplier. There is no such thing as a new alternator, but you may be able to find a "new" one, which means a reman with more new parts. Expect to pay $200. Mazda dealers also have $200 alts, dunno if those are any good. Other option is to get one from an auto store, then either get lucky the first time or keep swapping them (under warranty) until you get one that lasts.

The charging system is basically an alternator, wires and a battery. 99% of charging problems are a bad alternator or a bad battery, and you can have multiple alternators fail in a row. It's nigh impossible for anything else to make it stop charging. A short circuit can drain the battery overnight, but the car would still run fine after you recharged the battery. Overtightening the alternator belt can wear out the bearings too, but then you'd probably have noisy bearings and a gradual loss of power not a sudden failure.

BASTARD

iTrader: (4)

you can get a alternator from any parts store

You cant really diagnose an electrical problem until all the basic parts are in proper working order... I.E. battery, alternator battery cables etc.

typical problems come from people wiring in aftermarket stereos, alarms, kill switches, guages... excessive rust and anything else that was not properly wired in

polito Racing

iTrader: (1)

I just bought one less than a month ago for a 100 bucks at advance auto parts. but before you burn another alternator you need to find out what is causing this. it is very unusual to burn two alternators just out f the blue. good luck

Elbi

iTrader: (1)

im sure my battery is good i was thinking maybe it might be a grounding issue or i'm over charging somehow. if this has happened to anyone before and info will be greatly appreciated.
thanks for the replies.

misterstyx69

iTrader: (142)

if the alternator is good,but the battery has a Bad cell,it won't Charge the Battery..and it will make the car Crap out....I had a Bad Battery.It Took out the alternator.I thought it Was Just that,Replace alternator Fixed..RIGHT..NOPE..it fried the batter too..it would give me power for awhile,then the battery would Drain and the whole car would just Pop and Sput and then Eventually Die.

Elbi

iTrader: (1)

i would have to wait until i start driving the car again so that i can check the voltage on it while its on and after i shut the car off. right now its sitting at 11.99V exactly. Im thinking this is pretty good being that i havent had the car started in about 3&1/2 weeks. Also before it got shut off it was running on straight battery for about 20 min and ive given multiple attemps at the starter while its been sitting. Its an Optima Redtop that has just about one years usage without any history of dying on me or being weak. Plus arent they like drycell or something like that?...isnt it supposed to better being that it uses no water?(i honestly dont know )
Thanx again for all the input guys...keep it coming!

Elbi

iTrader: (1)

I forgot to mention before when you posted this that i wired in an aftermarket temp gauge into the ciggarette lighter "light"...lol(exactly what it says), you know...the one that dims. Is there any way that this couldve probably played any part in what happened to me?

BASTARD

iTrader: (4)

you never know what could happen... you can take your alternator to a kragens(or similar parts store) and they can test the alternator for free... The battery is another issue, sometime a battery will test "good" but infact is bad

an over charge can happen when an alternator full fields and smokes a voltage regulator... this can happen if you wire the 2 wires in the back of the alternator backwards and it can also happen by running an alternator with the 2 wires unplugged and/or of one of the wires is shorting out

Elbi

iTrader: (1)

..edit

Elbi

iTrader: (1)

you know what i just noticed today...its so overlooked its not even funny. Im thinking it has to be my bat terminals that caused the death of both my alternators. I guess they are restricting current flow which in turn would make the alty overwork itself to keep up with demand and eventually burn out. This would also explain why my starter just keeps clicking. Hopefully i didnt kill my starter by banging it. Ill post up my conclusion as soon as i replace the terminals and the alternator. Hopefuly 2morrow

HAILERS

If you had to hit the starter to make it work, most likely the brushes in the starter are worn to a nub. Remove and replace the brushes. NAPA sells them for thirty bucks. That's if the batt is good, terminals are good on the batt, connections are good at the starter itself.

Elbi

iTrader: (1)

will do...the thing is hitting it hasnt made it work yet. Thats what led me to believe its the battery terminals. Ill check the voltage on the starter connections once I replace them.

t24todd

iTrader: (7)

get on ebay get a rebuilt alt there like 40 bucks and get a company that warrenties it...i think they will do a year. . .