Any thoughts re: using a factory re-built/re-conditioned alternatore vs. 100% brand new? I am driving a used ( oh, I mean "pre-owned" ) car which has been trouble free , so couldn't I expect the same of a factory rebuilt alternator? I noticed that at Advanced Auto, the re-builts ( with warranty) are not all that much cheaper than the brand new alternators. So what gives?
Re-Built Alternators
- Thread starter serious II
- Start date
- Status
For my 1989 F-150 I got a "factory" reman'd Mototrcraft alternator. It's still going strong. It's lasting a lot longer than the original factory alternator. Make sure you get the "factory" reman'd alternator or a new one if the price is close and it makes you feel better. Don't bother with an auto parts store rebuilt one.
Whimsey
Whimsey
Whimsey is correct. My son-in-law has a fast 94 5.0 and he was going through rebuilt alternators as fast as he put them in. He took them back and they did not last. He now has a factory remanufactured alternator and does not have any problems. Plus it saves me time from having to go and rescue him, always seemed to break down on dark and rainy nights.
I had an 87 Taurus MT5 and the orig alt. lasted till 113,000. Next alt. went about 120k, then 135K, not sure when next one failed, finally got a NAPA deluxe extended warrantee thing that was still going past 200k when I got rid of it. Whenever I had another alt. put on I questioned if the failed one was the right one, etc. Is there a heavier duty one? I was told there is only one for that model. I would request that they replace with original new Ford one. Usually they went up with a puff of smoke and a terrible odor.... I never understood it, don't think I could have done worse with a rebuilt one...
There are a lot of poorly rebuilt parts on the market and a *few* good ones. When the cost is close, the choice to buy new is simple.
John
John
JHZR2
Staff member
I was pretty impressed with the remanufactured lifetime warranty autozone alternators. Mine was A-OK, but the bearings were starting to get noisy, so I changed for that sake. No issues to note.
JMH
JMH
If you are going to get a reman. or rebuilt starter or alternator get one with a lifetime warranty! I have had the best luck getting my OEM's rebuilt. When that was not an option Autozones lifetime warranty ones seem to hold up the best. OEM new units are usualy insanely priced and their reman. units typical only have a 1 year warranty! I do not know of any domstic OEM's that rebuild their own starters or alternators they outsource this and it is not usualy to the company that manufactures the unit.
Now if you want to upgrade their are a lot of great shops that will up grade the windings,regulator, go with dual retifiers etc........
Now if you want to upgrade their are a lot of great shops that will up grade the windings,regulator, go with dual retifiers etc........
Rebuilt blah
Remanufactured is what you want.
There is a huge difference between the two.
If it is a quality reman unit (Bosch, AC Delco etc) often times it is dead heat between that and a 100% new unit.
In my case the reman AC Delco 105A Alternator I have has outlasted the Factory unit life span by 200%.
Factory AC Delco 39,000miles
Reman AC Delco 60,000miles and counting.
Then again other factors like outside heat etc can kill them too.
Texas heat versus milder northern temps can be murder on components...alternator, battery etc
Remanufactured is what you want.
There is a huge difference between the two.
If it is a quality reman unit (Bosch, AC Delco etc) often times it is dead heat between that and a 100% new unit.
In my case the reman AC Delco 105A Alternator I have has outlasted the Factory unit life span by 200%.
Factory AC Delco 39,000miles
Reman AC Delco 60,000miles and counting.
Then again other factors like outside heat etc can kill them too.
Texas heat versus milder northern temps can be murder on components...alternator, battery etc
The cheap "rebuilts" are used parts, cleaned, and sometimes tested - but not always.
A real rebuilding involves complete disassembly, replacement of all wearing parts, assembly, and testing. So all you save is the cost of the housing, pulley, and windings less the cost of disassembly.
New alternators make sense when the new one incorporates improvements over the original, or when you're upgrading to a higher capacity alternator.
If you want to go cheap, get a used alternator.
.
Check your local yellow pages to see if there is an automotive electrical service shop near you that can rebuild your origional equipment unit. I have had a lot of success this way with alternators and starters and the repair cost average about $50.
I put in one of those remanufactuered duralast autozone alternators three years ago in the 96 Sunfire. No problems at all. I could have bought the OEM AC Delco for ten dollars more but it only had a 3 yr warranty. I guess I fell for the lifetime warranty deal at autozone.
Bosch rebuilds have proven to be well done.
Cheapo's are often just sandblasted, with maybe a new diode, or bearings, if it needed it to get it working again.
Cheapo's are often just sandblasted, with maybe a new diode, or bearings, if it needed it to get it working again.
Sometimes you can repair it yourself. I had a dead Motorcraft unit and a replacement for that particular model had to be special ordered. A rebuild kit was in stock for $20 or so. It contained diodes, brushes and bearings. I was back on the road in one day instead of the three it would have taken otherwise. No special tools are required, just follow the directions that came with the kit.
A nice, high-end Napa Power Supreme alternater was put on my old SHO acouple months before I bought it. About seven month after I bought it, I was having a local shop put in a new rectifier ($80 for that fix, rather than $180 for another cheap rebuild). Next time I'll have the shop completely remanufacture it for the same cost of a crap rebuild from a chain store.
I saw an ad at Advanced Auto that confused me even more. They have a factory re-built AC Delco alternator (105 amp) with a "$40 core" for $197. The brand new AC Delco (same amperage) with a "$10 core" is $187. What the heck is a "$40 core"? Is the quality of the core the "big factor" to look at?
