quick altenator question

[AJules]

ok, long story, but i'll try to keep it short (ok maybe not). I'm on my way home last night, (about 10pm) then my seatbelt light comes on, but I have my belt on. Then my abs light comes on too, and im thinkin what the hell. More and more stuff starts acting up then my radio dies, and my lights turn off... right then I know something's really wrong. At this point the car is still running alright but I start to look for a gas station to pull over at, but theres a highschool football game ending and traffic is stopped. I get through that and my gauges start turning on and off and reading rediculous stuff, then my car starts sputtering so I turn down a side street and cut it off.
At about 12:00 AAA comes with a tow truck (not a flatbed, the other kind) and the guy tries to jump the car for me and it doesn't work. He says he's calling a flatbed to come since theres no way a kitted car is gonna work rolling on 2 wheels behind the truck. About 2 hours later at about 2 a guy comes with a flat bed. Right when he gets there, I tell him that if I close my door, it's not gonna pop open again (shaved handles) when there's no battery. I pop the hood so he can jump the battery to open the doors when we get it home. he hooks it up and pulls it on to the truck (while i'm inside) then when its up there he tells me to get out, and i'm like shut the door? and hes like yeah so I come out. 2 minutes later he's like ok, go put it in park now. wtf you just told me to close the door. oh well

Sorry for makin this so long but it pissed me off, to make a long story short, when I get home and he's guiding me off the truck, I scratch one of my rims (he guided me into the edge of the bed) then says "well it's your rim" then he scrapes up the bottom of my kit trying to get it off of the bed and puts a dent in the bottom of my left muffler and says "that's what happens when you have a car this low." so yeah, I was pretty pissed off at the guy (and that it was 2:30 in the morning and I had a dead car)

pointless story because I can't do anything about it? I guess, but yeah.
now I need an altenator

Worst case scenario (I hope), I need a new altenator, anybody have an idea on the price?

[pimpalero2003]

round 140

[spyhunter]

www.autozone.com
www.pepboys.com
www.ebaymotors.com

you're welcome

[pimpalero2003]

ebay would be the chapest if u can wait and they have one
and from what ive seen autozone is always cheaper then pepboys and if u have a salvage yard around u maybe like 5 10 bucks

[AJules]

is it an easy thing to do yourself?

or should I just have my mechanic do it?

[01silveralero]

it is DO-ABLE you need 5/8 wrench to remove the belt

[01silveralero]

if possible take out old alternator and return for core charge and/or get it checked.

[AJules]

if possible take out old alternator and return for core charge and/or get it checked.

actually, that's probably the best idea.

before I go messing with it I'll get it checked.

[SIUlero]

take your battery to be tested, too......it'll have to be charged up before testing, but it's gonna need charged anyway

[pimpalero2003]

sucks about the doors had the same problem had to break the clips on the window to get in lucky i didnt have door panels but now i have a good back up

[AJules]

wow, I just realised I don't even know where the thing is

can somebody give me a general idea?

[pimpalero2003]

wow ok open ur hood and ull see a belt the thing aroung the top is the alt u see soe copper wire in it
never looked in the 2.4 i have 3400

[AJules]

wow ok open ur hood and ull see a belt the thing aroung the top is the alt u see soe copper wire in it
never looked in the 2.4 i have 3400

oh ok, yeah I know now

[Pacho]

3/8 wrench not 5/8, i had to do this a few months ago

[tw0123]

if you have a stereo in your car, you would be better off to have the alternator rebuilt with more amperage to it. I just went through the same thing, and ya, i was looking at about $250 canadian for a new one, and i had my old one rebuilt for 180 + 40 for installation.

the stock amperage is set to 105 amps, and I had mine boosted up to 200 amps to handle any power expectations i might need.

that would be the way i go about it, rather than having the same thing happen again from lack of power.

[AJules]

if you have a stereo in your car, you would be better off to have the alternator rebuilt with more amperage to it. I just went through the same thing, and ya, i was looking at about $250 canadian for a new one, and i had my old one rebuilt for 180 + 40 for installation.

the stock amperage is set to 105 amps, and I had mine boosted up to 200 amps to handle any power expectations i might need.

that would be the way i go about it, rather than having the same thing happen again from lack of power.

nah, I just have my stock stereo setup, so I don't think I really need more amps (i hope). I'll probably just go with a new one since it seems easier.

I'll probably pick one up from autozone tomorrow and try and put it in when I have time (probably thursday) I'll let you guys know if I have any trouble.

mann, there goes my new intake money...

[spyhunter]

to take it out, it's two maybe three bolts if I remember retardedly enough. Then the belt goes off super easy w/ whatever wrench that fits. I've seen different sizes on the tensioner before.

[AJules]

ok, i'm gonna do one of two things,

should I trade the old one in and get a new one for 120 or keep the old one and get a new one for 150. Do they break very often?

[Oldsman]

it is DO-ABLE you need 5/8 wrench to remove the belt

no 15mm is the correct size. you will also need a 15mm socket, 15mm deep wall socket and extensions and rachet. it is real simple. i have changed one is i think 10minutes or less. just ask NoSweat.

[SIUlero]

just take it in for the trade...unless you want to get it rebuilt for more amps, but then there wouldn't be a point to buying a new one anyway.

[AJules]

ok, today I finally have the time to do it

but one more question (sorry if it seems stupid)

the haynes manual says I should disconnect the wire from the negative battery terminal before I do anything

how do i do this?

[AJules]

nevermind, figured it out

(wow i feel like an idiot)

[AJules]

and finally done with it, thanks everyone

was pretty easy, just wish they'd make all their bolts the same size, using a different screwdriver for each one got pretty annoying

[RoetherB]

Well, if you're using a screwdriver on bolts, that's your problem.

:p

-Brad

[Redog]

Keep an eye on it, I replaced mine and it was a bad one, I had to replace it again.

First time, 1.5 hours (didn't understand how the tensioner worked :ninja: )
Second time 30 mintues including new belt

[AJules]

Well, if you're using a screwdriver on bolts, that's your problem.

:p

-Brad

lol, screwdriver, wrench.... they're all the same thing, you know what I meant

[AJules]

Keep an eye on it, I replaced mine and it was a bad one, I had to replace it again.

First time, 1.5 hours (didn't understand how the tensioner worked :ninja: )
Second time 30 mintues including new belt

I will, it actually was rebuilt, but I got the lifetime warranty with it so if anything goes wrong I should be good for another one.

yeah, it's a pretty easy job, I just had some trouble getting the belt back on.