F&*King car. Should I get a good or crappy alternator?

[RossMAN]

Originally posted by: MrsSkoorb

Originally posted by: RossMAN
Dump the Sentra and buy a brand new Altima (just make sure it's a 2003).

My thoughts exactly. 🙁

I'm not sure what your finances are like and it's none of my business but it seems like a senseless waste of time and energy to keep your Sentra. Then again how are you going to sell a Sentra which doesn't run?

I'd go the cheapest possible route and get your grubby hands on an Altima, heck even a new Hyundai Elantra GT! Did I just say that aloud?

Where has wyst been lately?

 

[PsychoAndy]

Originally posted by: MrsSkoorb

Originally posted by: RossMAN
Dump the Sentra and buy a brand new Altima (just make sure it's a 2003).

My thoughts exactly. 🙁

Oh great. A WOMAN. I'm not sure if the intervention tongs have this much power. I must summon the demons of sarcasm, apathy and cycnicsm!

Wait. Will there be enough seats for everyone? What about ice? Do we have enough ice? Can MrsSkoorb prepeare some hors d'oeuvres?

-PAB

 

[Aves]

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
Well even when we buy our M5 we still need this as a second car anyway 🙁

man... after the m5 the sentra is just a let-down... better just get a 3.5SE with tint...

 

[MomAndSkoorbaby]

Originally posted by: RossMAN

Originally posted by: MrsSkoorb

Originally posted by: RossMAN
Dump the Sentra and buy a brand new Altima (just make sure it's a 2003).

My thoughts exactly. 🙁

I'm not sure what your finances are like and it's none of my business but it seems like a senseless waste of time and energy to keep your Sentra. Then again how are you going to sell a Sentra which doesn't run?

I'd go the cheapest possible route and get your grubby hands on an Altima, heck even a new Hyundai Elantra GT! Did I just say that aloud?

Where has wyst been lately?

We wanted to keep this car and get a 2000 Maxima in November so that we would have two cars.
We are not comfortable with buying a new car right now...the repairs on this are still less then car payments thus far....plus insurance is cheap and ya gotta factor in all that. Credit wise, we are waiting on MBNA to update Equifax (as the CC is at $0) to get the best credit for financing the new car....


As it is, the Sentra would not sell now unless we fixed it anyhow...other than this and spark plugs, it is fine car and we have more than gotten our money worth!

 

[MomAndSkoorbaby]

Originally posted by: PsychoAndy

Originally posted by: MrsSkoorb

Originally posted by: RossMAN
Dump the Sentra and buy a brand new Altima (just make sure it's a 2003).

My thoughts exactly. 🙁

Oh great. A WOMAN. I'm not sure if the intervention tongs have this much power. I must summon the demons of sarcasm, apathy and cycnicsm!

Wait. Will there be enough seats for everyone? What about ice? Do we have enough ice? Can MrsSkoorb prepeare some hors d'oeuvres?

-PAB

Damn straight - 100% WOMAN at that.

One unhappy woman having to pay money she doesn't want to pay.

 

[PsychoAndy]

Originally posted by: MrsSkoorb

Originally posted by: PsychoAndy

Originally posted by: MrsSkoorb

Originally posted by: RossMAN
Dump the Sentra and buy a brand new Altima (just make sure it's a 2003).

My thoughts exactly. 🙁

Oh great. A WOMAN. I'm not sure if the intervention tongs have this much power. I must summon the demons of sarcasm, apathy and cycnicsm!

Wait. Will there be enough seats for everyone? What about ice? Do we have enough ice? Can MrsSkoorb prepeare some hors d'oeuvres?

-PAB

Damn straight - 100% WOMAN at that.

One unhappy woman having to pay money she doesn't want to pay.

100%? So LESS than 100% is possible...

Hmm. I never thought of it this way. Does this mean I can get one online for cheaper?

-PAB

 

[StageLeft]

aves2k Unfortunately those freaking guides are plastic wrapped :|

I'm not sure what your finances are like and it's none of my business but it seems like a senseless waste of time and energy to keep your Sentra. Then again how are you going to sell a Sentra which doesn't run?

