corvet786c

iTrader: (6)

My car has about 100,000 miles on it and wanted to know when should I change them. I believe it has stock coils and alternator. Thanks

Joshiedoom

iTrader: (4)

As long as PS fluid, dirt,grime,oil,excess heat, doesnt affect them they should be OK for a while. Mine are stock

corvet786c

iTrader: (6)

Thanks Man.

1SLwLS1

iTrader: (6)

You should be fine. I would only replace coils individually as/if they go out. Alternator, same situation, do not replace it until it goes out. Some parts store think they are made of pure gold. Tried to sell me an alternator without testing my circuitry since we had replaced the battery a month before. I tested the alternator with a ammeter and it was fine. Just had a dead cell in the battery. It was a $178 alternator and I am not touching it until it goes.

corvet786c

iTrader: (6)

Thanks This all helps

1 FMF

iTrader: (1)

although it's a ford and their coils are different on that p.o.s. 4.6L versus the coils on a GM LS1, the old man has over 300k miles on the car (it was a ny limo) and I think it was around 250,000 miles and later that he started replacing 1 coil at a time like every month or every 2 months, so going by that I would say the coils should last at least 150,000 to 200,000 miles if they see normal conditions and don't get damaged by some external means. And I've seen other ford lincolns and crown vics that have over 200k on the clock and haven't had their coil's replaced.

regarding the alternator, that should last to around 200,000 miles if i had to guess before you should worry. The following 4 things are what typically fail on an alternator:
a) the front or rear bearing that the armature rides on which is no big deal and can easily be replaced;
b) the carbon brushes will wear but I've never seen an alternator wear out the brushes, it's always the bearing, voltage regulator, or rectifier that goes;
c) the rectifier is a set of diodes that convert the AC current generated by the alternator into DC current, these diodes over time fail and need to be replaced. What happens is only 1 or 2 of the 6 total fail, and the alternator will still work but not give good output voltage at low engine speeds or you'll see pulsing in the lights;
d) voltage regulator is a transistorized circuit, and on the LS1 alternators is basically a microprocessor that interfaces with the computer, which controls the output voltage of the regulator. These can fail just like the rectifier although are less likely to.
Both the voltage regulator and rectifier are replaceable, which is the good news. The bad news in the alternator/starter industry has a stranglehold on alternator parts and they lie when they say it's a "non-serviceable" part which forces you to go by a whole new/rebuilt alternator for $200 while they take your old one and replace $20-50 worth of parts to get it working. As a result it's hard to find and get parts to rebuild late model alternators.

kmracer

iTrader: (1)

i heard they last 109,746.38 miles. once you hit that, they **** out.

99345hp

153k here on stock alternator and coils

Fireberg

At 189000 miles I just replaced my alternator with a rebuilt Delco unit. I think that it would have lasted longer if not for an earlier power steering pump leak (why did GM put these alternators at the bottom).

I have had no problems with coils, and do not think that I will soon. As far as coils go I think they have a preety easy life on the LS1.

samson_420

iTrader: (1)

Never seen coils die, yet. . . . . . .

buddha845

iTrader: (3)

RIP my stock alternator, you were only 80,000


good thing its an easy replacement

Danny2tek

iTrader: (1)

My alternator lasted 10 years/72,000 miles.

lazyhomie

iTrader: (3)

mine lasted 130k miles before took a crap o me and stock coils still. Dont replace until it breaks is my opinion.

jmilz28

iTrader: (13)

Alternators are hit and miss. Stick with the factory one as long as it lasts, keep on eye out for P/S leaks. If you replace it, may as well upgrade to a HO unit.

Coil failures are like yetis...they don't exist (unless you use MSDs).

fleetmgr

Absolutely no point to a HO unit if you don't have much greater than stock electrical loads.

jmilz28

iTrader: (13)

Wrong. There are a couple of reasons:
1. You can get a nice HO unit for $250 shipped, about the same as a Delco unit
2. All of the HO units I know of are rebuilt in the US, which typically means much better quality
3. The extra output shows up in brighter lights, stronger spark,faster windows, the whole bit. It's not earth shattering nor critical, but it's very noticeable.
4. Every aftermarket alternator (AZ, Napa, O'Reilly's, etc) I have tried or seen (and it's a lot) used are ****. Absolute ****. Sure, lifetime warranty...that just means you'll be changing that POS out for the lifetime of your car. I personally would rather spend time doing something else to my car besides that.

The only other option I would do is to have someone local rebuild it for you. At least you know you're likely to get good quality work.

1Loudz28

iTrader: (47)

never get a remanufactured alternator. theyre garbage

i bought a napa one, and under WOT, my voltage would go down and my headlights/dash lights would dim significantly.

redsilv

200,100 miles so far
same damn serpentine belt!
it is a 5.3 not an ls1

fleetmgr

Dont' know what you saw in the lights etc. but it wasn't there based on the ouput capability of the alternator. Not physically possible for it to do that. Alternators produce current up to their rated output based on system demand and nothing else. If you have a 100 amp alternator, and 50 amps of load, it'll only make the requisite 50 amps. If it makes less, your battery will die. It's not possible for it to make more unless load increases.
An HO unit isn't supposed to increase the voltage any, as that will lead to battery overcharging, shortened filament life in bulbs, burning up computers, etc.

What you probably saw was a case where the regulator in one or the other was doing something it wasn't supposed to be doing.

slt200mph

iTrader: (42)

Mine are still going strong after ten years and 204,000+ miles.