My alternator...

[destroyer1362]

I think it may be on its way out. The truck starts up fine and shows about 1 mark above 14 volts after start up. But the other night on the way home I had both a/c fans on hi and when I got home I noticed the needle sitting about 2 lines above the red on the low side. I just replaced the battery with a red-top about a month ago, and the alt is the 140amp model. Can alts be rebuilt or am I dropping another $150 into this thing?

 

[retorq]

They can be rebuilt. There is a guy here in town that said he would rebuild mine for $90 ... He rebuild my starter pretty cheap too.

 

[grnrpr68]

IMO red top optimas are JUNK i went through 4 of them last year in 6 months get a yellow top and you will be fine but check your alt to though

 

[blueflamed03]

sounds like it's time , check Craigslist, people mod up to higher voltage and get rid of OEM factory for cheap.

 

[blackcoffee]

I think mines going too, I've got A LOT of electric equipment in my truck. The battery has held out for two years but I tested it the other day and had decent read outs. Its gotta be my alternator sadly, who makes that real big aftemarket one that works well? Its like a 350 Amp alternator I think?

 

[99Tahoe]

I believe you are talking about an Iraggi Alt.

They run around 350.

There is also a bunch of other brands out there but thats the only one i have heard really good things about and seen in person.

 

[blueflamed03]

XS Power makes a 220

 

[destroyer1362]

Well got her checked out at autozone today and..
The guy says my alt is fine, but he did say my battery did need a charge.
Sounds like ur right grnrpr68.
I'll hold out until my work gets some yellow tops in.

 

[ravingmadman]

Good man, you beat me to it. Always do more diagnostics than you think you need.

 

[YAMBAG]

another thing you should look into is a bad ground. I found a few on my truck that were causing strange voltage issues. Just pull the grounds off and clean them up a bit.

 

[misspooh]

i have had a red top for over five years in my truck. for the first three years it was also powering a decent system and tv. the last two years i have had a yellow top powering the electronics, but the red top still starts my truck everyday. maybe i have just been lucky.

 

[grnrpr68]

yea i went through 5 -6 red tops and everyone was junk i switched to yellow top and not had 1 problem and im gonna be running 6 in the hoe on new install

 

[haks310]

Heard a lot of bad reviews for the Red Tops while I was battery shopping last year. Go with any of the deep cycle batteries out there.

I'm running the DieHard Platinum.