Alternator, Repair Or Replace With New?

MonacoMike

Well-Known Member
Sep 15, 2009
14,721
Indiana lakes and Lake Michigan
Boat Info
2000 Cruisers 3870
8.2 Mercs
Engines
85 Sea Ray Monaco 197
260hp Alpha 1
My alternator failed, we have a highly recommended company near that rewinds and refurbishes alternators or just get a new one?

MM
 
I have had very good success with DB Electrical. https://www.dbelectrical.com/

I have put alternators and starter’s on my lawn mowers, large tractors and two cars.

Try Amazon or go directly to their website. Sometimes their stuff is cheaper on Amazon. Especially if you have prime with free shipping.
 
I have had very good success with DB Electrical. https://www.dbelectrical.com/

I have put alternators and starter’s on my lawn mowers, large tractors and two cars.

Try Amazon or go directly to their website. Sometimes their stuff is cheaper on Amazon. Especially if you have prime with free shipping.
Chinese crap, it don't last past the 1 year warranty
 
Most local shops end up being forced to use cheap imported components to be competitive. I have watched 3 local shops go under because they couldn't match or compete with Advance, A.Zone, Pep Boys, ORileys, etc. The one rebuild shop remaining here uses Chinese components in his rebuilds. If it is in a backhoe, or a tractor, I don't much care because the world isn't going to come an end if I don't get the field clipped or the hole dug. For my boat, one of our cars or my truck, I use Leece-Neville (Prestolite) new alternators.
 
Quality rebuilds are as good (or better) than new
I'd rebuild it
Years ago this was my go to with a problem. Fewer and fewer shops around and the imported stuff is forcing the hand. Repair shops would sooner order an import and have it same day rather than pulling one and sending it out for rebuild and waiting.

-Kevin
 
While on the Northeast flotilla my STBD alt started acting up came home and called a local rebuild shop $145 to rebuild I googled it and for $200 I can get a new one.
dB was even cheaper but it looked sketchy to me.
Still not sure where to buy.
 
Joe,

Cummins has been selling Cummins remanned alternators with a full warranty for $250......I bet our dealer in Florida has installed 50 of them, all with good results. You might try Cummins NorthEast and to see if they are doing the same deal.

The Leece-Neville brand I mentioned in the earlier post is a good alternative. They are an OEM supplier for several engine makers and sell either under that name or the Prestolite name at lots of online sources. I just bought a Prestolite brand alternator for a Cummins 4b engine in a piece of equipment from Amazon.

Frank
 
Well, I got good news and bad news, which do you want first...

Alternator good just a loose wire to the battery isolator, the spot of antifreeze is from a leaking water pump that has to be replaced...

MM
 
I used their alternator 4+ years and was working fine when i traded in my 260da. As with most Chinese stuff we are the QA Dept. I have purchased starters and alternators from them and been happy. YMMV.

-Kevin
Kevin - old thread I know - wondering if you still feel the same about db?
I had good luck with them on a starter and alternator on my last boat. I just ordered 2 alternators for my new boat from them.
 
Kevin - old thread I know - wondering if you still feel the same about db?
I had good luck with them on a starter and alternator on my last boat. I just ordered 2 alternators for my new boat from them.

I used a different vendor the last time I ordered but these are all pretty much the same part based on the labels. I replaced the two on my 340SDA and they have been fine since. I would suggest spraying them with some corrosion inhibitor to minimize the external rust as they are not painted black like the mercury alternators were. For the price they certainly do the job and I can not complain. Mine looked fine for the first season but the damp winter air seemed to bring out a little surface rust - now I spray with the inhibitor.

Side story - when I replaced my alternator the one I pulled out had the same stickers as the one I was putting in. Looked back at the service records that were provided and the shop charged a whole lot more that what I paid.

-Kevin
 
One more note on the job - when you replace the alternators put a heavy coat of grease on the pivot bolt that goes through the bracket. When I replaced mine on the 340SDA I could not get one bolt out. I wound up having to buy a new bracket to reinstall. The pivot bolt had rusted in place.

-Kevin
 
One more note on the job - when you replace the alternators put a heavy coat of grease on the pivot bolt that goes through the bracket. When I replaced mine on the 340SDA I could not get one bolt out. I wound up having to buy a new bracket to reinstall. The pivot bolt had rusted in place.

-Kevin
Thanks - The previous owner replaced the water pumps after a failure and it obviously sprayed salt water everywhere. I decided to take all the pulleys off to sandblast and paint them as they were really rusted and the belts are worn because of it. In doing so I saw the alternators were really rusted and the bearings felt a little on the rough side so I decided to order 2 new ones. I was lucky as I read your post about the bracket and before ordering anything I loosed all the bolts this past weekend and was happy to see they all broke free relatively easily. I agree greasing them seems like a good idea.

This is why I really like to do the work myself as the PO paid someone to replace the pumps but not spend the time to clean everything and re-paint anything that needs it. My wife thinks I'm obsessed but I like to clean up what I can....

If I get ambitious this weekend maybe I will paint the new alternators if the paint looks like crap.

Thanks for the reply.

Mark
 
We will give your Bando belts a try too Kevin:). (From another post)
With the spring tensioner the belt is a 2111 mm long belt it seems. I’ll verify once I try them.
 
We have rebuilt most of our motors and starters using a Menonite service here is So MD. Most alternator and small motors run around $60. 3-5 day service. Wengers Motor Service - just google it. Top notch service, friendly and very reasonable pricing. They rebuilt my bow thruster motor for $45, 2 day turnaround.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
112,946
Messages
1,422,774
Members
60,929
Latest member
Henchman
Back
Top