Well that's the thing. The car is worth $1500-2000, so even if repairs are $1000 I'd still have to get them done. Other than this annoyance, and the spark plugs and crap a few weeks back the car has been reliable since I bought it last November. It does drive nicely too (since new tires yesterday). I do hate repairs though.

As Mrs.skoorb mentioned if the engine blew up tomorrow although I'd be pissed I still feel we've gotten some dcent use out of it. I paid $2300 for it last november and put on about 15k miles. Before this sh*t recently with it (alternator I guess and I hope to hell not timing chain also) the car drives well and has no signs of throwing in the towel at all.

 

[desertdweller]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
Apparently the alternator on my 93 sentra is about to die. THe car is essentially undrivable. Car has 157k miles. My question is:

1) Is it worth paying $180 for a nissan alternator vs. $80 for a duralast one from autozone? I mean personally I don't see the point in dumping $100 into it, but the mechanic said that the duralast ones are crappy (they have a lifetime warranty I guess but that won't cover replacement if it dies right away!).

How many times do you want to replace it?

Autozone parts suck, at least in my experience. Put a set of axles in a honda crx and they lasted till just past the
warranty time and then they both started making noise. Replaced a bad starter in a ford ranger I had, and had to
replace that thing 3 times (yes under Autozone's warranty) before I finally just went and paid the money for a good
one.

Yes, they have a warranty, but how much is your time on the side of the road worth?

Supposedly NAPA parts are better. I'd stay away from Autozone though. You will be getting what you pay for.

DD

 

[MomAndSkoorbaby]

Originally posted by: PsychoAndy

Originally posted by: MrsSkoorb

Originally posted by: PsychoAndy

Originally posted by: MrsSkoorb

Originally posted by: RossMAN
Dump the Sentra and buy a brand new Altima (just make sure it's a 2003).

My thoughts exactly. 🙁

Oh great. A WOMAN. I'm not sure if the intervention tongs have this much power. I must summon the demons of sarcasm, apathy and cycnicsm!

Wait. Will there be enough seats for everyone? What about ice? Do we have enough ice? Can MrsSkoorb prepeare some hors d'oeuvres?

-PAB

Damn straight - 100% WOMAN at that.

One unhappy woman having to pay money she doesn't want to pay.

100%? So LESS than 100% is possible...

Hmm. I never thought of it this way. Does this mean I can get one online for cheaper?

-PAB

Nope....they do come less than 100% though...
You would have to meet me to know the diff! 😉

100% Woman-MrsSkoorb

 

[Migroo]

Has the car got other components that look as if they might 'let go'?

If so, no point getting the expensive one and I'd get the 80 dollar one regardless.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Go to NAPA, and buy the alternator from them. You might also be able to find a remanufactured OEM alternator with a good warranty if you ask a local independant mechanic where they get parts from.

ZV

 

[StageLeft]

Nissan dealer is quoting it at 2 hours labor as well. Looks like a tough job 🙁

 

[wyvrn]

I replaced the alternator on my Toyota many years ago, it was relatively easy. All I had to do was loosen a couple of bolts, remove the belt, remove the alternator, and do the reverse to install the new one. On newer cars though, especially my crap Infiniti, its much harder to do.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
Nissan dealer is quoting it at 2 hours labor as well. Looks like a tough job 🙁

scotty would have quoted it at two hours but been done in 15 minutes

 

[Vette73]

Originally posted by: desertdweller

Originally posted by: Skoorb
Apparently the alternator on my 93 sentra is about to die. THe car is essentially undrivable. Car has 157k miles. My question is:

1) Is it worth paying $180 for a nissan alternator vs. $80 for a duralast one from autozone? I mean personally I don't see the point in dumping $100 into it, but the mechanic said that the duralast ones are crappy (they have a lifetime warranty I guess but that won't cover replacement if it dies right away!).

How many times do you want to replace it?

