Replacement alternator, Denso or other with lifetime warranty?

[OEMGUY0720]

Quick bump on this thread as I feel I need to do my alternator soon, the truck is 247k miles now and I don’t see any history from PO that is was servicereplaced. Just checking in on how is your alternator so far @flintknapper ? I saw the similar product on o’reilly site (also open to the denso reman alternator units)

I also noticed this one is a 130 Amp. As far as modifications on the electrical side of the truck, I am running mostly LEDs on the interior, have a 55w HID on the low beam HLs, 35w HID on the fog lights and LED for the high beam HLs and that’s it. Any +/- effect of a 130 Amp alternator?

 

[wesquire]

I did the reman from O’Reilly based on it being denso and lifetime warranty. Have already made a warranty claim and incurred the labor to replace it a second time. Kinda wish I had kept the one in my rig and eat the core charge to have it rebuilt since I’m sure it was the original since I bought 14 years ago with only 45k miles. Not recalling if new OEM was even an option or, if so, the price difference. Based on some other aftermarket part failures and the length of time the OEM lasted to begin with, I’m sold on paying a little more for the OEM part and not having to deal with extra labor charges or the hassle of screwing with it.

 

[94SRUNNER]

@OEMGUY0720 NAPA also sells a Denso reman'd unit. It is what I am currently running and so far have had no issues with the exception of short period of time when the voltage was 12.7-13.0V at idle. Typically I observe idle voltage at 13.1-13.3V.

However, here in Dayton (OH) we have a pretty reputable starter and alternator shop (Dayton Quality Starter). I had a used OEM unit on the shelf with a bad rectifier, they did a complete tear down and rebuild, included; bearings, brushes, rectifier, bead blasted the frame components, turned the comm (I'm probably forgetting something). The voltage regulator tested good so they re-used it. Cost was about $110 for the rebuild.

I will be installing this rebuilt unit when I do the radiator over the winter.

 

[flintknapper]

Quick bump on this thread as I feel I need to do my alternator soon, the truck is 247k miles now and I don’t see any history from PO that is was servicereplaced. Just checking in on how is your alternator so far @flintknapper ? I saw the similar product on o’reilly site (also open to the denso reman alternator units)

View attachment 2520198

I also noticed this one is a 130 Amp. As far as modifications on the electrical side of the truck, I am running mostly LEDs on the interior, have a 55w HID on the low beam HLs, 35w HID on the fog lights and LED for the high beam HLs and that’s it. Any +/- effect of a 130 Amp alternator?

Mine was a 100 amp alternator and to answer your question: The first one lasted almost exactly 2 years then abruptly failed. I took it in and they exchanged it across the counter, no questions asked, took all of 3 minutes. Second has been on the vehicle for 2 years now with no issues. I did not have the option of rebuilding my original alternator....as too many internal parts had gotten hot and were pretty much ruined. IF this replacement holds up a few more years....I will be happy. IF it doesn't then I guess I'll go and exchange it again. But so far....so good.

 

[MissouriLC]

Quick bump on this thread as I feel I need to do my alternator soon, the truck is 247k miles now and I don’t see any history from PO that is was servicereplaced. Just checking in on how is your alternator so far @flintknapper ? I saw the similar product on o’reilly site (also open to the denso reman alternator units)

View attachment 2520198

I also noticed this one is a 130 Amp. As far as modifications on the electrical side of the truck, I am running mostly LEDs on the interior, have a 55w HID on the low beam HLs, 35w HID on the fog lights and LED for the high beam HLs and that’s it. Any +/- effect of a 130 Amp alternator?

I had a bad experience with a Ultima alternator from O'Reilly. I purchased and installed their 100A alternator in my 2000 in December of 2019. In July of 2020, it abruptly failed 60 miles from home. I was able to drive home on the battery, luckily. I'm fairly certain that the voltage regulator failed.

O'Reilly's was great and took it back and gave me cash under their lifetime warranty. I replaced it with a Denso reman from the Toyota parts counter. It was about $60 more than the "generic" Denso reman, but the generic Denso's were 2-weeks backordered when I needed it. As others have pointed out and as I fully acknowledge, you are basically paying $60 for a Toyota sticker, but I was able to get it overnight from Kansas City, as opposed to waiting 2 to 3 weeks.

