1988 Chevy van, 20 Series eats alternators


  #1  
Old 03-05-05, 12:48 PM
bgreggy
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Question 1988 Chevy van, 20 Series eats alternators

I have had three alternators go bad on me. They all have expired from 4 mo.- 1 year. I do not blow any fuses. All my accessories appear to be working properly. Battery is new and strong(while the alternator is working). Starter cranking good. Not sure where to go from there. All the alternators were rebuilts. At first I thought it was maybe bad rebuilt. After the third I begin to wonder. Guess I should have wondered a bit sooner.
 
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Old 03-05-05, 02:44 PM
J
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If they are all the same brand, I bet they are all bad rebuilds unless you have some after market accessories that are putting a high load on it, beyond what the alternator is built for, like some extra lights or high powered stereo. What brand is it? Try doing a search on the net on the brand(s) and see if you find a lot of other people having problems with that brand.

I hope the bad one's have always been covered under warranty. It might be worth it to pay some extra money and get a new one from the dealer if you think they are all bad rebuilds. It will save you some trouble and the possibilty of getting stranded.
 
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Old 03-06-05, 04:03 AM
D
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Do yourself a favor and install a A/C Delco remanufactured alternator.I can't remember the last time I had one come back after replacement.House brand aftermarket alternators have high failure rates.My nephew is a manager at a chain auto parts and told me to only use the house brand if I'm getting rid of the car.
 
  #4  
Old 03-07-05, 07:41 AM
bgreggy
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Thank you all for your replies. I went through the whole system and checked voltage and ohms. Everything seems to be in proper order. Replaced some connectors and cleaned others. Purchased a better alternator and replaced the bad one. All the other alternators have been covered by the warranty. Time will tell I guess.
 
 

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