By the time you're seeing symptoms, it's already very near the failure point. Then, everything powered by electricity, including the vehicle's computer, fuel pump, and ignition, stop working, and so does your vehicle. When an alternator fails, the battery temporarily provides power to those components, until it runs out of juice. That belt spins the alternator, which generates the electricity needed to recharge the battery after startup, operate electrical components like the headlights, radio, GPS, and fuel injection. When the engine is running, it spins the pulleys on the front of the engine, which are connected by a serpentine belt. Simply put, an alternator is an electrical generator. While there's some logic there, an alternator is a critical piece of the vehicle's engine. Or, maybe you want to know if you can keep driving with a failing alternator for another week until payday. If you're asking this question, we'd like to start you off with a few of the basics here. They have warranties too, and can last longer than new, since most of the internal parts are brand new. You know what brand new means, while "remanufactured" means the alternator gets completely taken apart, and many wear components replaced with new parts, often including upgrades for longer life. The proper solution is a new or remanufactured alternator.
![changing from 1963 m generator to alternator chevy truck changing from 1963 m generator to alternator chevy truck](https://www.jbugs.com/store/graphics/00000001/Alternator-800.jpg)
"Rebuilt" means only the defective internal part was replaced, while everything else is old. A "used" tag likely means it came from a junkyard, and has similar mileage to your failed unit. Chances are at some point in your car's life cycle, that alternator will have to be replaced.ĭon't run out and buy the cheapest used or rebuilt alternator you find online.
![changing from 1963 m generator to alternator chevy truck changing from 1963 m generator to alternator chevy truck](https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/alternator-brush-pack.jpg)
While alternators can last more than 100,000 miles, their internal parts spin when the engine is operating, and wear out over time. You can investigate the symptoms and diagnose a failing alternator yourself with some basic tools. If you think your alternator is starting to fail (or has already failed), look for these common symptoms: