Replacing Alternator bearings Olds Alero

[bubinga]

3.4 motor.
Anything special I need to know.

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[Fedwrench]

Why wouldn't you replace the whole alternator?

 

[bubinga]

Why wouldn't you replace the whole alternator?

Because I needs bearings

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[5ktq]

$20 and time to put in first rate bearings and brushes... or spend $200 to get a reman that someone else put $5 chinese bearings and brushes in.

Choice seems pretty obvious to me unless you're short on time.

Only problem is lately I've been having more trouble finding alt/starter parts at reasonable price, because no one rebuilds them at home anymore... gotta order ahead of time to have on hand.

 

[bubinga]

$20 and time to put in first rate bearings and brushes... or spend $200 to get a reman that someone else put $5 chinese bearings and brushes in.

Choice seems pretty obvious to me unless you're short on time.

This....... Thank you

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[bubinga]

I thought someone said one time I would have to un solder wires to split the case on that perticular alternator.
I was just wondering if there was anything different about that perticular alternator.?
Most of my tools are at the new house.

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[bubinga]

I thought someone said one time I would have to un solder wires to split the case on that perticular alternator.
I was just wondering if there was anything different about that perticular alternator.?
Most of my tools are at the new house.

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Maybe I could grease them for now, I am in a pinch right now.

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[bubinga]

Maybe I could grease them for now, I am in a pinch right now.

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I'm screwed up here got belt off two bolts for alternator can't get the one with the power steering hose bracket on it don't have a damn 14 millimeter socket know how use the Mickey Mouse open-end wrench 9/16 at that. It is just so freaking hot out there I told my helper to put the tools up and come in for a while thought it would have cooled down a bit by now?
Neighbors ain't around with tools when you need them she said it was too hot to follow me over to bring the motorcycle to the new house but it wasn't too hot for them to take off after I bought her two goddamn packs of cigarettes.

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[bubinga]

I'm screwed up here got belt off two bolts for alternator can't get the one with the power steering hose bracket on it don't have a damn 14 millimeter socket know how use the Mickey Mouse open-end wrench 9/16 at that. It is just so freaking hot out there I told my helper to put the tools up and come in for a while thought it would have cooled down a bit by now?
Neighbors ain't around with tools when you need them she said it was too hot to follow me over to bring the motorcycle to the new house but it wasn't too hot for them to take off after I bought her two goddamn packs of cigarettes.

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And her bullshitter husband is off on his bike.

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[American Locomotive]

...what?

 

[joe_padavano]

Only problem is lately I've been having more trouble finding alt/starter parts at reasonable price, because no one rebuilds them at home anymore... gotta order ahead of time to have on hand.

^^^THIS, unfortunately. I can't even find parts for a common 12SI on the shelf locally anymore. Since nearly all of my vehicle have 12SI alternators, I just ordered a couple of sets of rebuild parts from RockAuto and keep them on the shelf.

Frankly, the rebuilt alternators you get today have about a 50% failure rate in the first month or so anyway. Yeah, there's a warranty, but I hate wasting my limited free time doing something twice.

 

[bubinga]

^^^THIS, unfortunately. I can't even find parts for a common 12SI on the shelf locally anymore. Since nearly all of my vehicle have 12SI alternators, I just ordered a couple of sets of rebuild parts from RockAuto and keep them on the shelf.

Frankly, the rebuilt alternators you get today have about a 50% failure rate in the first month or so anyway. Yeah, there's a warranty, but I hate wasting my limited free time doing something twice.

Very true.
Yes, there is a warranty, but unfortunately, YOU NEED THE WARRANTY.

I dropped a bunch of oil and sprayed some "break free" in the front and back of the alternator, it is quiet for now.
I wanted to get the rest of the stuff moved today, but mostly DAVID (temporary room mate for the weekend) just lays around.
Anyone know what that Alternator is on that 02 Alero, is, to ID it before I tear it down, so I can have the bearings and brushes ahead of time?
Trying to get the last of the things moved, now my cat I've had 10 years took off lost week.
I want to find her, she was good company for me. .

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[DTuck]

Very true.
Yes, there is a warranty, but unfortunately, YOU NEED THE WARRANTY.

