When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Its been only NINE months since I installed the (what was represented at the time to be "new") Bosch AL2365N Alternator.
It appears to have taken a dump today. 11.90 volts (on the alternator post) and falling while running, Battery and Brake light on. There is now also an unhealthy noise coming from the engine room when its in gear, but not Park or Neutral - not 100% sure the two issues are related.
This is now the second alternator in a row that has lasted less than 12 months (see my previous posts). The last time the alternator (an "Ultima", from O'Reilly) failed the battery was found to be damaged - that battery was an Optima red top and was discovered to be barely functioning.
At that time I replaced the Optima with a _very_ expensive "X2 Power" AGM battery that is still in the car now.
This car is, by and large, "barely driven". This Bosch alternator that's in there now didn't even last 10k miles. I regret recommending the Bosch to others. I have always effort-ed to supply the best information that was available to me at the time.
Could there be anything else amiss in the electrical system that could be causing these repeated alternator failures? Without another culprit I am left with "nobody building a quality new alternator for 4th Gens".
Sorry to hear this! I also installed one, but no problems at all. (YET) LOL
You know, every manufacturer has a premature failure rate, no matter how good or bad. Obviously the good has a much lower rate, but failures nonetheless.
Warranty is one year, so if you can, get another covered. I'd bet it will stick. And if it goes prematurely, I guess try a rebuilt Denso.
Advance auto parts had an tough one brand that was remaning nissans oem alternator. They apparently stopped making parts for nissan in the tough one brand. It's replaced with carquest and world pac alternators. Best bet oem dealer.
Its been only NINE months since I installed the (what was represented at the time to be "new") Bosch AL2365N Alternator.
It appears to have taken a dump today. 11.90 volts (on the alternator post) and falling while running, Battery and Brake light on. There is now also an unhealthy noise coming from the engine room when its in gear, but not Park or Neutral - not 100% sure the two issues are related.
This is now the second alternator in a row that has lasted less than 12 months (see my previous posts). The last time the alternator (an "Ultima", from O'Reilly) failed the battery was found to be damaged - that battery was an Optima red top and was discovered to be barely functioning.
At that time I replaced the Optima with a _very_ expensive "X2 Power" AGM battery that is still in the car now.
This car is, by and large, "barely driven". This Bosch alternator that's in there now didn't even last 10k miles. I regret recommending the Bosch to others. I have always effort-ed to supply the best information that was available to me at the time.
Could there be anything else amiss in the electrical system that could be causing these repeated alternator failures? Without another culprit I am left with "nobody building a quality new alternator for 4th Gens".
I greatly appreciate any guidance, Thanks.
BrianA in Houston
Are you leaking oil? from your valve covers, camshaft position sensor, or crank pulley? Valve cover seals seem to be big on these cars, both of mine are leaking and i'm in the process of replacing rn bc my alternator was covered in oil which is what caused it to go around 20k miles
i also don't know how much grounds can affect these, but i have noticed the ground points on the car seem to get covered in corrosion after time and is a big reason aftermarket grounding is such an upgrade on higher mileage cars. btw i would definitely recommend a grounding kit, i definitely noticed the decrease in sluggish takeoffs and no more dimming of headlights etc
The dealer only sells re-manufactured alternators too. You can't win.
This is true, weird fact about about dealer re-man ones are that they say "made in Japan" BUT remanufactured in USA. None the less id rather put in dealer part than advanced auto, autozone etc....if anyone is looking for OEM and remanufactured nissan alternators i have a few.
Are you leaking oil? from your valve covers, camshaft position sensor, or crank pulley? Valve cover seals seem to be big on these cars, both of mine are leaking and i'm in the process of replacing rn bc my alternator was covered in oil which is what caused it to go around 20k miles
i also don't know how much grounds can affect these, but i have noticed the ground points on the car seem to get covered in corrosion after time and is a big reason aftermarket grounding is such an upgrade on higher mileage cars. btw i would definitely recommend a grounding kit, i definitely noticed the decrease in sluggish takeoffs and no more dimming of headlights etc
"YES", it leaks. Not leaking enough near the alternator to cause this problem however.
I also frequently see posts about grounding problems. They usually are from people who deal with snow (salt) on a regular (yearly) basis, and/or have previously separated the trans and engine and thus compromised the low-resistance between the two (didn't sand the mating surfaces before re-install).