Here is some good info from the SHOtimes email list
explaining the difference between Rebuilt and
Remanufactured parts compared to new.
************************************************
It is not so much the quality of the finished product
as much as it is the quality of the core. First off
the consumer and the industry talk two different
languages. Here are the industry’s definitions:
* Rebuilt-Only those items found to be worn are replaced
* Remanufactured-All wear items are replaced.
There is a difference know what you are buying.
Cores: some of the V-6 cores have been through the
system more than 8 times some probably more. How
many times before the core is just worn out junk?
You would think the remanufacturer would just rebuild
each core one by one. Not so. The cores come in get
disassembled and the parts get put in a big bin. They
get tested the ones that are bad get tossed then they
are cleaned and reassembled from the bin with no
regards from where it came from. Marginal but usable
parts are used in the rebuilt starters. Rebuilt is one
step above buying at the junkyard the difference is
the rebuilt unit is clean.
The reman unit is only as good as the core. If the
core is worn out it will not hold up. This is why the
original brand new alternators, starters etc last between
80-150,000 mi but even the quality remans last only
60-80,000 (exceptions apply) Fact is if you have a good
core you are better off having a local shop or your self
reman it.
If you plan to keep the car but do not want to do
it yourself or if you feel the core is junk then step
up the the plate and buy brand new from Ford. You
will be better off in the long run when you factor in
inconvenience, downtime, and the tow. If you do it
yourself and do not want to reman it or can not find a
shop to do it for you, then get the Premium lifetime
warranty model of the starter and alternator. It won’t last
that much longer but at least you will not keep paying
for the unit over and over again. Keep that receipt!
The reman companies have statistically
figured their loses, use the best cores, and price the
original accordingly to “self insure themselves
against the future replacement they know is coming”
They figure you’ll sell the car before the unit goes
bad again.
One more thing, front drive axles. These
should always be bought Brand New if available. If
you saw how they are remanned you would be appalled.
Basically the noise you hear is the balls in the joint
clicking because they have the worn the groove in the
joint oversize due to lack of lube. The solution is
to hand grind the groove larger, install oversize
balls, and cage.
The original joint is hardened. After grinding the
hardened metal is removed but the joint is not
rehardened allowing future wear to take
place at an accelerated pace. Not to mention the
groove is only as smooth and as accurate as the
operator can make it by hand. Shakey at best. They
all are the same NAPA, Advance etc etc. I bet even
the dealers use the same process. Buy new if you plan
to keep the car.
explaining the difference between Rebuilt and
Remanufactured parts compared to new.
************************************************
It is not so much the quality of the finished product
as much as it is the quality of the core. First off
the consumer and the industry talk two different
languages. Here are the industry’s definitions:
* Rebuilt-Only those items found to be worn are replaced
* Remanufactured-All wear items are replaced.
There is a difference know what you are buying.
Cores: some of the V-6 cores have been through the
system more than 8 times some probably more. How
many times before the core is just worn out junk?
You would think the remanufacturer would just rebuild
each core one by one. Not so. The cores come in get
disassembled and the parts get put in a big bin. They
get tested the ones that are bad get tossed then they
are cleaned and reassembled from the bin with no
regards from where it came from. Marginal but usable
parts are used in the rebuilt starters. Rebuilt is one
step above buying at the junkyard the difference is
the rebuilt unit is clean.
The reman unit is only as good as the core. If the
core is worn out it will not hold up. This is why the
original brand new alternators, starters etc last between
80-150,000 mi but even the quality remans last only
60-80,000 (exceptions apply) Fact is if you have a good
core you are better off having a local shop or your self
reman it.
If you plan to keep the car but do not want to do
it yourself or if you feel the core is junk then step
up the the plate and buy brand new from Ford. You
will be better off in the long run when you factor in
inconvenience, downtime, and the tow. If you do it
yourself and do not want to reman it or can not find a
shop to do it for you, then get the Premium lifetime
warranty model of the starter and alternator. It won’t last
that much longer but at least you will not keep paying
for the unit over and over again. Keep that receipt!
The reman companies have statistically
figured their loses, use the best cores, and price the
original accordingly to “self insure themselves
against the future replacement they know is coming”
They figure you’ll sell the car before the unit goes
bad again.
One more thing, front drive axles. These
should always be bought Brand New if available. If
you saw how they are remanned you would be appalled.
Basically the noise you hear is the balls in the joint
clicking because they have the worn the groove in the
joint oversize due to lack of lube. The solution is
to hand grind the groove larger, install oversize
balls, and cage.
The original joint is hardened. After grinding the
hardened metal is removed but the joint is not
rehardened allowing future wear to take
place at an accelerated pace. Not to mention the
groove is only as smooth and as accurate as the
operator can make it by hand. Shakey at best. They
all are the same NAPA, Advance etc etc. I bet even
the dealers use the same process. Buy new if you plan
to keep the car.
New Years Day, 2000; 30 miles East of Bakersfield, CA,'72 Plymouth, notice ammeter shows 10A discharge at 65 mph. Pull,over and check. Belts OK and alternator spinning OK. Drive on in to Bakersfield and find an Autozone (I think it was) open and get a "rebuilt" alternator and a cheap set of end wrenches. Install alternator in parking lot. Drive away then, and still driving it, 55,000 miles later. I doubt paying extra for a "remanufactured" will get you anything extra but a thinner wallet. My $0.02
- Status
