Alternator has been whining/smoking for 7 days (about 300 miles). It's had a soft but obvious whine, and I can smell an electrical burning smell while driving. When I pop the hood after driving, I can't see any smoke, but I can smell a strong electrical burning smell coming from the alternator.

I have an aftermarket warranty on my car and they won't cover the part until it fails. It's in the process of "failing" now but I basically have to wait until my car dies and have it towed to a facility. Sheesh, I wish it would just die so I can get my new alternator.

 

Mine lasted about two months with the same symptoms before it set off the battery light in my dash. I didnt want to damage my optima yellow top so i just gave in and got it changed. Good luck at least its all covererd under the warranty.

 

beat it with a hammer or pry bar a lil bit

 

my whinnes like a ****.

 

Just change it out before you get stuck 40 miles from your house and have to deal with the hassle of gettin it towed home, getting a ride into work which you happen to be late for now, then hassle for a ride home from work, then dealing with your car in your driveway beacuse the tow to the warrentee place is too much...Find a day where you are free, pay the money and just change it out yourself...
-matt

 

yeah, then when you take your car in for the warranty claim, they'll see the marks on the alternator from the beating and deny the claim

 

last time i checked mechanics want to make money, once they've taken it out you really think they will say something and risk having to put it back in and send it away...flat rate makes people do crazy **** i suppose

 

Try and start the car while rolling up all 4 windows & moonroof, headlights on, stereo blasting, heated seats on high, HVAC set to 85 degrees, windshield wipers going, defrosters on.... and adjust the mirrors for the hell of it. This might take 2 people.

 

You know what... that $hit actually works most of the time!! at least does on all my Fords.

 

I have AAA. If the car dies 40 miles from home, I will have AAA tow the car to the Nissan dealership, have my fiancee or another family member take me to where I was going. My warranty has a $100 deductible and pays $65/hr for labor. My Nissan dealership charges $75/hr and an alternator is considered a 1.5 hour job.... so, in the end, the check I have to write to my warranty company is for $115... ($100 deductible, $15 for the difference in labor).

If I were to simply take my car into the dealership and tell them to replace my alternator I would be paying for the full price of the alternator plus the full price of labor, putting the job close to $500. You might be in a totally different financial situation than I am, but $115 sounds a lot nicer than $500 for a brand new alternator. Just sucks that I have to wait until the alternator totally dies, not just acting up.

 

im not 100%, but im pretty sure mitchell calls for.8 labor hours for the alt

 

Go with Scarface's idea. You're pretty close to death with that alty right now so you may as well have it fail in your own driveway.

 

Good, if the mitchell hourly for an alternator is .8 hours, that means my bill to the warranty company will only be $108 instead of $115 =)

Math: $75/hr x .8 hours = $60 for labor. $65/hr x .8 hours = $52 for labor. The dealership is going to charge $60 for labor and the warranty company is going to pay me $52/hr, so I'm going to need to cough up the $8 difference.