By comparison this car has never seen snow (it will never snow in Houston ever again, believe it) and this car has ZERO corrosion to speak of. Engine and trans have never been separated. AND there are no other electrcial symptoms as described above ("sluggish takeoffs", "dimming of headlights") other than "can't keep an alternator alive".
Faulty electrical systems don't usually manifest symptoms over time - they are usually pretty quick to reveal themselves (a day, or a week - maybe the first trip, or the third, or whatever). This alternator failed only after many, many cycles - although really only like 5k miles (not the higher figure I quoted earlier).
Last edited by reallywildstuff; 03-03-2017 at 01:53 PM.
Reason: typo
What brand of battery is in the car now? I had a two month old Advance silver battery short out that caused all kinds of strange starting problems on the Q45 a couple weeks ago. The way I isolated the battery problem was by disconnecting the battery from the car and running it via jumpers to another known good battery. The battery tested good when I went to return it. Because I am a good customer I returned the larger silver battery for a smaller size gold version that solved the problem. With that battery hooked up to the car, I had a bundle of different electrical and intermittent starting issues.
Bought a gold standard new alternator/starter 8 months ago and no problems ever since.. From autozone, get in the zone!
Originally Posted by Maximus909
Not really trolling dude. I had my AZ battery on my car for four years going strong and had one on my previous car, replaced it once because my battery messed it up. My alternator came with a test data sheet showing its amperage pulling numbers. Plus if something was to happen there is AZ on every corner.
Originally Posted by Shrout1
I've got about 17k on an Autozone alternator - had it in the car for two years now. No issues.
I installed the brand new lifetime warranty autozone DG13284 alternator 3 years (37,000 miles) ago and it's held fine. As with the quotes from 3 other members in this thread I speak from experience. Many members have written "I've heard bad word about autzone alternators...".
EDIT: If a member has had bad luck with a new autozone alternator then make a post. We need to speak from experience and stop passing around rumors.
I installed the brand new lifetime warranty autozone DG13284 alternator 3 years (37,000 miles) ago and it's held fine.
Thank you kindly. I presume you are referring to the first item below (three alternators listed on AZ's website):
DLG13284 $183.99 "100% new" (although still a $10 core charge)
13284 $131.99 "Premium Reman" ($23 core)
13284VC $129.99 "Remanufactured unit" ($60 core!)
Earlier today (before you laid down the much-appreciated details re: AZ alternators) I bought this, its supposed to arrive tomorrow (with $15.99 one day shipping) for $203.14 total:
The AutoZone "100% new" unit, with Texas sales tax @ 1.0825, would have been $4 cheaper in person. The Amazon item would have been less expensive than AutoZone if I had chosen standard Prime shipping.
Well, your Bosch has a 1 year warranty on it with 9 months of it used, so I hope you pursue getting it replaced for the cost of return shipping. At least you can sell it on CL and recoup some of what that new one cost you.
I still think you were just unlucky and got that rare bad one.
Good luck with this new PG Alternator. Sounds great from their marketing jargon! And cheaper than a Denso re-manufactured. (and reused parts)
Thank you kindly. I presume you are referring to the first item below (three alternators listed on AZ's website):
DLG13284 $183.99 "100% new" (although still a $10 core charge)
13284 $131.99 "Premium Reman" ($23 core)
13284VC $129.99 "Remanufactured unit" ($60 core!)
Earlier today (before you laid down the much-appreciated details re: AZ alternators) I bought this, its supposed to arrive tomorrow (with $15.99 one day shipping) for $203.14 total:
The AutoZone "100% new" unit, with Texas sales tax @ 1.0825, would have been $4 cheaper in person. The Amazon item would have been less expensive than AutoZone if I had chosen standard Prime shipping.
Yes the DLG13284 alternator that delivers 125A. I paid only $134 + $10 core for it 3 years ago. Don't know if the price was jacked or if I was getting a discount?
Well, your Bosch has a 1 year warranty on it with 9 months of it used, so I hope you pursue getting it replaced for the cost of return shipping. At least you can sell it on CL and recoup some of what that new one cost you.
I still think you were just unlucky and got that rare bad one.
Good luck with this new PG Alternator. Sounds great from their marketing jargon! And cheaper than a Denso re-manufactured. (and reused parts)
I also spoke with Bosch Automotive Technical Support today (it was a busy day). They created a warranty "ticket" and said the "warranty department" would contact me within 24-48 hours - which would mean Monday or Tuesday. That was "not soon enough", ergo I purchased the Premier Gear unit as a replacement.
