Josh Nickelsen

iTrader: (9)

My alternator has a squeak and I figured it was on of the bearing going out in it. I took it off today and brought it to a guy that rebuilds them here in town. I took it there and dropped it off. He called me an hour later and I went to pick it up. When I got there I spun the pulley and it squeak a little louder than when I brought it in. He said that was probably the new brushes and that it should go away. I got it home and put it on the car. I started it up and it still squeaks just the same as it did when I took it in. After I backed the car off the ramps and got it in the sun, I could tell that there were little shards of copper coming out of the alternator with the car idling. I shut it off because I knew it wasn't good. I called him up and told him. He said that isn't normal(no sh*t). He said to drive it for a few days and if it is still doing it to give his a call and he will look at it. I don't know anything about the rebuilding process but can it still be fixed? The squeak seems to be coming from the middle of the alternator and not the bearings. What could this be. I am probably just going to get a new one, but would like to just take it back to him and get it fixed if he will do it for free. He didn't fix it the first time and I already have $40 into it. What do you all think?

GOaT Cheese

Take it back to the joker that rebuilt it. He even admitted to you that there was something wrong.

Josh Nickelsen

iTrader: (9)

What is a normal rebuild on an alternator. I'm not fimilar with what they usually do. I just told him I thought it need new bearings because of the squeak. He put them in and told me he also put new brushes in. When I first brought it in you could barely hear the squeak/rubbing, when I got there and spun it by hand the squeak was much louder. Any idea's what it could be from? It sounds to me like it is rubbing in the middle of the alternator. I am hoping he can still fix it. Can someone tell me what the normal rebuild is on an alternator and what could be squeaking if it isn't the bearings?

GOaT Cheese

A typical rebuild would include new bearings, brushes, and probably a new diode bridge. They probably wouldn't touch the armature or field windings, or the case, pulley and fan.