Alternator bearings - or tensioner?

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NLScooby

NLScooby

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Has anyone replaced the bearings on an alternator?
About 5 minutes after I was commenting at how much confidence I have in my 200, I pulled up to a mailbox and start hearing a squeaking sound - after a few miles its even worse. It sounds like its coming from the alternator....but I notice there is another smaller pulley just to the lower right of it as well (when looking at the engine from the front). The squeak seems to coincide with a revolution of the belt, but I don't think its the belt as I replaced it when I did the water pump just 18K miles ago when I had the infamous radiator leak.

I'd rather not replace the alternator for $650.00 when a bearing is just $11.00. I may also replace all the tensioner pulley's etc... as well - but the parts catalog lists like 6 of them for the LC....how many are there really?

Next question is: how much life can you get out of an alternator? Should I replace it anyway if they are only lasting 100-150K?
 
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Just looking in the engine compartment again....the noise could be coming from the Vane Pump....Arg.
I think I'm going to start with the tensioner assembly and then go from there..... (from $ to $$$$) ;)
 
Or an actual mechanic's stethoscope.. pretty cheap.
 
These are all great responses - thank you. I think we were all scarred for life when seeing that gruesome image circulating on the net years ago - where the dude got his tie caught in a lathe.....gross.

No smoke or warning lights coming on.....yet.....
 
I got an alternator light on my 4Runner at about 240K. Then the light went out. I began thinking the medical equivalent to a TIA, pulled the alternator and brought it to a highly regarded shop here.

When I picked it up (next day) he said “ that’s a good ( quality ) alternator”

So go OEM or a trusted rebuilder.
 
I would definitely have the OEM unit rebuilt if at all possible. There should be a local shop that can do it for you at a modest fee or it may be user serviceable. I completely rebuilt the OEM alternator in my old 911 with all new bearings, brushes, covers, etc... for less than 100 bucks vs 1300 for a Bosch unit of far less quality. I am hoping that when the time comes, the cruiser alternator is just as easily rebuilt. Pay close attention to the copper surfaces the carbon brushes run on. I'd replace those as well since you'll be in there. Usually you can buy a complete rebuild kit online with OEM parts based on the alternator part number. Then it would be as simple as dropping it off at the rebuild shop. HIGHLY suggest going this route. The quality of most remanufactured alternators, regardless of make seems to be substandard across the board. Instead of getting around 10 years on the OEM units, people are generally seeing only 2-3 on the remans.
 
Also make certain whoever does the rebuild doesn’t use cheap Chinese bearings. They are generally crap compared to quality Japanese parts.
 
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