Eating alternators...

[SJ]

> Message: 1
> Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2004 16:06:42 -0800
> From: "John Larson" <j.d.larson at verizon.net>
> Subject: Re: Eating alternators...
> To: <MITCHELL.HASKINS at charleston.af.mil>, <quattro at audifans.com>
> Message-ID: <009101c40958$3b9bba10$6500a8c0 at hppav>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>
> "My 1988 90Q has now eaten it's second alternator in as many years.  Is
> this a problem for other people"
>
> Where are you getting your alternators?  My 20v alternator went 240K
before
> needing bearings (I got an upgraded unit from Avi), and my 80 4k went 380K
> with only 2 new regulators.  When I scrapped the car, I put the alternator
> in a friend's car and she used it for 3 more years before junking the car.
> Both my 5Ks have the original alternators, and so do both Vanagons (I
know,
> I know, too many cars).  My 85 Jetta lost its alternator at 18 years and
> nearly a half million miles, however.  At my shop, I frequently see chain
> store alternators that are bad right out of the box, some just noisy, some
> that don't work at all.  John
>

Your failures also beg the questions: What was the failure mode? Bearings?
Diodes? Windings? Brushes?
Are you doing something unusual? Like jump starting someone elses car while
your engine is running?
Do you have high current use devices installed? Like a 5000 watt amplifier?


SJ
85 Dodge PU, D-250, 318, auto
85 Audi 4k - - sold but still on the road
88 Audi 5kq
90 Audi 100q