I dropped a bunch of oil and sprayed some "break free" in the front and back of the alternator, it is quiet for now.
I wanted to get the rest of the stuff moved today, but mostly DAVID (temporary room mate for the weekend) just lays around.
Anyone know what that Alternator is on that 02 Alero, is, to ID it before I tear it down, so I can have the bearings and brushes ahead of time?
Trying to get the last of the things moved, now my cat I've had 10 years took off lost week.
I want to find her, she was good company for me. .

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Man, you alright?

 

[bubinga]

Man, you alright?

Yes, thank you.

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[1foxracing]

Wish I would have seen this yesterday, I passed through S Wheeling yesterday while taking my daughter to tour the Moundsville penitentiary and would have been more then happy to drop you off a 14mm wrench or socket. I hope you get it sorted and back together!

 

[bubinga]

Wish I would have seen this yesterday, I passed through S Wheeling yesterday while taking my daughter to tour the Moundsville penitentiary and would have been more then happy to drop you off a 14mm wrench or socket. I hope you get it sorted and back together!

Why thank you!
NICE of you!
Keeping fingers crossed
Like I said dropped some oil in the front and rear oof the housing, still a "can of marbles" sound. Sprayed the "break free" in there, ran it a bit, nice and quiet for now.
That penitentiary tour is pretty cool. We'll worth the trip if your out this way.
How about old Sparky, the electric chair?
Kind of eerie right?

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[1foxracing]

Why thank you!
NICE of you!
Keeping fingers crossed
Like I said dropped some oil in the front and rear oof the housing, still a "can of marbles" sound. Sprayed the "break free" in there, ran it a bit, nice and quiet for now.
That penitentiary tour is pretty cool. We'll worth the trip if your out this way.
How about old Sparky, the electric chair?
Kind of eerie right?

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Hope your alternator stays quiet. Even my 14 year old daughter liked it and she wants to go back for one of the all nighters.

 

[BonzoHansen]

$20 and time to put in first rate bearings and brushes... or spend $200 to get a reman that someone else put $5 chinese bearings and brushes in.

Choice seems pretty obvious to me unless you're short on time.

Only problem is lately I've been having more trouble finding alt/starter parts at reasonable price, because no one rebuilds them at home anymore... gotta order ahead of time to have on hand.

That's why i try to buy new alternators now. I'll bet you a brand new alternator for this car is less than $100.

 

[blake101]

Wish I would have seen this yesterday, I passed through S Wheeling yesterday while taking my daughter to tour the Moundsville penitentiary and would have been more then happy to drop you off a 14mm wrench or socket. I hope you get it sorted and back together!

I appreciate people like you.

 

[scubadoober]

New ACDelco on Rockauto for 103.79 plus shipping. No core. Can get as cheap as 73.79 in other brands.

 

[6PTsocket]

$20 and time to put in first rate bearings and brushes... or spend $200 to get a reman that someone else put $5 chinese bearings and brushes in.

Choice seems pretty obvious to me unless you're short on time.

Only problem is lately I've been having more trouble finding alt/starter parts at reasonable price, because no one rebuilds them at home anymore... gotta order ahead of time to have on hand.

I don't believe there are brushes in an alternator, at least any I have ever seen or rebuilt.

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[kythri]

I don't believe there are brushes in an alternator, at least any I have ever seen or rebuilt.

Maybe not in the alternator, per se, but I've replaced brushes in a voltage regulator module that's attached to an alternator (Ford).

 

[theoldwizard1]

Because I needs bearings

Wait until you get it apart and look at the brushes and slip rings !

 

[bubinga]

I appreciate people like you.

For sure.


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[bubinga]

Maybe not in the alternator, per se, but I've replaced brushes in a voltage regulator module that's attached to an alternator (Ford).

Yeah,
Me too.
Old 70's had um too.
Put the stiff wire in there to hold them back.

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[bubinga]

Wait until you get it apart and look at the brushes and slip rings !

Yes old wizard quite possible (help mr. Wizard I don't want to be an auto mechanic no more LOL.)
Yeah this car is a POS.
0nly way
it's going to stay on the road is cuz I'm moving to Ohio and it might even not even stay on the road that much longer in 0hio.
so if I can get away with some bearings for a while that's going to be it. Little bit of a bind money-wise right now nothing new.
Too bad I couldn't find a kit for it.
I could machine the slip ring if need be.
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[redmondjp]

Good luck - I used to rebuild all of my own alternators and starters, but GM alternators became almost impossible to work on even in the late 1980s, due to the fact that you had to unsolder the stator wires from the part on the opposite half of the case and that required a huge soldering iron to get enough heat into the joint to melt it.

