alternator rebuild
noahrexion
Wagonist
Just wanted to share my experience here real briefly.
My battery light has been coming on/off intermittently the last few days. The light comes on when system voltage drops lower than about 11.5 -ish volts IIRC. I knew I needed a new alternator sooner than later and had planned on a higher amp unit from another vehicle. Well my research hath failed me and I couldn't find one soon enough so I opted to rebuild mine instead of forking out $85 for a rebuilt from autozone (cheapest I found unless I wanted a used unit). The rebuilds do not all get new rect/stator/brush assemblies either, they are generally just tested and if they work they are R/R with one that was removed/cleaned (or had new cover installed) just the same.
I went online and found that partsgeek had OEM Honda brush kits (which are almost universal across this era of alternators for NipponDenso) for $25. I bought one, installed it (took 30seconds), tested the resistance on everything else and all tested well. Cleaned it up, through the sumbitch back in and have a perfectly working alternator again 14.39V > 11.4V
For reference I think the service limit on the brushes were 5.3mm (new was 15 or so); after 190k miles mine were at about 2.4mm (obviously in need of replacing for quite some time).
For anyone curious about alternators and replacing the: I would venture to say that so long as your regulator is ok (voltage is not spiking, peaking over 14.5) and you are having charge issues than it is VERY likely to be your brushes ONLY. A quick $25 fix that beats paying $75-100 for a rebuilt unit.
My battery light has been coming on/off intermittently the last few days. The light comes on when system voltage drops lower than about 11.5 -ish volts IIRC. I knew I needed a new alternator sooner than later and had planned on a higher amp unit from another vehicle. Well my research hath failed me and I couldn't find one soon enough so I opted to rebuild mine instead of forking out $85 for a rebuilt from autozone (cheapest I found unless I wanted a used unit). The rebuilds do not all get new rect/stator/brush assemblies either, they are generally just tested and if they work they are R/R with one that was removed/cleaned (or had new cover installed) just the same.
I went online and found that partsgeek had OEM Honda brush kits (which are almost universal across this era of alternators for NipponDenso) for $25. I bought one, installed it (took 30seconds), tested the resistance on everything else and all tested well. Cleaned it up, through the sumbitch back in and have a perfectly working alternator again 14.39V > 11.4V
For reference I think the service limit on the brushes were 5.3mm (new was 15 or so); after 190k miles mine were at about 2.4mm (obviously in need of replacing for quite some time).
For anyone curious about alternators and replacing the: I would venture to say that so long as your regulator is ok (voltage is not spiking, peaking over 14.5) and you are having charge issues than it is VERY likely to be your brushes ONLY. A quick $25 fix that beats paying $75-100 for a rebuilt unit.
Comments
Makes us lazy. And stupid. (by stupid I mean unskilled) Same as swapping imported engines instead of rebuilding- hell, it's cheaper AND easier, why not?
They tend to eat the brushes/slip rings.
As far as the high(er) output alts.; they all seem to have been in the neighborhood of $100-140 on Ebay. Even with my inverter I've still managed to get by with the 60amp unit (80-90 with OEM quality would sure be nice). I have a hard tiem plopping down money on a "new" unit from Ebay that comes from some untrackable shop/wharehouse somewhere... I just don't like it. Warranty-ing one of those would only be a pain and likely cost $$$.
The rebuilt units from LPS like autozone isn't a bad idea but it is also much more expensive; $60 in my case to be exact. I honestly wouldn't know how to wind more coils and up my amp capabilities with the stock unit. I would feel much better using a Honda alt and modding a bracket to work; but like I said I needed this sooner than later and didn't have time to play around finding one.
The brushes in the Mitsu alternators are also cake to replace; I have done both.
But what I'm asking, I can rebuild an alternator with no problem, what entails rebuilding it for a higher output??
To my knowledge, a professional that does that for a living. More windings (which generally won't fit in our casings cause they are so small) and/or voltage regulator upgrade. I personally wouldn't feel too comfy doing that solo at this point. All I've done is bearings, pulleys, brushes, stators... nothing more.
I have no idea about the Legend alternator but I would definitely be willing to to some leg work if I came across one for cheap. I just wouldn't want to waste money on that as I've never seen anyone with good proof that it worked; just 1 thread on here a while back about how it may(that along with the B16 on unit).
My wagon does this too. I don't think it needs a higher output alternator, just needs rebuilt or new brushes like stated above. You would think that with a good operating alt. your lights wouldn't dim when pressing the brakes. I think the higher output alt. would be used for cars that have high watt sound systems and such. I'm no professional and that's just my opinion. Cheers!
I think i might just agree with you, plus the rebuild kits are cheaper then the actual alternators themselves!