erictown

Local temperature drops big, I parked my Maxi outside for 1 hour and then....

Brake light and battery light are all on, of course, dim lights too.

Voltage measured, with car running, 11.89v at battery poles. I also measured directly from alternator pole against chassis, 11.81v, I think that is from battery, eh?

So, alternator is dead?only 3 months ago, my previous one was burnt, and this one is from a 02 Maxima at a car graveyard, looks like a genuine part, but......

It seems Mr. Alternie didn't make it to 2015......

chrome91

iTrader: (1)

11.89V on the battery terminals with the car idling most likely means the alternator took a dump

maxiiiboy

+1 !
(should be ~ 14V when alternator OK)

Donkeypunch

Probably not. Probably the voltage regulator I haven't seen the alternator but if it's like
a Bosch you can just screw a new one on pretty easy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVvPzwtxdrM

erictown

Thanks guys! it helps. I kind have a feeling that because of the cold weather, springs behind bushes maybe get shrinking or stiff, that they don't push bushes tight enough.

erictown

our alternator are not of that kind. they don't have a seperated regulator piece, you have to open its whole block to get to bushes from inside.

george__

iTrader: (1)

At 5 alternators this year.
Various brands

erictown

you shocked me, pal! TYC I heard they have a reputation .... or am I fooled?

chrome91

iTrader: (1)

think the general consensus is go for an OEM alternator, at work we install reman Napa alternators and probably 80% of the ones weve put in Altima or Maxima fail again within 6 months

erictown

Is dealer the only place we can go for an OEM?

chrome91

iTrader: (1)

i would assume so

erictown

Hey, found this

http://market.autopartsfair.com/niss...lternator.html

what do you say? used OEMs vs. brand new aftermarket, who wins?

chrome91

iTrader: (1)

those all look like used junkyard ones, i would go with new OEM myself if you can

Unclejunebug

A ~14yr old OEM alternator vs. a crap aftermarket seems like a lose-lose situation to me. I realize it's more money, but I'd go new OEM without question.

theherdmaster

I think my alternator is on it's way out too. I have an engine whine, and there are other signs. Do I really have to drop $260 for an OEM alternator if I want it to last? Has anyone had any success with a reman alternator from bbb?

george__

iTrader: (1)

Try a NAPA Premium one and if it f8ks up, fight with your mechanic

maxiiiboy

RockAuto.com sells an alternator distributed by TYC, but made by Hitachi, the maker of the OEM alternator, for about $77. It's brand new. I plan to buy it when my time comes.

BTW, they also sell the OEM alternator made by Hitachi. It's REMANufactured, and more expensive than the TYC/Hitachi one, I think it's about $135. Go figure .....

erictown

updates: dealer called for OEM part, price, you don't want to know: 498.

brand new Ultra-8 from Altrom: 179, with 2 years warranty.

theherdmaster

Screw bringing it to a mechanic. I'll be replacing the alternator myself, it's not too difficult of a job.

No way will I be paying $500 bucks at a dealership to have it done. The reman alternator from BBB (I know, re-manufactured) is sold at Car Quest, and it's only $90 if you have the core. That's the one I've been looking into.

I searched for that Hitachi alternator you speak of on Rock Auto and found it, but it's listed for $110. Where'd you find it for $77?

theherdmaster

Sorry if I'm thread jacking here, but I just tested the voltage on my own alternator. Engine was warm.

Running, voltage read 14.29 V across the battery posts.

Under load (lots of electrical stuff on, i.e. heated seats, hazards, full heat blowing, lights on, etc) voltage read 12.02 V across the battery posts.

Therefore. . my alternator isn't dead, but it's on it's way out?

george__

iTrader: (1)

^
Is it making noises?

theherdmaster

There's a very audible whine coming from the engine at all times. It increases with RPM's.

erictown

updates: work finished just before 2015, took me 3 hrs.

tricks to share: I learnt from a lot others that it's a pain to get alternator out d/t its accessibility. Most of them took radiator off for extra space, disconnected drain hose etc. I just happen to find out that if you push a/c compressor far enough to driver's side, it will give you just enough space to get alternator out and back in.

This new one has a 2 years warranty on it, hope it lasts a little longer....


Happy new year folks!

erictown

samething on my Maxi, even with this new one. Now I'm not even sure that whining is from alternator, it gets more significant while I turn a/c on.

maxiiiboy

My mistake, I was thinking about the starter. The alternator is about $110, you are right.

george__

iTrader: (1)

Hope your alternator lasts at least 5 years

theherdmaster

I've done some searching through the forum, and I haven't really been able to find a troubleshooting situation where someone had engine whine (that wasn't power steering related).

When I went in to my Nissan dealership the other day for a hard to find part, I mentioned the symptoms to one of the guys there, and he said if it wasn't the alternator it could be the belt tensioner. I'm not really sure how to check for that though.

I did see that people suggested taking the accessory belt off and running the engine, so that the alternator, a/c condenser, power steering pump, and whatever else isn't getting any power. If the whine persists, it isn't one of those things. If it doesn't persist, it is one of those things (probably the alternator).

erictown

try this pal, not guarantee it will work, but this is always the first step we do.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF3W...id=G4PS7WHlgi0

for your last paragraph, just remind you that power steering pump isn't sharing the same serpentine belt, but alternator, a/c compressor are on a same belt. and a brave guess, I'm pretty much sure that the whine will be gone when there's no driving belt. tensioner pulley? I don't think so coz they always make squeaky noise instead of whining.

May luck be with you and happy a new year.

theherdmaster

Thanks for the video, and a happy new year to you as well!

Right, power steering pump is on a different belt than the alternator and a/c compressor. My bad, I forgot about that. I'm thinking of taking the belt to the alternator and a/c compressor off and letting the car run to see if the whine persists.

The video was informative, but unfortunately I'm not really having any squeaky belts. It's a whine that's constant and correlates to the engine RPM. Perhaps I'll take a video and post that.

george__

iTrader: (1)

This is how my original OEM alternator and some of its replacements sounded like

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VBUIzerLEY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wG_4aw8TlxU

And there was one that didn't make any noise but would only intermittently work