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AutoZone alternator repair Latest.......

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AutoZone alternator repair up-date.......

As stated in earlier post, I sent my Delco-style AutoZone Duralast alternator into a specialty ignition shop in the area (Guidry's Ignition, New Iberia) to disassemble my noisy alternator. Indeed, the unit's bearings were shot (Chinese). They installed some high-quality American-made bearings (says American-made on the cap) and bench-tested the whole setup. Guidry's maintains the unit as a whole is nicely built, save the cheap bearings, and got it back to me in short order. Their tech guy tested the alternator and maintains that instead of the 66 amps AutoZone told me it should put out, I was getting 75 amps instead. My point is, if you are going for the alternator upgrade (I have so many add-ons that I had no choice), consider using a specialty shop that offers a good product and can do the repairs if necessary. Alternator shopping is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get.



Bill
 
Re: AutoZone alternator repair up-date.......

Bill- a similar problem with my new GM alternator.
I could not locate any mounting bolts with matching
treads. I found that really odd.

I finally took it to a speciality screw shop. One
quick look and they told me it was a rehab unit from
india with some odd India thread style.

They kindly retapped the unit for American bolts.
$5.00 cost but several hours of my time lost.

Not to be political but what ever happened to
"made with pride in America" ? I bought a piece
of local Puerto Rican craftwork for a gift. On
the back was stamped "Made in china".

Bluuffffffff!!
d
 
Re: AutoZone alternator repair up-date.......

Like I mentioned in the previous post about your Autozone alternator...those cheapo bearings will do it every time. The company I work for got burned on those Chinese bearings once. Never again. The price difference between a good 6203 bearing and a piece of junk, is about fifty cents. That may not seem like alot, but when you're cranking out about 2000 alternators a day, it adds up. To the mass marketers such as Autozone, price, availability and warranty are everything. For the supplier (rebuilder), that fifty cents now becomes a big deal. So far, we've managed to supply more of the hard parts type of auto stores, where quality stills means something, and they're more willing to pay for it.

Edit: As far as the alternator putting out 75 amps vs. 66 amps, alot depends on how much the alternator is loaded down. The higher the revs, the more the load, the lower the voltage, the higher the amps wind up...to a point. So, don't give it much thought. Most alternators wind up putting out considerably more then they are rated for on the test bench.
 
Re: AutoZone alternator repair up-date.......

[ QUOTE ]
All we need to remember is that the Chinese are infamous for their 'Junk'.



[/ QUOTE ]

Remember when WalMart first opened? Proudly tauted "Made in the USA". You would play heck finding something in WalMart today that is not made in China.
 
Re: AutoZone alternator repair up-date.......

[ QUOTE ]
Remember when WalMart first opened? Proudly tauted "Made in the USA". You would play heck finding something in WalMart today that is not made in China.

[/ QUOTE ]

I am not familiar with Walmart so I have no idea what they have to offer.

Bill, you will get a kick out of this. I needed some special bearings for my product. I finally found a manufacturer in CA that makes them. When I called I mentioned that I was trying to use all made in the USA parts and he liked that and related this to me. He makes these bearings and sells them to the Chinese. In turn, because of the current thinking, Americans purchase them from the Chinese when they could get them cheaper buying direct even without the extra shipping to China and back. Go figure!
 
Re: AutoZone alternator repair up-date.......

Years ago I had a Craftsman 9" grinder that ate the bearings about every year. I'd send it in to be fixed at the Sears store, they'd rebuild it and it cost me about $12.00.

After the third or fourth rebuild I decided to look at rebuilding it myself...the bearings were made in Romania.

I took them to the local bearing supply shop and matched up some USA bearings...that was in 1979 or so...I sold the grinder last year on ebay with those same USA bearings still working good.

Makes you wonder...
 
Re: AutoZone alternator repair up-date.......

I hate to tell ya'll this but the beloved Timken wheel roller bearings are no longer American-made.



Bill
 
Re: AutoZone alternator repair up-date.......

Timken use to be made in USA and England; never had any failures with either. Where are they made now? Hate to think Timken quality has left us.
 
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