vs
Alternator OEM Audi or GENERAL MOTORS
Reviews
I had the alternator changed in one of my Phaetons. The overhead light was fluctuating when the engine was running. The problem was fixed when the tech replaced the alternator under warranty.
Pros: problem was fixed
Cons: overhead light fluctuating
Vehicle:
Volkswagen Phaeton
Here is a stock Mk2 65 amp alternator (top) and the generic one-wire GM alternator (bottom). They're physically the same size, and the posts are almost identical in length. The GM fan is indented in the center though, and the VW one is flat. I used the GM fan, cause my stocker is disgusting, lol. I swapped the VW hardware/pulley over, since the GM pulley was obviously no good (flat, not offset).
Pros: same size, easy swap
Cons: GM pulley no good
Vehicle:
Volvo
I took the alternator apart as well, but it's quite worn and a new one does not cost a fortune, so it's not worth it to refurb it.
Pros: new one affordable
Cons: quite worn
Vehicle:
Audi 80
Had an appetite for alternators, as they put it behind the rear cylinder head and tried to keep it cool with some little rubber/plastic air duct. Failboat. We sold the car with its third alternator, each failure attributed to failure of the rear bearings.
Cons: failure of rear bearings
Mileage: 140000 km
Oh yeah and it went through 2 maybe 3 alternators in the 13 years we had it lol.
Cons: alternators failed often
My mom had a 93 Lumina Euro sedan with the 3.8. The only real serious issue it had was a failed alternator which drained the battery and almost left me stranded one night because the headlights dimmed to the point of being unusable. Other than that, yes the alignment was poor and it had some bad brake wear and warping of the rotors.
Cons: poor alignment, bad brake wear
Vehicle:
Chevrolet Lumina
Triumph TR7. You're a bunch of amateurs. I'm a British car guy in general but the Wedge was exactly as bad as advertised. When it couldn't keep a battery charged I converted it to a GM alternator, then the radiator fell out. A previous owner had pop-riveted a license plate over a hole in the floor. Keeping the carbs synched is a black art. The seat frame snapped as I went down the road - I later found out that it had been hose-clamped together by a previous owner. It didn't catch fire as many times as my Spitfire has, but at least the Spit is fun to drive. The headlights didn't just pop up out of sync, they popped up and *turned on* on their own.
I've also owned a Hyundai Pony and it was a Toyota Cressida next to the Wedge.
Cons: radiator fell out, carbs unsynched
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