Replaced Avalanche alternator

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Dec 23, 2013
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04 with 186k miles, the old alternator would intermittently stop charging so I decided to replace it. I don’t think it’s the original alternator. Went with a reman from autozone $180 less $27 core including a lifetime warranty. They also had a new alternator for $240 but the reman had the same warranty so I went w it. All good now.
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I also have a recent AutoZone reman on my GS. I had ordered a Denso reman from Napa a week before Thanksgiving. They told me on the day before Thanksgiving that the order was cancelled. I zipped over to AutoZone & then swapped the alternator Thanksgiving morning
 
The remans have all new guts. The new just have a new case and new guts . I honestly would prefer oem windings and what not that we're tested good over the Chinese parts that may fail at any time.
Yeah thats what they say.............but I have had bad reman alternators with old parts in them........in fact.....I was chasing a problem, and got 2 bad alternators in a row from Autozone..............nothing is worse than chasing a ghost with bad parts that are supposed to be good.!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Local rebuild shop.
I went to my local rebuild shop for this same alternator on my 05 Silverado and they said it's not rebuildable. They sold me a Chinese one which so far is still working a year later.
I also found out (with torque pro) that the alternator drops down to ~ 12.6v to save fuel when the battery is "sufficiently charged" so the new alternator behaved exactly the same as the original that had over 200k miles.
 
I went to my local rebuild shop for this same alternator on my 05 Silverado and they said it's not rebuildable. They sold me a Chinese one which so far is still working a year later.
I also found out (with torque pro) that the alternator drops down to ~ 12.6v to save fuel when the battery is "sufficiently charged" so the new alternator behaved exactly the same as the original that had over 200k miles.
The one that was not rebuildable, was it a Mando by chance? Mercruiser used them as did Bobcat. They worked until they didn't and then the rebuild shops hated working on them.

If the local rebuild shop sold you an alternator (regardless of label/brand) they are implicitly saying "we view this a quality alternator".

And doing business with a local rebuild shop keeps them in business which is a good thing in my view.
 
The one that was not rebuildable, was it a Mando by chance? Mercruiser used them as did Bobcat. They worked until they didn't and then the rebuild shops hated working on them.

If the local rebuild shop sold you an alternator (regardless of label/brand) they are implicitly saying "we view this a quality alternator".

And doing business with a local rebuild shop keeps them in business which is a good thing in my view.
I believe it was a Delphi just like the one pictured above. And yes I trust these guys more than anyone else that's why I bought from them. I've bought a couple "starter levers" for the wife's Hyundai and also have a starter for my truck rebuilt from them. I just haven't used it yet because the original seems like it's just going to keep going forever.
 
The one that was not rebuildable, was it a Mando by chance? Mercruiser used them as did Bobcat.

And doing business with a local rebuild shop keeps them in business which is a good thing in my view.

Years ago, I replaced the Mando alternator in a Bobcat with an internally regulated Delco. The boss was very happy that day.
As to your "use your local rebuild shop" comments, for a lot of people it's just not possible. My wife owns a 1938 Graham Bradley tractor. (You'll have to Google Image that one) I took the generator in to the nearest shop to be rebuilt. My nearest shop is a full 75 minutes away, one way. So you drop it off, and then go home. Pick it back up, and then go home. That's five hours of driving for that. Plus, he's not open on Saturday, so you'll have to take off work to get business done with him. When you walk in, he always has his arms crossed in the defensive mode and is in a pizzy mood. (Despite buying a dozen donuts for him and his workers)
The previous time I had generator work done was on an Oliver 550 tractor. (Google that one also) He put on the wrong regulator and I had to make another trip back. He didn't use the regulator that the specs called for, but instead used one "that will work". Well, it worked on his test machine, but didn't work with the factory wiring harness.
If you've got a local starter/generator man, by all means use him. Despite living in an agricultural area, they are almost nonexistent here.
 
Years ago, I replaced the Mando alternator in a Bobcat with an internally regulated Delco. The boss was very happy that day.
As to your "use your local rebuild shop" comments, for a lot of people it's just not possible. My wife owns a 1938 Graham Bradley tractor. (You'll have to Google Image that one) I took the generator in to the nearest shop to be rebuilt. My nearest shop is a full 75 minutes away, one way. So you drop it off, and then go home. Pick it back up, and then go home. That's five hours of driving for that. Plus, he's not open on Saturday, so you'll have to take off work to get business done with him. When you walk in, he always has his arms crossed in the defensive mode and is in a pizzy mood. (Despite buying a dozen donuts for him and his workers)
The previous time I had generator work done was on an Oliver 550 tractor. (Google that one also) He put on the wrong regulator and I had to make another trip back. He didn't use the regulator that the specs called for, but instead used one "that will work". Well, it worked on his test machine, but didn't work with the factory wiring harness.
If you've got a local starter/generator man, by all means use him. Despite living in an agricultural area, they are almost nonexistent here.
I'm lucky we have one right in the town I work in (Kingston Ontario Canada). Astro alternator. They have been a family business forever and have a great reputation. Much better than buying an off the shelf Delco. They also charged me like $30 to rebuild my 12si alternator on my 83 Caprice. I suspect it may be because I left them a good Google review and they recognized me.
When I go in the guy on the counter says "you haven't been in in a while" and I say "nothing has broken in a while".
 
The remans have all new guts. The new just have a new case and new guts . I honestly would prefer oem windings and what not that we're tested good over the Chinese parts that may fail at any time.
My thoughts exactly when looking at New vs Reman. The OE case is better than new and the internals are probably the same crap shoot.
 
My thoughts exactly when looking at New vs Reman. The OE case is better than new and the internals are probably the same crap shoot.
A local rebuild shop says it all depends who does the rebuild. He said some rebuild places out of the USA will solder in new diodes to the 6 diode bridge. He would replace the bridge. Some replace bearings, some replace only if needed. And probably many other parts of the alternator. In an engine that might be the difference between a rebuild (worn parts only) and a reman (all parts on a list plus any others that are needed).
 
Years ago, I replaced the Mando alternator in a Bobcat with an internally regulated Delco. The boss was very happy that day.
As to your "use your local rebuild shop" comments, for a lot of people it's just not possible. My wife owns a 1938 Graham Bradley tractor. (You'll have to Google Image that one) I took the generator in to the nearest shop to be rebuilt. My nearest shop is a full 75 minutes away, one way. So you drop it off, and then go home. Pick it back up, and then go home. That's five hours of driving for that. Plus, he's not open on Saturday, so you'll have to take off work to get business done with him. When you walk in, he always has his arms crossed in the defensive mode and is in a pizzy mood. (Despite buying a dozen donuts for him and his workers)
The previous time I had generator work done was on an Oliver 550 tractor. (Google that one also) He put on the wrong regulator and I had to make another trip back. He didn't use the regulator that the specs called for, but instead used one "that will work". Well, it worked on his test machine, but didn't work with the factory wiring harness.
If you've got a local starter/generator man, by all means use him. Despite living in an agricultural area, they are almost nonexistent here.
I sent the carb of my snowcat out to be rebuilt (mailed). Carb rebuilders harder to find than starter/alternator rebuild stops. Carb much lighter however.
 
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