Alternator failure and mileage?

Maintenance/Repairs
21

Set to 20v scale. I should have worded it " set to be able to read above 12v".

1 Like
22

Welcome to the forum Joe, if you decide to stick around and help out, you will find you have to cross your T’s and dot your i’s or you will get called out on it, for some reason it seems that you have to be an English major to be a member here… Trust me…
:rofl:

23

Not an English major, but if your going to give advice at least make sure you’re technically correct.

Imagine someone with little experience using a meter pulling their hair out looking for a 12 volt scale

Tester

1 Like
24

I’m watching you, Dave. Slip up once and it’s knives out!!! :winking_face_with_tongue:

1 Like
25

I am debating whether to take advantage of the 20% sale that ends today and get a reman alternator from the local store - I guess it might be on again for July 4th:

  • car has 145k. It appears that Alternator fails 100k to 150k as per internet
  • I tightened the belt that has been slipping since 2yrs ago on and off. Belt might be fairly used condition too - I can not recognize hairline cracks.
  • car is moving to East cost - conditions are likely severe in East cost. I do not want my family member to be stranded in the middle of the road.
26

Why the reluctance to put a new belt on ?

1 Like
27

You cannot tell if a belt is worn or not by visual inspection anymore. Belts today are made of EPDM rubber and not neoprene rubber.

Tester

1 Like
28

If it’s been slipping for 2 years, it’s bad.

2 Likes
29

Ah, cmon Dave, we know you’re not en English major and we don’t pick on you.

1 Like
30

It’s pretty obvious what was meant. I mean, c’mon on. Give it a rest and let’s all enjoy ourselves here.

1 Like
31

(post deleted by author)

32

You stated that the alternator was tested twice, but what about the battery? The battery was tested, what were the results? What was the battery state of charge after the jump start? How many minutes was the engine run after the jump start and before the battery test? How long were the doors left open at the car wash? Were the headlights left on? Has this car been driven daily?

Keep the original alternator, you may need to use it again before long. Those cheap aftermarket parts with the “Lifetime Warranty” are unreliable, people that use them often remark “Bad-out-of-the-box”.