Alternator burnt out at 180,000 km
- Thread starter Gecko123
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It should not burn. A dead alternator will wear the touch connection and just not make an electrical connection. I have had several older cars finally need their original ones replaced and never a burning smell.
Burning is a sure sign of a short and electrical melt or burn.
And yes, 112k is real low.
I would be worried about an electrical short issue burning something out.
Burning is a sure sign of a short and electrical melt or burn.
And yes, 112k is real low.
I would be worried about an electrical short issue burning something out.
BlackWorksInc
New member
Prematurely worn bearings in an alternator cause excessive heat which breaks down the varnish over the stator coils and causes shorts also.
Bonyfattony
New member
Mine went out at 140k miles.
Was there a burning smell ?
Mine must have been premature worn out bearings which caused the burning smell
Was yours worn brushes?
Ask10
New member
It really has a lot to do with the condition of the charging system. Battery cables, terminals, grounds, battery itself, etc. A worn or damaged battery can put excess strain on the alternator, as can battery cables, etc,
i.e. My alternator was replaced at 120k (according to service records), and my Si already ate one alternator, and it's got 31k miles on it.
However, my Tacoma (200k +) still has the original 13 year old alternator in it as far as I can tell, but that's always had fresh battery cables/terminals and a new battery every 2-3 years (work truck, need the truck to always start), so that might have had something to do with it.
i.e. My alternator was replaced at 120k (according to service records), and my Si already ate one alternator, and it's got 31k miles on it.
However, my Tacoma (200k +) still has the original 13 year old alternator in it as far as I can tell, but that's always had fresh battery cables/terminals and a new battery every 2-3 years (work truck, need the truck to always start), so that might have had something to do with it.
Bonyfattony
New member
Mine had a terrible burning smell.
I actually didn't know if it was my battery or alternator at first. I had a 3yr old battery so I bought that first. I drove to work perfectly fine but by the end of the night it killed my battery.
I had AutoZone charge my battery and then was able get home and swap out the alternator. It made a weird humming noise and burning smell.
Swapped everything out including the serpentine belt for preventative maintenance and was good to go. And yes my brushes were worn out.
Chuckles89
New member
Ours is original and has 199,940 miles on it.
