Alternator Symptoms & Part #

[J_C]

Drove 2 miles to the gas station yesterday and it ran fine. Spent ~ 45 seconds in the gas station, came out and it acted like battery was drained... barely turning over, wouldn't start.

Got a jump from a good Samaritan and it started fine but during the 2 miles trip home the headlights kept getting dimmer, then ABS light on the dash came on, then little red check (gauges?) light came on. Interior lights wouldn't turn on at all.

I'm thinking the alternator went out, does this seem plausible? I know it's not much trouble to pull it and take to a local parts store to test, but also more replacement part #s than I expected.

I'm seeing 90A vs 130A current rating and assume the 130A was on anything with standard accessory package on these but is there a difference between the alternators on the difference engines or specific alternator brands to avoid?

For example at Advance Auto there are these two with one listed for OHV engine and the other for SOHC engine but what difference does there need be based on the engine /valves??

Edit2: Okay now I see the battery cable stud is located in the rear on the OHV version and the side on the SOHC, as is my original alternator.

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/...ator-remanufactured-130-amps-7787a/15210199-P

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/...nator-remanufactured-130-amps-7768a/5212340-P

Edit: I almost forgot that a burnt out bulb can cause alternator not to charge the battery. Is there a simple way to figure out which it is instead of pulling the alternator to have someone test it?

Edit2: The battery light comes on so it looks like the alternator.

 

[JusTheUsual]

I just skimmed through what you wrote without reading it all. You can buy a 130amp for a 95amp stock alternator like I did. It wont mess up anything. I did it because I have a loud speaker system in my truck and at night with the lights on when I stopped at stoplights my gage would go way down and my lights would dim and light back up when there was no base. Doesn't do it with a 130amp alternator. I have been looking at another alternator because it has been a few years and I take mine mud bogging so mud in alternator and the pulley doesn't spin freely so the battery light is on in my truck. But I am pissed advanced wont honor their warranty because for some reason the parts number on my alternator doesn't show up in their system like they never sold it before and everything I bought from them recently doesn't show up on their computers so I am a little pissed about that.

Here is what I have been looking at and coupons to save you money:

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/...ionPath=L1*14920|L2*14999|L3*15587#fragment-4

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/...ionPath=L1*14920|L2*14999|L3*15587#fragment-1

the first link has lifetime warranty and the second one only a year warranty and here is coupons:

Receive an Extra 30% off $50+ order w/coupon TRT30
• Receive an Extra $40 off $110+ Order w/coupon WD530
• Receive an Extra $20 off $60+ Order w/coupon MFD13
• Receive an Extra $5 off $25+ Order or $10 Off $50+ w/coupon MCDMG52
• Receive an Extra $40 off regular-price orders of $100+ order w/coupon TRT41
• Receive an Extra 15% off Sitewide w/coupon AAP15OFF (Ends 07/31)
• Receive an Extra 20% off Sitewide w/coupon PS20
• Receive an Extra $25 off $70+ order w/coupon WD530
• Receive an Extra $10 off $30+ order w/coupon WD530

 

[J_C]

^ Thanks but those are the OHV version.

Looking at the pictures (IF they are accurate and being halfway through pulling the one in the vehicle) it looks like the stud for the battery cable is further away from the battery while the cable is barely long enough as it is. It might reach with either alternator design but for only a few dollars difference I'll play it safe with the SOHC version.

I never trust places to recognize their own parts for warranty purposes. I used to just save all receipts but a few years back I discovered that Autozone was using disappearing ink on theirs (no sun on them, just tucked away in a folder in a filing cabinet) so I started scanning them into computer files.

That also helps if the receipt says lifetime warranty on it because some things like my hood struts had lifetime warranty when first purchased but they dropped the warranty down after that so I got 3 x pairs of replacement struts over the years after each !@#$ set failed, that I wouldn't have been able to get through warranty replacement if I didn't have the receipt showing the lifetime warranty.

Guess I ought to replace the belt while I'm at it... didn't recall that the tensioner had a 3/8" ratchet hole in it. FYI right now Autozone has a $5 (gift card) rebate on a Dayco belt for my SOHC and there are $7 off $30 coupons floating around... In-store purchase only Expires 8/4/15.
http://www.retailmenot.com/view/autozone.com#print.7054200

 

[JusTheUsual]

Its hard to go off from pics. The battery I just bought 2months ago which doesn't show up on their computers either of me buying it was one of their more expensive 1000ca batteries with 3yr warranty doesn't have the right pic. The posts were switched in pic but when I picked it up it was the right one. I wouldn't go off from pics. Those coupons for advance has saved me at least $100 in the past 2months. I think they expire in a few days but I usually get new coupon codes for advance soon after

 

[Sitcoms]

It definitely sounds like your alternator to me. My 99's went recently, and first things I noticed were headlights getting dimmer and then the ABS light came on.
There are three different alternators, at least for the 99 sport. There's a 90 and a 130, but there are actually two versions of one. One fits if you have a turbo installed - one of the holes to bolt in will not match up if you install it. Since I'm assuming you truck is now sitting there and you have a second vehicle to get a new alternator, just pull out the old one (It's literally just taking a few hoses apart/taking off the top cover and then taking out some bolts) and take it to the store.

 

[J_C]

Yeah I already have the alternator pulled and order placed at Advance, just have to go get it.

Forgot to mention that I recharged the battery earlier today and measured that the voltage was the same both off and running, confirming it's not charging, well the same except obviously dropping in voltage the longer it ran.

 

[J_C]

New alternator fixed it. Got this one and it was a Carquest, exact drop in replacement:
http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/...ator-remanufactured-130-amps-7787a/15210199-P

... now if only I could find the 9/32" socket that I dropped in the engine. :scratch:

 

[JusTheUsual]

Well I just found out Advanceauto parts deletes information on their computers every 18months. So thats why not even parts number shows up when i brought them my alternator for warranty. Im going to start telling everyone this. No since of ever buying lifetime warranty stuff anymore if they wont honor it. Should be against the law or should of been sued by now by someone for doing this kind of stuff. Not honoring their warranties because they delete their computers every 18months. I even just had a receipt from 2012 I went up their with and nothing shows up from receipt. Just found a lifetime warranty 130amp new alternator from rockauto for $95

 

[J_C]

That's why I scan receipts, but it's a little annoying that both Advance Auto and Autozone manage to make their receipts longer than my scanner bed so I have to make two scans.

Anyway, here's the test report from my alternator. I thought it was interesting to see the difference in current at different RPM, though I don't know what ratio its RPM is to engine RPM... surely it's spinning over 5000RPM at the engine redline.