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Upgrade Alternator?


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Mine went down pretty similar to this (see link) including the seat belt light. Only difference was I was on I5 in rush hour traffic and the head scratcher for me was after about 15 minutes on the side of I5 I try it again for kicks and it starts. The battery had gone back up to around 11 volts from off the dial. They didn't teach that in Electrical Engineering. I can't figure out why other then the motor was loading down the battery. By the time I went 300 yards to a rest area it wouldn't start again.

 

Any recomendations on alternators?

 

http://www.comancheclub.com/forums/view ... hlight=alt

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Problem is when the alternator goes out, all the lil things that draw current slowly kill it. Light (tail light) and the various things like that. Once the battery drops below a certian voltage it doesnt have enoug h juice to power the fuel pump and comp, then your rig slowly sputters and dies.

 

Just go buy another stcok alt, unless your want to spend mega bucks on an alt.

 

 

 

Patrick

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Just go buy another stcok alt, unless your want to spend mega bucks on an alt.

Patrick

 

X2

 

Loosing the alt (and battery to boot) isn't a fun experience, but I gotta say that was the original alternator with over 160K miles on it. Not too shabby in my book, and I just swapped in a new OEM one. There's two different amperage alternators available, 60 and 72 IIRC...you could upgrade to the higher output one if you have the smaller one (?). I just stayed with the stock 60A one. And I <> V8 ZJ's have a larger stock output alt, something like 90-100A that you could probably rig up if you wanted to.

 

Jeff

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You can get high amp replacements if you have lots of lights or a winch. Mean Green or find an electric rebuild shop and have the old one rewound? Some I know I just put a 160amp one from Napa our XJ witch is the 4.0L

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By the time I had gotten home my father in law had bought me a new one. He said it was 100A. I looked at doing the 136A upgrade from a Grand but it didn't seem to be a drop in replacement like on new comanches. http://bc4x4.com/tech/2004/jeepalt/

 

Thanks for the voices of reason. So many guys are all about praising every upgrade no matter the cost.

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In my experience, the XJ/MJ alt is in a bad location. On the bottom. the reason why I say by the stock one is cause they are expensive, and Mud/water ruins them quickly. Also overtightening the belt ruins them too.

 

Next time you go to the J-yard pick up a spare for lil or nothing, get it tested (make sure it is good), that way when it craps out and you need one, you have one on hand.

 

 

 

Patrick

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I buy Lifetime Napa ones one all my Jeeps. If there is a problem I just swap it out with them, and I do that at least once a year one of them.

 

The problem with your theory is..

 

1. napa has to have the part you need in stock

2. They have to honor their warranty.

 

Most of the auto parts stores around where I live at won't honor thier warranty more then once. So basically you get one free alt and that is it. Problem there is Napa is almost always 1.5 to 2x higher in price. Also with all the J-yards around my house... alts are 10-15 bucks, and the napa or advance will test them for free. pick one, get it tested, if good keep it, if not go back and get another.

 

 

Patrick

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I see. I have the opposite problem. No Jeeps parts left in the junkyards (but mine witch is 15 Jeeps). I have never had a problem with a Napa warranting an alternator and if you did and you still have a receipt just call the corporate office or the BBB. I also get cost + 10% at Napa and a few times come home with more money then I left with after warranting stuff.

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I have had bad experiences with Advance, and Napa not honoring their warranties, cause I used said item in a "manner that it was not inteded for". I have tried calling the District manager, and even the regional one, and I get the same answer, or get what did the manager say. Needless to say, I buy use alts, and starters now.

 

BTW did you all know, that jeeps are not meant to be used off road. I was told that by a manager at a napa when I was trying to warranty 3 broken u-joints from one week end of wheeling. Now all I buy is spicer, and they honor their warranty.

 

 

 

Patrick

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I have had bad experiences with Advance, and Napa not honoring their warranties, cause I used said item in a "manner that it was not inteded for". I have tried calling the District manager, and even the regional one, and I get the same answer, or get what did the manager say. Needless to say, I buy use alts, and starters now.

 

BTW did you all know, that jeeps are not meant to be used off road. I was told that by a manager at a napa when I was trying to warranty 3 broken u-joints from one week end of wheeling. Now all I buy is spicer, and they honor their warranty.

 

 

 

Patrick

Of course I knew that, everyone knows that Jeeps are just for soccer moms to get groceries :)

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