Alternator fail

[Tcx607]

Has Anyone changed his alternator before? How much does it cost?

I check price from MingGhee on Honda alternator is approx. $900 includes GST.

Has anyone DIY changing the alternator? My ride is 7yrs old and alternator just failed.

Edited September 8, 2013 by Tcx607

[Hamburger]

Has Anyone changed his alternator before? How much does it cost?

I check price from MingGhee on Honda alternator is approx. $900 includes GST.

Has anyone DIY changing the alternator? My ride is 7yrs old and alternator just failed.

get a used one from jap scrapped car that normally comes with 3 months warranty.

[Fcw75]

Not possible to DIY changing alternator. Quite a lot of work.

[Jman888]

DIY alternator?

 

get a recon unit will save a fair bit

[Watwheels]

Alternator rewind or repair I know. DIY is too technical for car user. LoL...

 

I came across one at 669 Geylang Road, De Sheng Trading, when I was at an audio shop a few units away. If I'm not wrong I see them recond or rewind failed alternators. If you Google and see the street view you will be able to see the contact number. Try giving them a call. I have never used their service hence not that sure.

[Sei_fei_loh]

Has Anyone changed his alternator before? How much does it cost?

I check price from MingGhee on Honda alternator is approx. $900 includes GST.

Has anyone DIY changing the alternator? My ride is 7yrs old and alternator just failed.

 

Fil jus chnged alternatir for his accord. 600+ for new.

 

300+ for recon

[Fcw75]

Try this shop TS.

 

http://www.chophockhong.com.sg/index.cfm?GPID=20

 

Have to do some legwork to get best price.

[LoverofCar]

jap car recon alternator cost around $300+ for one...since you ride is 7 years old..go for recon...$900 for a new one?...you can even change 3 recon one..if you so sauy all recon one keep failing...

[Tcx607]

Since I am not ready to change my ride soon, I decided to purchase the new alternator to be safe.

I have asked my mechanics to change and observed Civic bonnet is very cramp. This is a difficult task to change alternator.

Must dismantle tensioner and bonnet hook to allow free space for alternator to left out. Nevertheless, it came out after trail and error in all positions.

Once the new one in-place, everything back to normal. I think the money well spent after seeing this installation activities.

Next time, must consider a car with big bonnet area for such maintenance & change out.

Edited September 9, 2013 by Tcx607

[Tcx607]

Just to share if your alternator failed, switch off aircon, radio, head light, CD player etc... to conserve battery energy.

Else, your batt will run flat very soon.

[Alphas]

My car was having intermittent cranking problem and battery light, and went to have my car checked at autosaver. The mechanic took a meter and connect to the battery terminals. It reads 12.4V idle and told me the alternator is spoilt. Good alternator should read above 13v and want me to replace it.

I asked him he should connect DIRECTLY to the alternator terminals and not the battery terminals since there could be electrical issues. He told me if the alternator is working they will replace back the alternator. I argue with him why should I change a new alternator if my current one is alright. This waste my time and not fix the problem.

Appalled by them i went back home to do a voltage drop test with my multimeter. Connecting to the battery negative terminal and the car chassis when idle, my multimeter read 300mV drop. It is an electrical problem (the voltage drop must be below 100mV), and also check the battery positive terminal by connecting to the alternator fuse in the fuse box and read only 50mV(the voltage drop must be below 100mV). So there was a bad connection in the negative electrical terminal.

I drove to Kian Teong Auto centre #01-08 at Sin Ming autocare. I told them to check the alternator and the mechanic took the meter and connected DIRECTLY to the alternator terminals, FINALLY someone who know how to check alternator! The reading is 13.5V and told me the alternator works great and he needs time to find the electrical issue. I came back in 2 hrs and he replace the negative battery terminal and wiring.

If you didnt read the whole text, it is simply DO not condemn the alternator immediately, always assume there is electrical issue before changing it. Do a simple voltage drop test above and connect directly to the alternator terminals to check voltage. You could end up spending $500-900 for nothing than a $50 battery terminal issue.

[Earthboy]

 

My car was having intermittent cranking problem and battery light, and went to have my car checked at autosaver. The mechanic took a meter and connect to the battery terminals. It reads 12.4V idle and told me the alternator is spoilt. Good alternator should read above 13v and want me to replace it.

 

I asked him he should connect DIRECTLY to the alternator terminals and not the battery terminals since there could be electrical issues. He told me if the alternator is working they will replace back the alternator. I argue with him why should I change a new alternator if my current one is alright. This waste my time and not fix the problem.

 

Appalled by them i went back home to do a voltage drop test with my multimeter. Connecting to the battery negative terminal and the car chassis when idle, my multimeter read 300mV drop. It is an electrical problem (the voltage drop must be below 100mV), and also check the battery positive terminal by connecting to the alternator fuse in the fuse box and read only 50mV(the voltage drop must be below 100mV). So there was a bad connection in the negative electrical terminal.

 

I drove to Kian Teong Auto centre #01-08 at Sin Ming autocare. I told them to check the alternator and the mechanic took the meter and connected DIRECTLY to the alternator terminals, FINALLY someone who know how to check alternator! The reading is 13.5V and told me the alternator works great and he needs time to find the electrical issue. I came back in 2 hrs and he replace the negative battery terminal and wiring.

