How long did your original alternator last?
01-18-2008, 02:32 PM
#1
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How long did your original alternator last?
I've got 165,000 miles on my 99 Ram and wondering .. is it due? or will it last another 150k?
I was about to submit an order to Geno's for a cup smoothie and tranny filter, and noticed their alternator rebuild kit. Hmmmm... it sure was nice to have the starter contact kit under the seat of my truck 6 months *before* I needed it.
FWIW, I replaced both original batteries last summer - before I had any problems.
Even though they were still working "fine", the truck sure cranks over faster with those Optimas pushing the starter!
No snow-plow, no winch, no aftermarket amp/stereo. Towed 35' 5er (lots-o-lights + charging camper battery) the first 125k miles - but sold it.
The only "extra" power drain on my truck is XM radio, on-board air compressor, Magellan Roadmate (GPS) and cell-phone charger.
I was about to submit an order to Geno's for a cup smoothie and tranny filter, and noticed their alternator rebuild kit. Hmmmm... it sure was nice to have the starter contact kit under the seat of my truck 6 months *before* I needed it.
FWIW, I replaced both original batteries last summer - before I had any problems.
Even though they were still working "fine", the truck sure cranks over faster with those Optimas pushing the starter!
No snow-plow, no winch, no aftermarket amp/stereo. Towed 35' 5er (lots-o-lights + charging camper battery) the first 125k miles - but sold it.
The only "extra" power drain on my truck is XM radio, on-board air compressor, Magellan Roadmate (GPS) and cell-phone charger.
01-18-2008, 04:30 PM
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My truck has approx 260k mi and I've had it for 100K and I'm thinking overplacing it before I'm doing it on the side of the road. Don't kknow if or when it was changed last.
01-18-2008, 08:06 PM
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I just changed mine with 398k miles, I am not the original owner of the truck but I am sure it was the original alternator. It had been on there so long that the upper mounting bolt had worn right through where it mounts on the alternator.
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01-18-2008, 09:15 PM
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I got around 170,000 on mine.
I was driving home one night and it smelled like burning plastic. I thought it was in the trailer wiring.
Well after that it would charge weird. I checked the alt with a load tester and it was low, but not out of "normal". About a month later, I was driving to work and it stopped charging. Made it 15 miles to home tough with all the warning lights on. Not even enough juice to light up the brake lights
Alternator was hoses. The slip ring was worn right down into the shaft... i.e... not a simple rebuild. $160 for a re-man'd one from CarQuest and good as new.
I was driving home one night and it smelled like burning plastic. I thought it was in the trailer wiring.
Well after that it would charge weird. I checked the alt with a load tester and it was low, but not out of "normal". About a month later, I was driving to work and it stopped charging. Made it 15 miles to home tough with all the warning lights on. Not even enough juice to light up the brake lights
Alternator was hoses. The slip ring was worn right down into the shaft... i.e... not a simple rebuild. $160 for a re-man'd one from CarQuest and good as new.
01-18-2008, 10:52 PM
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this is what it looked like where the top bolt goes when it finally quit at 398,000km
https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...2&d=1196143521
https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...1&d=1196143521
https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...2&d=1196143521https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...1&d=1196143521
01-18-2008, 11:11 PM
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2000 3500 CTD. 216K and slip ring expired with brush. Ordered new Denso from place in Michigan. 156 bucks at my door for 160 amps and 200 amp unit for less than 200 dollars. Special this month only. Found on Internet with yahoo search for High output Alternator.
Will post name when verify everything as advertised.
Will post name when verify everything as advertised.
01-19-2008, 12:01 AM
#13
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150,000 miles and still good. Working on these trucks, I see they're usually good for 200,000 or more. Dusty environments seem to be harder on the brushes and slip rings.
01-19-2008, 12:40 AM
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My first one went at around 330-340k km (not sure if it was the original). Replaced it then, and ended up getting it rebuilt in December this year around 40k km later. Drove about 300km on a dead alt in -20 conditions.
01-19-2008, 02:01 AM
#15
The 98.5 3500 CTD truck I'm assigned at work made it 51000ish. The heat, dust and heavy electrical load. Multiple radios, aux lights and such. It's a work truck and off road a lot. Figured it was environmental as much as anything. One of the guys that I work with had to replace his alt on his personnel truck another 98 CTD 160,000+. His truck has been fairly trouble free. Between his comments and my experience with my work truck I purchased the truck listed below in my sig in 04. The fleet I work with is all PSD except for the truck I run . The 04 PSD 6.0 went dead on the side
of the road from harness chaffing. I was sent to pick the crew up and transport back to the station. When the wrecker pulled up he started backing
up to the Dodge that I drive. I started laughing at him. Nope hook up that brand new PSD
.........
2002 Ram 2500, SB, HO, 6spd, 4.10s LSD, guages, smarty, BHAF & 285's
. The 04 PSD 6.0 went dead on the sideof the road from harness chaffing. I was sent to pick the crew up and transport back to the station. When the wrecker pulled up he started backing
up to the Dodge that I drive. I started laughing at him. Nope hook up that brand new PSD
......... 2002 Ram 2500, SB, HO, 6spd, 4.10s LSD, guages, smarty, BHAF & 285's