TYC or Carquest Alternator

[rkpatt]

I need to replace the alternator on my 2000 Honda Odyssey. I can get an new TYC (Tiawan , China ?) for about $110 from ebay or a Carquest Reman with lifetime warranty for about $175 with discounts from AAP. Which one would I be better off buying ? - Thanks

 

[kschachn]

Like a broken record I know, but I'd only consider a Bosch or Denso if it were me. Seeing that there doesn't appear to be a Bosch unit available at a reasonable price, I'd go with the Denso from Rock Auto or Amazon. I've never had good luck with any other brand.

 

[Trav]

Both are scrap metal, get a Denso from Rock as that's the only brand name available for $150 and keep your core to rebuild if you want.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Another vote for Denso

 

[StevieC]

Denso would be my first choice in your Honda but if that isn't what you want to do then get the Carquest with the lifetime warranty because you can always keep swapping them.

Also make sure you do an output test at idle with all the accessories running if you go the Carquest route.
South Main Auto did a good video on the Car Quest alternators and he got a few that weren't putting out enough at idle under load.

Video #1 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYjuP8FBUu8
Video #2 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxE5_ElgOkU (After the install where it had problems putting out)

 

[anndel]

Denso from Rock Auto, $116.79 + $34.00 core = $150.79 for remanufactured alternator. BTW, Denso remanufactures their own in Tennessee not like others where it's sent to a plant in china.

 

[zzyzzx]

Alternators are often easily repaired.

 

[Onetor]

Trav and others are correct. I've been exploring my options for an Alternator. I e-mailed Jensen. They told me that they source their parts from the USA. However; their distributors source the parts from China. Aftermarket 52.00, OEM or Denso $225.00. The market is flooded with cheap Chinese garbage parts. Just my humble opinion.

 

[nthach]

Even if you get a North American reman, WAI is the biggest aftermarket electrical supplier and the industry has been consolidated to mostly BBB and Remy - unless you buy a OEM reman or a Denso/Bosch/Mitsu/Hitachi, more than likely there will Chinese bits and pieces.

Get the Denso. The parts store remans are now reboxing new Chinese if they can't get a decent core.

 

[Donald]

Local rebuild shop. (I know not too many around these days).

 

[qdeezie]

What an interesting question.

On my Focus, I put a brand new TYC alternator on it and I don't think it lasted a year. The output was never really consistent to be honest (my lights would flicker at times) and I thought there was another problem within the wiring. I ended up replacing it with a brand new Carquest alternator from AAP and have not had a problem since.

 

[Linctex]

I have actually had good luck with the TYC alternators... so, hit-n-miss, I guess?

 

[researcher]

Interesting.. I had the option to put a Honda (brand new) alternator on my 96 civic, the dealer laughed so hard when Honda quoted them $1200 for it, this is just a 75A output alternator! No thanks Honda. No alternator is worth that. So I went with TYC for about $109, lifetime warranty. I did order two and one was made in china, the other made in taiwan. They both came with test reports. The one from Taiwan was MUCH better in it's output!

So I returned the made in china, kept the taiwan made. It's been running consistently for the past 5 years, no issues, no voltage or amperage issues. But to consider what I have "Scrap metal", its far from that. Trav.. I do appreciate your input but I will have to disagree with my one-off experience.

Maybe I just got lucky? Maybe the taiwan made ones are better. I know that when getting a torque wrench the taiwan made ones are higher quality..

Just thought I'd jump in here.. If you can look at a couple get the taiwan made or denso, I know those are usually about 105-110k mile life spans on the toyota camry engines.

 

[The Critic]

Denso is your best bet, but they are not perfect by any means and their warranty is extremely short. I recently had two Denso failures after a short amount of time (1 alternator and 1 radiator) and it has left a slightly sour taste.

 

[Trav]

Originally Posted by researcher
So I went with TYC for about $109, lifetime warranty. I did order two and one was made in china, the other made in taiwan. They both came with test reports. The one from Taiwan was MUCH better in it's output!

So I returned the made in china, kept the taiwan made. It's been running consistently for the past 5 years, no issues, no voltage or amperage issues. But to consider what I have "Scrap metal", its far from that. Trav.. I do appreciate your input but I will have to disagree with my one-off experience.

Maybe I just got lucky? Maybe the taiwan made ones are better..


You just said the made in China one was sent back because it was not as good, a lot has changed in 5 years AFAIK there is no more made in Taiwan unit from this company.
TYC is a known low quality parts vendor. I remember when Borg Warner, Moog, and Standard were real premium products...
I am glad you got a good one but past experiences from years ago are not really relevant today as far as the parts business is concerned.

 

[dogememe]

TYC can barely make a headlight assembly that fits right - I wouldn't trust them to an alternator LOL.

 

[GMBoy]

I've had great luck with TYC starters and radiators but haven't used their alternators yet. They serve my budget customers well. I have actually had bad luck with REMY and won't use them anymore. Denso has been good and so has AC Delco. Anything from Autozone and similar parts houses are always suspect and I've had to return an alternator once that was dead on arrival and another starter that lasted just 1 month. Lifetime warranty means nothing to me.

 

[rkpatt]

I am considering the repair option first. If the existing alternator turns smoothly (bearings ok), I will open it up. If the brushes are worn out, then I'll replace the brush holder and brushes (about $15 at Oreilly's) then test it on their machine. If it fails I will purchase the Denso reman from Rock Auto.

"Alternators are often easily repaired."

 

[Trav]

Repairing them was the way we did it for years and years, starters, fuel pumps, carbs and water pump bearings too. Go for it.

 

[rkpatt]

I removed the alternator. The shaft turns smoothly and the brushes are completely worn down. Unfortunately, obtaining the brushes conveniently locally as I originally anticipated is not going to work out. I will have to order the brush holder assembly and maybe a regulator both about $30 - https://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-REGULA...0-31150-P2T-003-31150PEAA01/302746085770 - and have to wait for shipping. More time darn it.....