 

If you didnt read the whole text, it is simply DO not condemn the alternator immediately, always assume there is electrical issue before changing it. Do a simple voltage drop test above and connect directly to the alternator terminals to check voltage. You could end up spending $500-900 for nothing than a $50 battery terminal issue.

 

bro, you power. ws cannot BS you! :)

[Alphas]

Repost to make sure those WS dont try to smoke you!

 

 

I actually scolded the mechanic in autosaver, damn I wonder how many good alternators they replaced with new ones. There was something that I found that most WS test the alternator wrongly, I went to two other WS around the autosaver to ask them test alternator voltage. Both test from the battery terminals , they just take shortcut, I banned them automatically.

 

Voltage drop test is simple and there no need to have a degree in this (even though I have masters in eng). Those who are not sure how to do, watch this DIY VIDEO

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTGz0PKIl84

[Davidklt]

Go for recon ones..

[Columbian78]

Hi Alphas, thanks for sharing.

How much were you charged for the replacement of battery terminal and wiring? Since you have a masters in eng and is good with elec diy, wouldn't it be cheaper and faster to just change the terminal yourself as it is an easy job and you had already found the root cause? I'm asking as I may have similar problem.

 

 

My car was having intermittent cranking problem and battery light, and went to have my car checked at autosaver. The mechanic took a meter and connect to the battery terminals. It reads 12.4V idle and told me the alternator is spoilt. Good alternator should read above 13v and want me to replace it.

I asked him he should connect DIRECTLY to the alternator terminals and not the battery terminals since there could be electrical issues. He told me if the alternator is working they will replace back the alternator. I argue with him why should I change a new alternator if my current one is alright. This waste my time and not fix the problem.

Appalled by them i went back home to do a voltage drop test with my multimeter. Connecting to the battery negative terminal and the car chassis when idle, my multimeter read 300mV drop. It is an electrical problem (the voltage drop must be below 100mV), and also check the battery positive terminal by connecting to the alternator fuse in the fuse box and read only 50mV(the voltage drop must be below 100mV). So there was a bad connection in the negative electrical terminal.

I drove to Kian Teong Auto centre #01-08 at Sin Ming autocare. I told them to check the alternator and the mechanic took the meter and connected DIRECTLY to the alternator terminals, FINALLY someone who know how to check alternator! The reading is 13.5V and told me the alternator works great and he needs time to find the electrical issue. I came back in 2 hrs and he replace the negative battery terminal and wiring.

If you didnt read the whole text, it is simply DO not condemn the alternator immediately, always assume there is electrical issue before changing it. Do a simple voltage drop test above and connect directly to the alternator terminals to check voltage. You could end up spending $500-900 for nothing than a $50 battery terminal issue.

 

 

[Cls36]

 

My car was having intermittent cranking problem and battery light, and went to have my car checked at autosaver. The mechanic took a meter and connect to the battery terminals. It reads 12.4V idle and told me the alternator is spoilt. Good alternator should read above 13v and want me to replace it.

 

I asked him he should connect DIRECTLY to the alternator terminals and not the battery terminals since there could be electrical issues. He told me if the alternator is working they will replace back the alternator. I argue with him why should I change a new alternator if my current one is alright. This waste my time and not fix the problem.

 

Appalled by them i went back home to do a voltage drop test with my multimeter. Connecting to the battery negative terminal and the car chassis when idle, my multimeter read 300mV drop. It is an electrical problem (the voltage drop must be below 100mV), and also check the battery positive terminal by connecting to the alternator fuse in the fuse box and read only 50mV(the voltage drop must be below 100mV). So there was a bad connection in the negative electrical terminal.

 

I drove to Kian Teong Auto centre #01-08 at Sin Ming autocare. I told them to check the alternator and the mechanic took the meter and connected DIRECTLY to the alternator terminals, FINALLY someone who know how to check alternator! The reading is 13.5V and told me the alternator works great and he needs time to find the electrical issue. I came back in 2 hrs and he replace the negative battery terminal and wiring.

 

If you didnt read the whole text, it is simply DO not condemn the alternator immediately, always assume there is electrical issue before changing it. Do a simple voltage drop test above and connect directly to the alternator terminals to check voltage. You could end up spending $500-900 for nothing than a $50 battery terminal issue.

 

 

Bro you are good!

[Alphas]

Hi Alphas, thanks for sharing.

How much were you charged for the replacement of battery terminal and wiring? Since you have a masters in eng and is good with elec diy, wouldn't it be cheaper and faster to just change the terminal yourself as it is an easy job and you had already found the root cause? I'm asking as I may have similar problem.

 

 

 

Firstly masters doesnt mean anything about repairing a car. I do not have the skills nor the parts to repair it. Of course when you know how to repair, pls go ahead but I dont want to get my hand too dirty.

I paid the WS $70 for the parts and labour.

 

I found the cause but I have no idea the source since the wiring can be quite hard to replace.

Edited December 13, 2013 by Alphas

[Mcf777]

Hi Alphas, thanks for sharing.

How much were you charged for the replacement of battery terminal and wiring? Since you have a masters in eng and is good with elec diy, wouldn't it be cheaper and faster to just change the terminal yourself as it is an easy job and you had already found the root cause? I'm asking as I may have similar problem.

 

 

he mention S$50 at post #11