Autozone parts suck, at least in my experience. Put a set of axles in a honda crx and they lasted till just past the
warranty time and then they both started making noise. Replaced a bad starter in a ford ranger I had, and had to
replace that thing 3 times (yes under Autozone's warranty) before I finally just went and paid the money for a good
one.

Yes, they have a warranty, but how much is your time on the side of the road worth?

Supposedly NAPA parts are better. I'd stay away from Autozone though. You will be getting what you pay for.

DD

You said the Axles lasted until the warrenty?? Autozone has a Lifetime warrenty on their Axles, so I don't see how the warrenty ran out?
And on a Ford Starter, did you test the voltage from the Solenoid to the starter? Did you check the restiance from the battery to the Solenoid and then to the starter? If not then how do you know it was ALL the starters fault?

I use parts from AutoZone all the time. Yes sometimes you will get a dud, but mostly I have been pleased with the Quality of the parts. Again I check out the car and its systems before I replace anything. Just because a Alt. or Starter went out, does not mean that is the only thing wrong.

 

[flot]

I would be wary of a reman alternator if the labor is that much to replace it. As you pointed out, the alternator may have a lifetime warranty, but that certainly DOESN'T cover your install costs.

Nissan OEM parts are typically (in my experience, 91 300ZXTT) high quality. I've never been disappointed in something that came out of a nissan box. On the other side, I have frequently seen people get screwed over by "lifetime guaranteed" remanufactured parts-store parts. I've even heard of people having to replace the same thing 2 or 3 times in the same year.

That's all hearsay though. It's your call, but I'd go new. How long did the original alternator last? 9 years? Do you expect the autozone remanufactured one to last that long, by any stretch of the imagination? Doubtful.

 

[Bluefront]

OK....I've replaced an alternator in that year Sentra....it's not easy. It's in back of the engine, low-down on the passenger side. If you're doing it in the driveway, it'll be a nasty job. Seems to me you had to loosen the alternator....then push it back out of the way. Then you had to remove the alternator mount bracket from the block, in order to have a big enough opening to remove the alternator. It comes out from behind the wheel opening. Probably at least an hour job if you've done it before.

AutoZone alternators are all rebuilt....all the ones I've seen anyway. Their failure rate is enormous. Get your alternator somewhere else.

 

[Vette73]

Originally posted by: Bluefront
OK....I've replaced an alternator in that year Sentra....it's not easy. It's in back of the engine, low-down on the passenger side. If you're doing it in the driveway, it'll be a nasty job. Seems to me you had to loosen the alternator....then push it back out of the way. Then you had to remove the alternator mount bracket from the block, in order to have a big enough opening to remove the alternator. It comes out from behind the wheel opening. Probably at least an hour job if you've done it before.

AutoZone alternators are all rebuilt....all the ones I've seen anyway. Their failure rate is enormous. Get your alternator somewhere else.

No the Jap. Alt's are NOT REBUILT. They are Reman. Rebuilt they go in and only replace the parts that have worn out, Reman they go in and replace EVERTHING expect the case. So other than the case it is a new Alt.

And failure rate is enormous? Where did you get this fact from, the same place you got the one that says they are Rebuilt???

 

[JC]

So was the alternator the cause of the rough idling? Or is this a separate issue?

 

[ohtwell]

Originally posted by: Skoorb

1) Is it worth paying $180 for a nissan alternator vs. $80 for a duralast one from autozone? I mean personally I don't see the point in dumping $100 into it, but the mechanic said that the duralast ones are crappy (they have a lifetime warranty I guess but that won't cover replacement if it dies right away!).

The lifetime warranty will cover the price of the part if something is wrong with it. It will not, however, cover the charge if a mechanic having to replace it. Some mechanics give a few months worth of warranty on the work that they do but that won't cover you forever. I don't see the problem in buying the $80 one. Just know that they will charge appx. $55 as a core charge. You'll get that back if you bring them your old alternator. 🙂


: ) Amanda

 

[Evadman]

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: Skoorb
Nissan dealer is quoting it at 2 hours labor as well. Looks like a tough job 🙁

scotty would have quoted it at two hours but been done in 15 minutes

There is a book that lists labor times of rjust about every part ever made. You look up in this book, and it tells you how long it should take. That is the $ figure that is usually quoted.

If the tech goes under, then good for him. he still gets paid for the full 2 hrs. If he goes over, he still only gets paid for 2 hrs.

I tried googling to find a pic of your engine bay but what unable to find one. With one, I could see how hard it would be. Do you have a picture or a link to one?

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: JC
So was the alternator the cause of the rough idling? Or is this a separate issue?

The guy seems to think that it was that. He said the alternator is so shot he couldn't even check the computer properly and my thoughts are that when it was idling perhaps less power available, so the alternator was not powering the computer adequately to control the engine. Is that possible? He explained it to mrs. skoorb not me so I'm making up that theory but we think that's the idling issue.

I've noticed a rattling under heavy acceleration for many months and i'm now thinking that's the timing chain but we'll see if he thinks it is that tomorrow. I hope I don't need to replace that any time soon.

sorry no pics evadman 🙁 I don't have the car with me right now so I can't check into it ;(

 

[PsychoAndy]

Originally posted by: Marlin1975

Originally posted by: Bluefront
OK....I've replaced an alternator in that year Sentra....it's not easy. It's in back of the engine, low-down on the passenger side. If you're doing it in the driveway, it'll be a nasty job. Seems to me you had to loosen the alternator....then push it back out of the way. Then you had to remove the alternator mount bracket from the block, in order to have a big enough opening to remove the alternator. It comes out from behind the wheel opening. Probably at least an hour job if you've done it before.

AutoZone alternators are all rebuilt....all the ones I've seen anyway. Their failure rate is enormous. Get your alternator somewhere else.

No the Jap. Alt's are NOT REBUILT. They are Reman. Rebuilt they go in and only replace the parts that have worn out, Reman they go in and replace EVERTHING expect the case. So other than the case it is a new Alt.

And failure rate is enormous? Where did you get this fact from, the same place you got the one that says they are Rebuilt???

I'm siding with Marlin here. Components dont cost too much. Hell, I spent $100 on my alt and $55 is for the core. With an alternator, theres not much TO go wrong, but when it does, you dont have a car to drive.

I'll bet his diodes are shot.

-PAB

 

[Evadman]

Originally posted by: Skoorb

Originally posted by: JC
So was the alternator the cause of the rough idling? Or is this a separate issue?

The guy seems to think that it was that. He said the alternator is so shot he couldn't even check the computer properly and my thoughts are that when it was idling perhaps less power available, so the alternator was not powering the computer adequately to control the engine. Is that possible? He explained it to mrs. skoorb not me so I'm making up that theory but we think that's the idling issue.

I've noticed a rattling under heavy acceleration for many months and i'm now thinking that's the timing chain but we'll see if he thinks it is that tomorrow. I hope I don't need to replace that any time soon.

sorry no pics evadman 🙁 I don't have the car with me right now so I can't check into it ;(

It does not have to be your car, just a picture of a car with the same engine. I can't find one on google.

It is pretty unlikely that an alternator would cause a rough idle ( that seems to be what you are saying ) If the alternator had a phsical defect, then sure, it could. But it is unlikely.

As for the computer not being able to be checked, that is beloney ( sp? ) unless this is something that is specific to nissan's. If the car runs, ( or as long as the computer gets 9+ volts ) then the computer can be checked for codes. If it comes to it, the tech can swap out the battery to get enough voltage. ( if it will not hold a charge )

Rattling under heavy acceleration could be the timing chain. It could be a lot of things 🙂 I would probably have to hear the rattle and/or test drive the car. I hate diagnosing long distance.

Both a rattle and an idle problem can be caused by a abd timing chain.

quick way to check the alternator: Start car. If voltage between the bolt on the back of the alternator that holds on the big cable ( trying to be easy on the deffs ) and the gound post of the battery is above 12.6 then the alternator is fine. It will probably be between 12.9 and 14.5.

If it is less than 12.6 then the alternator no worky.