[stockride]

Is it hard to install a new alternator... I think I can do it, but I know some people here have some direct experience with it.. So, tell me was it a bitch or was it just tedious?

 

[jbuffethed]

its easy, all you have to do is loosen the tensioner the belt comes loose and you unbolt it. the tensioner is normally one of the pulley bolts if I'm not mistaken.

 

[Guest]

Its not that bad, don't forget to unplug the battery before hand.

 

[Aggressor]

Its the easiest thing to do in the alty... Its right there in front of you... Two bolts in the bottom (14mm I think) and 1 on the top... then pull up and out... Don't forget to unplug the wires and battery!

 

[stockride]

thanks, I just wanted to hear that it was easy. Nothing on this car has been too terrible... except for that damn motor mount. grrrr

 

[dcade]

Yes , disconnect the battery. I had an idiot short mines out one time installing my headers. Blew a 100 amp fuse that controlled everything from the shifting of the transmission to the power windows. Pissed me off big time. Anyone in MD never go to Custom Tubing in Upper Marlboro.:angry2: :angry2: :angry2:

Has anyone ever painted the housing for the alternator?

 

[pyratio]

WARNING WARNING WILL ROBINSON

--Hmm yah it's easy, but here's an extra step that may help keep you from changing it again. My last alternator change the Checker Auto parts guy made it clear to me that the battery has to be fully charged before starting the car with the new alternator. At first I just brushed him off, but when I brought out the new alternator it had warning flags all over it saying, "ONLY START CAR AFTER FULLY CHARGING BATTERY, FAILURE TO DO SO MAY DAMAGE THIS ALTERNATOR".

Well since Checkers charges batteries for free, I had my buddy go charge my battery while I installed my new alternator. Now I know I know the alternator is supposed to charge the battery, but I'm no electrical engineer so I'll just follow instructions until I get my degree on how things fry other electrical things.

Oh yeah and buy an alternator with lifetime warranty like from partsamerica, checkers or autozone. As an altima driver you'll need the lifetime warranty. We fry em like crazy. Best o luck.

--pyratio

 

[jaltima]

Very simple

 

[Aggressor]

Re: WARNING WARNING WILL ROBINSON

Oh yeah and buy an alternator with lifetime warranty like from partsamerica, checkers or autozone. As an altima driver you'll need the lifetime warranty. We fry em like crazy. Best o luck.

Ah thats why they made it so accessible!

 

[Matt-chu]

its soo easy, i did mine last night in about 20min or so.

 

[Sassan]

<~~~~~~~~~~~~Alternators suck

 

[shmang]

So, what is the expected life time for the OEM alternator? I have heard that under normal driving condition (not racing all the time), it will last about 100K or so. Anyone have any comment on this? Also, I heard that some times it is very hard to buy one, since auto stores do not stock much of them. So, where is the best place to get that?

Currently, my Alty has about 66K on it and I never race it, do you think I need to prepare for the alternator (by stock one just in case)? Oh, btw, how much it will cost?

 

[Matt-chu]

ya most stores didnt have them in stock when i went to get one. They all had to order them in and would take a week or so. A new one was gonna cost me about $250 - 300CDN so probably cheaper for you. What i did was i went to an electronics shop and got it rebuilt. It costed me just under $100 and got a 2 year warrantee and it only took a day.

 

[SubXero]

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by pyratio
Oh yeah and buy an alternator with lifetime warranty like from partsamerica, checkers or autozone. As an altima driver you'll need the lifetime warranty. We fry em like crazy. Best o luck.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NO! Never ever ever ever ever ever buy an alternator from AutoZone. At least here in TN. The brand they carry is best test. And we car nutz here, have an ongoing saying that states: "They call them Best Test, because ya' best test 'em before you put 'em on".
I have never heard a positive experience come from an Auto Zone alternator installation.

 

[Sassan]

NO! Never ever ever ever ever ever buy an alternator from AutoZone. At least here in TN. The brand they carry is best test. And we car nutz here, have an ongoing saying that states: "They call them Best Test, because ya' best test 'em before you put 'em on".
I have never heard a positive experience come from an Auto Zone alternator installation.

Mutha****ING SUSTAINED! :angry4: :angry4: :angry4:

 

[ross]

Autozone alternators are rebuilt old alternators out of other cars, they suck bigtime, just the outside is new on them, the core is old as shit. I went through 3 of them in less than a few months until i just got one from Nissan, and its been great ever since.

 

[3JLS]

did you ever wonder why the cars name altima and alterator sound a like

 

[pyratio]

Altimator

--You know one of my egg-head friends from UCLA used to say that our alternators running at 80amps are really underpowered for cars with power windows and locks and add on radio and you've got a problem. He told me not to think of putting on an amp cuz it'd burn out the alternator. Anyone think that's true? Does anyone know of any aftermarket alternators for our cars that put out more? I know the stereo freaks have for other cars like Civics but I couldn't find any for our cars.

--pyratio

 

[Sassan]

Re: Altimator

--You know one of my egg-head friends from UCLA used to say that our alternators running at 80amps are really underpowered for cars with power windows and locks and add on radio and you've got a problem. He told me not to think of putting on an amp cuz it'd burn out the alternator. Anyone think that's true? Does anyone know of any aftermarket alternators for our cars that put out more? I know the stereo freaks have for other cars like Civics but I couldn't find any for our cars.

--pyratio

Your friend may be on to something, about the 80amps not being enough for our cars. However, for a bigger alternator, you have to have one made, and they are NOT cheap. Like $400+ not cheap. It can be done though.

 

[stockride]

so, the highest output alternator we can get for our cars is 80 amps?