"Last Time (~11 Weeks Ago) on AS THE ALTERNATOR TURNS":
Our hero had purchased the "Premier Gear" "100% New" Alternator from Amazon, to replace the failed 9-month old Bosch 100% new unit (also purchased from Amazon).
The Premier Gear unit was DOA - I couldn't believe it. I packed it back up and sent it back to Amazon postage paid, and the refund was issued as soon as UPS scanned the package at pickup. Amazon's was a 100% satisfying return experience; however, I'll never buy a "Premier Gear" anything ever again.
Yesterday (64 days since the faulty alternator arrived at Bosch's facility in Broadview, IL) I received my refund check from Robert Bosch Corporation in the mail. The Bosch alternator lasted ~9 months, and it took 2 months to receive the refund. There was some emailing and phone calls involved in my receiving Satisfaction. My experience with Bosch Corporation was a middling one but it was indeed "Fair".
I am currently running the AutoZone DLG13284 "100% new" (as recommended by JHolley) with no issues. I had previously talked noise about the quality of AutoZone's parts - I stand corrected.
When a stock alternator died in my Honda a few months ago, I bought a "remanufactured" Denso alternator from Amazon. Upon inspection I could not find any evidence that this was a remanufactured unit. Everything checked brand spanking new. Installed it and no issues so far. If it lasts half as long as the original, I got my money'$ worth.
"Last Time (~11 Weeks Ago) on AS THE ALTERNATOR TURNS":
Our hero had purchased the "Premier Gear" "100% New" Alternator from Amazon, to replace the failed 9-month old Bosch 100% new unit (also purchased from Amazon).
The Premier Gear unit was DOA - I couldn't believe it. I packed it back up and sent it back to Amazon postage paid, and the refund was issued as soon as UPS scanned the package at pickup. Amazon's was a 100% satisfying return experience; however, I'll never buy a "Premier Gear" anything ever again.
Yesterday (64 days since the faulty alternator arrived at Bosch's facility in Broadview, IL) I received my refund check from Robert Bosch Corporation in the mail. The Bosch alternator lasted ~9 months, and it took 2 months to receive the refund. There was some emailing and phone calls involved in my receiving Satisfaction. My experience with Bosch Corporation was a middling one but it was indeed "Fair".
I am currently running the AutoZone DLG13284 "100% new" (as recommended by JHolley) with no issues. I had previously talked noise about the quality of AutoZone's parts - I stand corrected.
Brian in Houston
Good luck with the new DLG13284 alternator! Mine has nearly 42,000 miles with no issues.
What ruined my OEM alternator was the oil leak on my front valve cover. I replaced the gasket to stop the oil leak before installing the DLG13284 alternator.
EDIT:
I just gave the well functioning DLG13284 Alternator a 5 star rating on 5/19/17
Napa auto parts. They offer 3 Yr warranty on their Rebuilts. Its not rebuilt by Napa, some other company does. Mine has lasted through valve cover leaking, and recently....coolant hose leaking. It's atleast has 100,000 miles + knock on wood. Their belts also last forever.
Comparably, I had a rebuilt advanced auto one go out within 60,000 miles, or like a couple years it probably was. Unacceptable. However, advance just happens to be my go to place. I shoulda went with Napa for these new hoses but I'm swamped on buying parts for multiple jobs.
Coming up on the NEXT Exciting Episode of "As The Alternator Turns":
Its been less than a year and < 2,000 miles since our Hero put the AutoZone DLG13284 in the 98 i30. Also put in a new OEM grounding harness at that time. Since then the ECM still won't report EVAP=Ready (won't pass inspection), and sometimes it throws non-repeating codes re: 02 sensor failure (yes I've sanded my fuses). Also still leaks oil but again not so much on the alternator.
This morning the battery light was illuminated at startup. The light went out after I goosed the RPMs to 1500, and did not re-illuminate when it dropped back to ~700 RPM idle.
This car was left at home this morning because of these issues so I don't hav emore to report yet...but it smells like "alternator failure" to me. Is there any component external of the alternator that could cause this behavior?
Originally Posted by reallywildstuff
"Last Time (~11 Weeks Ago) on AS THE ALTERNATOR TURNS":
Our hero had purchased the "Premier Gear" "100% New" Alternator from Amazon, to replace the failed 9-month old Bosch 100% new unit (also purchased from Amazon).
