How long does your Alternator last?

[visionguru]

Polling the forum, in order to get a big picture.
Mine is the original, almost 17 years old, 170K miles, still works fine.

Has anyone tried to replace the BRUSHES without removing the alternator? Is it doable?

I was told that very high percentage of alternator failures are due to worn out brushes ($5), if left un-maintained, one has to replace both the alternator and the battery. The parts cost is about $150, but the labor will be much more than the parts. The 3G alternators on the carb models are PITA to get out.
If we can do on car brush replacement, we maybe can save as much as $500+ repair cost by spending $5.

Care to share your experiences?
Thanks.

[lamontlamont]

i did the alternator on this car three times and on a friends once, i can do it in my sleep now. First of all a replacement alt costs about 90 bucks with the trade in at strauss. you can get one at a junk yard for 50 but for that price it makes no sense not to buy new. I had two alts fail because the three plug connector was corroded, i believe this is the number one cause of failure. i replaced the alt, battery and connector and i never had a problem since.
if you want to do it your self you will need the following: 12mm wrench, 14mm socket/ratchet or just a 14mm wrench and last a 12mm long socket with some kind of thumb wratchet. a ratcheting 12mm wrench makes the job a lot easier so does a 14mm ratcheting wrench. the best way to loosen the tension nut is with a long socket and some kin dof ratcheting thumb ratchet unless you have very strong fingers like me.

you will also need a ball joint seperating tool from strauss discount auto for $13.99 . and also a 10mm wrench for the alt wire.

you will have to remove the axle so u will also need a 32mm socket and a breaker bar to take the axle out of the hub. it now takes me about 30 min to do this job blindfolded, might take you longer. cost is about 100 dollars to do it your self because you have to buy the ball joint seperator.

[numbnuts231]

mine has lasted about 85k so far, and yes you can replace the brushed inside the car providing the armerature was not dameged from the brushes going bad. normally when they go bad, one brush (usually outer) will arc and "burn" the contact plate on the armerature

[DBMaster]

Mine is original with 245,000 miles on the car. On the F/I cars you remove the ari filter box and you can take the alt out from above - not too bad.

How hard is it to open up the alt to replace the brushes? Do you need any special tools?

[visionguru]

mine has lasted about 85k so far, and yes you can replace the brushed inside the car providing the armerature was not dameged from the brushes going bad. normally when they go bad, one brush (usually outer) will arc and "burn" the contact plate on the armerature

Since my alternator is still working fine, I assume the brushes haven't totally worn out yet. I want to do some preventive maintenance, because the brushes are only $5, but if let totally worn out, the cost of repair is 100x as much. Those brushes are service parts (like brake pads). If this can be done without removing alternator, that would be great.


From these pictures, the brushes are in the end cover, and have nothing to do with the alternator housings, bearings. The end cover seems to be removable by removing 3 nuts.
Opinions?

i did the alternator on this car three times and on a friends once, i can do it in my sleep now. .....

Thanks for the tip. I saved your reply to a file. In case I need to take out the alternator, I will definitely ask for your advices.
As for the corroded connector you mentioned, is it the round "alternator connector" in the picture? I might want to check its condition.

[Kabuki]

Yes, you can do the brushes in the car. We do it this way every time. But you must be under the car to do it.

[visionguru]

Yes, you can do the brushes in the car. We do it this way every time. But you must be under the car to do it.

That's great to know. So, basically the procedures are:

1. Disconnect the battery
2. Jack up the car securely & go under
3. Remove the alternator connector
4. Remove the terminal nut & the white wire cable from the post
5. Remove the terminal insulator
6. Remove 3 nuts holding the end cover
7. Remove the end cover
8. Remove 2 screws holding the brush holder
9. Pull out the brush holder
10. Go home & solding the new brushes
11. Come back & put things back

Is that the way it supposed to? Any difficulties that I should be aware of?
Thanks.

[DBMaster]

I have gotta give you guys credit. I got the wires off, the insulator removed, and the cover removed. I did not have adequate clearance or visibility to remove the screws holding on the brush holder. I guess I am leaving it alone. I'll just stash the brushes I bought for some time when I am really bored and want to remove the alternator - maybe next time I do the timing belt in about six months.

[lionel]

you may also want to unbolt the alt so that you can flip it on the side and get access to the rear end. That would involve taking out the belt and the holding bolts but you need not take out the axle.

If you want to remove the alt from a carb accord you can do it from above, but you do need to remove the air filter and the left engine mount bolts to let the engine drop a bit to give clearance. The alt can be taken out through the right side (passenger) of the carb.

[DBMaster]

That is what I was thinking when I was under there, too. At least I got a workout going from under the car, above the car, under the car, above the car...

When I do the timing belt I will have all the belts off so I might as well wait at this point. It will only be another 5-10K miles until it is time for that fun job.

[88Accord-DX]

I wouldn't attempt to break apart the alternator with it still on the car. Pull that thing out to open it up.

Edit- I think mine was original when I replaced it @ 180,000.. I have lifetime warranty on new one, but pulling it out from the top was a little bit of a trick.

[Blkblurr]

I have 236,000 miles on mine.

[BITESIZE]

Just take the damn alternator out...I could do it with my eyes closed. Takes about 5 minutes. I've change my alternator 10 times at least...I'm not kidding. Autozone has piles of shit in that box. BEWARE OF AUTOZONE alternators. Finally after the tenth one I have a good one now. It's lasted 2 years...I'm amazed.

[BITESIZE]

I wouldn't attempt to break apart the alternator with it still on the car. Pull that thing out to open it up.
Edit- I think mine was original when I replaced it @ 180,000.. I have lifetime warranty on new one, but pulling it out from the top was a little bit of a trick.

If you have the stock air filter box it is hard...I don't have it anymore so it is easy to remove from the top. In the manual it says you have to remove the axle to get the alternator out....

[MattsAccord]

Just take the damn alternator out...I could do it with my eyes closed. Takes about 5 minutes. I've change my alternator 10 times at least...I'm not kidding. Autozone has piles of shit in that box. BEWARE OF AUTOZONE alternators. Finally after the tenth one I have a good one now. It's lasted 2 years...I'm amazed.

Same problem here, I'm on my forth. I'm just going to get a new one.

[Honda-Master]

you will have to remove the axle so u will also need a 32mm socket and a breaker bar to take the axle out of the hub. it now takes me about 30 min to do this job blindfolded, might take you longer. cost is about 100 dollars to do it your self because you have to buy the ball joint seperator.[/QUOTE]

you dont need a ball joint separator ,,just hit the control arm with a hammer and it will separate ,, i have done it like this for years ..

[Brons2]

My first alternator in my 86LX lasted 200K.

After that I replaced it twice more in the next 58K if I remember right.

Car was sold in spring of 1997 with 258K miles.