Rebuilt Alternator ?

Hey guys, looking for some feedback on the quality of the rebuilt Denso alternators.
My 2006 dbcb has 286k with the original alternator, got a feeling it won't be long
before it goes. Thanks for your input

 

Depends on who rebuilt it..

 

You can check my build page for pics of the new Rebuilt Denso Alternator I just installed. Thought I heard some low pitched groaning briefly from it a few days after install and discounted it. Week goes by and I heard it again very faintly for a few minutes.

Not sure what it was, but I put the MultiMeter on it and checked the factory specs and all checks out nicely with the FSM. Gauge is where is should be. No dimming lights. Might be the new Mojo of the new bushings? Or I was hearing things?

So far so good. Truck starts strongly. I highly recco so far. I’d only trust Denso for an Alternator in our trucks. I did mine with the Timing Belt Job for ease of access. Old Bushings were worn out of spec.

 

Start at post 194

https://www.tundras.com/threads/the...chronological-story.46816/page-7#post-1943015

 

Having your original alternator rebuilt used to be the Standard. But no one wants to do it anymore, they say 'Just buy another'....sad.....

 

LOL, my friend's brother states, and I'm paraphrasing something like, "mechanics are not mechanics anymore, they're installers, as they no longer fix parts, they just buy a new one and install it... "

 

Just buy and replace the darn alternator brushes. About $20 at the Toyota dealership parts counter. I just proactively put a 3rd set in my 1997 T-100 (at 263,000 miles). Good to go.

I've always loved that Toyota factory alternators are serviceable (can easily pull them apart, get to the brushes and swap them out). If it's a good time for belts then double lotto bonus while you've got the alternator off.

 

I may just replace the brushes.Thanks for the advice.

 

If you're not familiar here's what the part looks like. And you want the Mama Toyota part. No aftermarket (I don't even know if there are aftermarket brushes).

 

Just ordered the part. Thanks for advice.

 

Yup. About to the end of its service life. The Factory Service Manual may identify what that minimum is. I've not looked for it before choosing to just replace every 125,000 miles or so (the T-100 V6 alternator is pretty easy to get to).

 

Yeah. Each engine has its own bushing spec and there also is the tow package alternator (100amp) variable, as well. In my picture of those bushings, they are just under spec which is .180”.

The FSM measures from the bottom curve of the bushing to the base of the circle mount. In my picture, I measured from the tips which overstates the length. Out of spec.

 

You guys should do a YouTube video of the brush repair.

 

I'm tempted to replace the alternator but then I see our trucks with 400,000 miles on the original alternator.

https://www.tundras.com/threads/2000-tundra-just-turned-400-000-miles.76615/#post-1950701

 

I recently changed the brushes on my Son's 2002 Tacoma with the 3.4 liter. The truck had 156K and when I compared the old brushes to the new brushes, they were half the size..

 

Great for him but the Alternator went out on my '06 at 230,000 miles. Conveniently while I was out of town as well.

 

Yeah, having it go out at the worst possible time would be my only motivation to do it now. But I'm not even close to 230,000 miles.

 

The battery light popped on while driving, I was in the middle of the drive, still 80 miles away from destination. Otherwise, kept going, no problems. Got to Los Angeles, at some point the truck started to act strange, loss of power, lights flickering, so I knew the alternator was gone and the battery was draining. Pointed the truck towards to closest auto parts store as it was Saturday night. I was just barely moving towards the end, had the accelerator floored to keep the truck from dying while moving at 5 mph. I was in an area where if you leave your truck overnight, it's getting towed. I rolled into Autozone and the truck died. It was a fun next day of changing the Alternator in the parking lot, uber to Home Depot to buy a propane torch to force a stuck bolt off. Was forced to use an Autozone alternator but it worked fine for the amount of time that I had the truck afterwards. So the moral of my story is, the alternator didn't warn me before the day it went. I didn't get to perform a diagnosis on the alternator as I didn't want to eat the core charge.

 

Yeah. 200k seems to be the average number these go out from readings. As you can see in my pic above, the brush is near the nub divot warning indicator. No brainer to swap a new one in during the Timing Belt Job.

Must have been nerve racking to replace yours away from home. Our Alternators are in the worst spot for ease of change.

So far so good on my new one. While swapping new brushes in was a strong consideration, I’m glad to have swapped in a reman. The old Alternator was all corroded looking on the backside. Didn’t dive deeper so unsure. Denso polishes everything and greases the pulley shafts etc.

 

They generally don't give any "advance" warning. As you described----maybe a couple of hours time and a few dozen miles (depending on how much electrical load you're running (stereo, headlights, etc.)). Kinda like when the battree takes a sh!t.

 

I used to work in a shop many years ago. How I worked my way through college. From the mechanics point, he has to make the correct diagnosis, disassemble the unit (starter, alternator, wiper motor, etc.) find the issue (it's not always the brushes) and that takes time. Then reassemble the unit and re-install. His time in all this is considerable. Having the unit rebuilt probably saves you money.

As short story...The starter went on my Chevy. I took out the unit and gave it to the rebuilder. The rebuilt went in one week. Gave it back and the second unit went in about a month. I handed it to the rebuilder told him this was #3. I also said "This is for my car. Do a good job." He brought it back and handed it to me. That was late 70's early 80's. That starter is still in my car.

 

With today's habit of "I want it, and I want it right now" plus overnight shipping of a part is too long for me, I get why people opt to replace vs rebuilt.. I originally wanted to rebuild my starter before giving in and just replacing it, but I still have the part in the hopes of rebuilding it later..

 

Your starters and alternators are rebuilt or rewound or rebrushed. Hence the core charge when purchasing your new or rebuilt one. You get someone else's core that was rebuilt and you pass your core along to the next fella. Minus the week of downtime waiting for it to be rebuilt. It's a better system than waiting for your specific alternator to be rebuilt.