The Premier Gear unit was DOA - I couldn't believe it. I packed it back up and sent it back to Amazon postage paid, and the refund was issued as soon as UPS scanned the package at pickup. Amazon's was a 100% satisfying return experience; however, I'll never buy a "Premier Gear" anything ever again.
Yesterday (64 days since the faulty alternator arrived at Bosch's facility in Broadview, IL) I received my refund check from Robert Bosch Corporation in the mail. The Bosch alternator lasted ~9 months, and it took 2 months to receive the refund. There was some emailing and phone calls involved in my receiving Satisfaction. My experience with Bosch Corporation was a middling one but it was indeed "Fair".
I am currently running the AutoZone DLG13284 "100% new" (as recommended by JHolley) with no issues. I had previously talked noise about the quality of AutoZone's parts - I stand corrected.
Long shot here, but when they replaced my alternator, they also replaced the harness that goes to it (I guess it was worn enough for them to recommend replacing it). Apparently, it is a part still available from the dealer. Maybe you can do a check on that to make sure the correct current/signal is getting through?
My father was pulling his Maxima into garage when smoke started coming from the side of the engine with the alternator, and a red glow was coming from the alternator area. The brake and battery lights came on, which search on this website said means alternator. He checked voltage on the battery when car was off and it was 12.5v, when turned on, it's at 11.5v. All these signs mean for sure alternator is dead?
1.) He has 1998 Maxima SE, does that mean he needs a 110amp replacement alternator?
2.) Where can he get a good replacement alternator? I heard Nissan remanufactured ones are good, so are Hitachi. Amazon seems to only have Hitachi.
I have now warranty-exchanged the AutoZone DLG13284 and re-installed. My own testing showed "~12 volts (only) until spun to 2k RPM - then 14.4 without change". AutoZone's testing machine was broken. New alternator works "normal".
Working on this vehicle is always so humbling - especially replacing the alternator, which you'd think would be old hat for me, having had to do it so many times in the last three years.
I got the alternator out in a real 1 hour total - without removing the fans - and was happy with that. No struggle.
However I mf struggled mightily like a sob to re-install - specifically, threading the pivot bolt into the special locking nut in the only correct orientation that avoids the tensioner bracket. I just could not make my hands do it - even thought I know exactly how its supposed to _look_/_be_, you know what I mean?. Took three hours longer than it should have to re-install - cursing all the while.
I eventually caved and removed the fans and I guess that made the difference...still very uncomfortable to reach left hand underneath, up and around the alternator (cradling it with left forearm) with lock nut in left hand, locate nut to bolt, then turn (already set up) ratchet on pivot bolt with right hand (avoiding compressor dryer/muffler). MF.
I think removing the fans gives me just enough clearance on my right arm to get this done - without it, "my arm doesn't bend that way" and "don't have enough room to swing the ratchet". As it was - I seriously injured my right hand and both forerarms struggling with it.
Maybe I was sucking down too many degreaser fumes in a confined space late at night when all of this was going on. Or maybe I am just slipping...like Algernon.
The battery was dead. I left it on a 12 amp charger for 3 hours. Came back and it starts, battery light on at first then off.
14.4 volts at the alternator pole
Rev the engine and voltage shoots up past 18. Battery light on initially, if you keep revving it the ABS and CEL illuminate.
Drop the revs and the lights go off but it runs rough. Voltage at pole lower than 14 but rising up to it...seemed like it was about to die just sitting there idling.
i am taking the fancy X2 battery in for testing now.
What else (besides "battery" and "bad alternator parts") would result in an over-voltage condition?
In the event that you can rule out the battery ... check the connections ... each of them ... those on the charging side of the battery and those on the grounding side.
I will recheck the negative connection to the block and the body.
I'm not certain what year car we're talking about and I'm not certain if the negative cable configuration in all 4th Gens are the same but assuming they are, be sure to remove the battery tray and check the negative cable junction located just below the battery tray.
Also, disconnect the cable at the starter, check it and clean it.
I'm not certain what year car we're talking about and I'm not certain if the negative cable configuration in all 4th Gens are the same but assuming they are, be sure to remove the battery tray and check the negative cable junction located just below the battery tray.
Also, disconnect the cable at the starter, check it and clean it.
This is a '98 i30. I have been through _a_lot_ of alternator failures in the last 36 months.
I know exactly what body ground you are talking about. I carefully snugged it down when I previously replaced the negative cable - however I will check it, and the block ground, and the positive post at the starter.
What makes an alternator not produce more voltage the faster you spin it ?
01-29-2017, 09:28 AM
