What companies make good replacement alternators? Had trouble starting my car today after school. It died again after firing it up about 100 feet from where I was parked. Fired it up again and got home and on the way my volt meter went all the way up to 19 then went back down to 14. Anything else I should maybe look at?

 

BUMP please

 

1) Wait 24 hours (at least!) before bumping your own thread - it does take some time to get an answer in most cases, and bumping your own thread is generally pretty gauche...

2) Parts brands have been falling off over the last several years. Autolite parts seem to still be doing well, but I haven't bought electrics at a chain store in years.

Better bet is to find a local shop that does rewinds, and deal with them. With chain store parts, they usually come over from China by the CONEX box. With local shops, they may still be using component parts made in China, but you'll be dealing directly with the people who do the work - and it's far more likely that every individual part wil be tested, as opposed to testing through "statistical process control" (which has its good points and bad points...)

 

You can replace an XJ alt with a ZJ alt, do a search for the specifics.

 

What about an OEM or remanufactured? Whats a wind back?

Sorry for the bump. Just have to have the Jeep running ASAP. I have a snowboarding trip coming up.

 

OEM? You're replacing the OEM unit, don't you want to improve things while you're about it?

Remanufactured? Nearly any alternator or starter you buy in the aftermarket is going to be remanned, and it's about half-and-half at the dealership (they often offer remans as well, but they'll cost at least half again as much. With similar quality concerns. Not normally a big issue - but the general rule on electrical parts is "You installed it, it's yours.")

By "wind back" I'm going to assume you're talking about "rewinds" - that's how I refer to what you get from a local shop that does it, vice buying a reman at the parts house. I do differentiate - since the rewind shop means you're talking to the guys who do the work and the testing, and they'll probably still be able to turn your unit around in a couple of hours - unless you've got something odd for the area (and Jeep never used Lucas or Ducellier alternators, and the Paris-Rhone units were only used on the Renault Diesels, if AMC didn't go to a Delco or a Motorola - I don't recall.)

You should be able to find a local shop in the Yellow section under "Automotive Parts - Retail" or "Automotive Parts - Remanufactured" if you have one local. You can look for a decent unit at a chain store, but if the chain isn't NAPA or maybe CarQuest, I wouldn't bother - better to go with a mom-and-pop. Find a good counterman, and stick with him (there's a good reason I've been dealing with the same counterman for the last fifteen years...)