Well, the brushes didn't do it. I swapped the new ones in and took the alternator into Auto Zone for a bench test. They repeated the test to be sure, and got these results both times:

Lamp/Diode Trio: FAILED
Regulator Test: FAILED
Rectifier Test: PASSED

So, I guess at the moment, I've got an expensive paper weight. I guess my options are:

Take it to be rebuilt.

Lifetime warrantied replacement aftermarket alt.
Ultima 15948 (reman.) $131 (O'Reilly's) - Duralast 12062 (reman.) $125 (Auto Zone) - Other brand?

or, upgrade it?

What option makes the most sense? I'm on a tight budget, but I intend to drive the car forever and I value reliability over saving a small amount of money. I don't have any electrical accessories, although I might put on some lights in the future, that's about it.

 

do a search here and there are companies that can rebuild the alternator and upgrade it to put out more power. Or go Mean Green and have something that lasts forever.....

 

I guess I'm really asking what are the pros and cons of rebuilding vs. picking up the auto zone / O'Reilly's replacement and giving up my broken OEM alternator. Mean Green sounds cool, but my max budget here is $130 (price to replace), and half of that would be better.

 

I would send it out then. Pro's/con's--if you know what you are doing you save money and get the job done right. Cons' dont know what you are doing and end up making it completely useless as a core and you are out the money for the rebuilt parts.

Do the search and have it sent out. That is what i would do.

 

Thanks - I ended up sending the alternator to a shop to have it rebuilt. My searches found quite a number of horror stories of Ultima and Duralast alternators which ended up being replaced multiple (5-6+) times. Some auto zone stores apparently interpreted their limited lifetime warranty to mean one replacement, then your money back and take a hike.

My local mechanic, who is about the only person I'll let near my truck, agreed with that take on AutoZone and O'Reilly's alternators. He said he could send them to a rebuild shop that would put in denso replacement parts and do a good job for around $80 (savings of $50 over AutoZone or O'Reilly's). I'm looking at a 2 day turnaround, I think.

 

Good low miles unit would have run about $45 from us at Nix99

Best parts to use are Denso. OEM is usually the best option. Aftermarket remans are usually junk after a short time.

 

WHat is NIX99?? Is that your shop? Yall do alternators?

 

The link is in my SIG!!

But check us out, www.nix99.com

We do alternators. And starters. And everything

 

I got my alternator back last evening, and I put it in today. That lower bracket is the tightest fit I can imagine, short of not fitting in at all. I almost pulled the alternator back out and dremelled it to loosen it up. Major PITA.

Truck was still not starting - the battery doesn't seem to be charged up enough, so it's charging now. If it won't crank by this evening, I'm taking it in to be tested.

I was afraid I tensioned the alternator belt too tight. I really cranked it tight at first, then it seemed to have more tension than the other belts, so I loosened it until it deflected about as much as the other belt when I was pushing on it with my thumb. Is there any way to know how tight to get it? (This is my first time taking a belt off and putting it back on something.)

FYI:
For $100 even, my mechanic sent my alternator to the shop he uses and had it rebuilt.
They replaced the diode, regulator, and rectifier (the rectifier passed at autozone, but they said it needed to be replaced). I could probably have saved a little more somehow, but that's still $30 under a replacement duralast alternator (and will hopefully last longer since it's got denso parts).

 

Oh, what joy. I figured out why my truck wouldn't start. I apparently tore out the wires from my crankshaft position sensor, which was located conveniently behind my alternator, exactly where I was trying to lever the bloody contraption back into place.

I'm going to start a separate thread on this repair, since there doesn't seem to be much CPS info on the forum.