Once I discovered that I could buy alternators for $12.95 (back in the day) from Pick-n-Pull, I ended up with a garage full of spare junkyard alternators which I would use as necessary.

I will still buy a rebuilt alternator out there if it's half-price day and it looks like a recently-replaced unit.

 

[bubinga]

Good luck - I used to rebuild all of my own alternators and starters, but GM alternators became almost impossible to work on even in the late 1980s, due to the fact that you had to unsolder the stator wires from the part on the opposite half of the case and that required a huge soldering iron to get enough heat into the joint to melt it.

Once I discovered that I could buy alternators for $12.95 (back in the day) from Pick-n-Pull, I ended up with a garage full of spare junkyard alternators which I would use as necessary.

I will still buy a rebuilt alternator out there if it's half-price day and it looks like a recently-replaced unit.

0k, well that's what someone had told me about un soldering something to get them apart.
So a regular Weller gun won't do it?

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[bubinga]

Our you pull it don't have a half price day.
That would be nice.

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[pilotmotor]

The stator windings are probably welded to the diode bridge and will have to be carefully cut and then soldered back when your done. This is the way its done at the factory. The rotor shaft is often seized to the inner race of the front bearing and is very difficult to remove without damaging the front housing. Also the slip rings are usually worn out and are not easy to replace. Its generally a PITA to take apart , not really meant to be repaired. You will also need an inverted torx socket for the housing bolts I don't remember the size at the moment.

 

[redmondjp]

0k, well that's what someone had told me about un soldering something to get them apart.
So a regular Weller gun won't do it?

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Which size? The issue that I had was that my gun wouldn't make enough heat - that thick copper wire really pulls the heat away from the joint area. I got really frustrated and gave up (keep in mind that I rebuilt 15-20 older GM alternators before that so I was really frustrated).

Some of those old-school electric soldering irons with the half-pound tip will do it because they have so much heat energy stored in the tip of the iron.

 

[Mick56]

I would get a used one at a wrecking yard. I would rather have a used original alternator, than a rebuilt.

 

[paulsomlo]

I thought someone said one time I would have to un solder wires to split the case on that perticular alternator.
I was just wondering if there was anything different about that perticular alternator.?
Most of my tools are at the new house.

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Maybe - post up a good picture of the alternator. Some of them are miserable to split the case open, as the stator is mechanically retained in one half with non-accessible screws, while it's soldered into the other half. The only way to deal with those alternators, is to unsolder all the stator wires with a good size gun.

And some are easy to split - maybe you'll get lucky.

 

[paulsomlo]

I just looked at 7 or 8 examples on Rockauto.com - doesn't look like you'll have any trouble splitting the case. You'll need an e-torx for the four case bolts, a big socket to remove the pulley, impact will help there. If you're not replacing the rectifier, I don't think you'll need the soldering iron.

 

[redmondjp]

Maybe - post up a good picture of the alternator. Some of them are miserable to split the case open, as the stator is mechanically retained in one half with non-accessible screws, while it's soldered into the other half. The only way to deal with those alternators, is to unsolder all the stator wires with a good size gun.

And some are easy to split - maybe you'll get lucky.

That's exactly why I gave up on trying to rebuild the GM alternators! It's not like the older ones where you could split the halves apart w/o desoldering connections. Too much trouble.

 

[xin]

Get a reman ACDelco one - no problems with them.

 

[Lotek]

Order an AC/Delco and go look for your cat, dicking around with late model alternators isn't worth the hassle.

 

[rustbucket5]

waste of time rebuilding alternators for late model cars,if yours has enough miles on it and you do get it apart it will need more than bearings ill guarantee you that

 

[Daddy B]

https://alternatorstarterrebuildkits.com/

 

[theoldwizard1]

0k, well that's what someone had told me about un soldering something to get them apart.

The only thing that is soldered are the leads from the stator to the diode assembly. You will not be messing with that.

If the slip rings have deep grooves, you are wasting your time. Yes, they can be replaced, but they are also soldered and a pain in the *** to replace. Then you have to find the replacement slip rings. Not easy. Don't forget new brushes.