The Ultima units use Denso cores but they are NOT remanufactured by Denso. They do not use the correct Denso voltage regulator, which only Denso remans will feature. The replacement process is a big-enough PITA than the lifetime warranty doesn't matter to me if I have to do the job multiple times.

 

[OEMGUY0720]

I will look around for some options but thanks for your inputs @94SRUNNER @MissouriLC @flintknapper @wesquire. I am still reading more on the amperage rating and what ill or good effects it has overall on the truck’s electrical load and weigh it all in.

Although I am currently on a high-draw wattage 55w and 35w lighting system (and planning to upgrade the 35w HID fog lights to 55w upon swapping the factory semi-frosted factory projector lenses to the morimoto matchbox 2.0s) - just thinking ahead and prepping the proportional electrical setup (80, 100, 130 or 160 Amp alternators). Plus the fact that the existing is alternator is 247k miles old I mean it certainly has seen better days (assuming it’s still original and is 14 yrs old now).

Additional symptoms:
• On idle I only have 12.4V (I will observe more on the range it goes if the truck is moving and if the voltage will go up or down)
• My fuel gauge needle starts off at the empty line and will start to creep up to it’s correct level after 10 minutes of driving - I am not totally convinced yet that it is a fuel tank floater issue (could be a an alternator or battery problem or both). On one experiment, I had the truck’s battery connected to my car battery charger overnight (approx 14 hours on it) and the following morning I turned the key to ACC, the fuel gauge needle went right up to it’s correct level, so I know the floater on an educated guess is 90% fine.

 

[94SRUNNER]

I will look around for some options but thanks for your inputs @94SRUNNER @MissouriLC @flintknapper @wesquire. I am still reading more on the amperage rating and what ill or good effects it has overall on the truck’s electrical load and weigh it all in.

Although I am currently on a high-draw wattage 55w and 35w lighting system (and planning to upgrade the 35w HID fog lights to 55w upon swapping the factory semi-frosted factory projector lenses to the morimoto matchbox 2.0s) - just thinking ahead and prepping the proportional electrical setup (80, 100, 130 or 160 Amp alternators). Plus the fact that the existing is alternator is 247k miles old I mean it certainly has seen better days (assuming it’s still original and is 14 yrs old now).

Additional symptoms:
• On idle I only have 12.4V (I will observe more on the range it goes if the truck is moving and if the voltage will go up or down)
• My fuel gauge needle starts off at the empty line and will start to creep up to it’s correct level after 10 minutes of driving - I am not totally convinced yet that it is a fuel tank floater issue (could be a an alternator or battery problem or both). On one experiment, I had the truck’s battery connected to my car battery charger overnight (approx 14 hours on it) and the following morning I turned the key to ACC, the fuel gauge needle went right up to it’s correct level, so I know the floater on an educated guess is 90% fine.

How are you monitoring your voltage?

 

[OEMGUY0720]

How are you monitoring your voltage?

OBD scanner, live data.

 

[ItGoesTo11]

Remanufactured Denso unit is the best option. They don't make these OE alternators new anymore so every one is a reman unless it's a cheap knock-off. Denso seems to have the best track records and is OE.

But...you'll pay a LOT less on rockauto.com than at the chain stores. Example, a Denso reman for a 1999 LX470 is $100 + shipping, at O'Reilly it's $137 for their off-brand Ultima. Make rockauto.com your first stop when shopping for parts, they truly have great pricing.

 

[flintknapper]

Remanufactured Denso unit is the best option. They don't make these OE alternators new anymore so every one is a reman unless it's a cheap knock-off. Denso seems to have the best track records and is OE.

But...you'll pay a LOT less on rockauto.com than at the chain stores. Example, a Denso reman for a 1999 LX470 is $100 + shipping, at O'Reilly it's $137 for their off-brand Ultima. Make rockauto.com your first stop when shopping for parts, they truly have great pricing.

Their so called 'off brand' IS a Denso Core. So they start with the same thing as 'Denso' does.

From there it is a matter of how thoroughly each 'reman' is gone through. Last I looked at them, O'Reilly touts each unit to have been tested and have a lifetime warranty. Denso is one year. But I leave it to each person to research and decide for themselves.

 

[ItGoesTo11]

Their so called 'off brand' IS a Denso Core. So they start with the same thing as 'Denso' does.

From there it is a matter of how thoroughly each 'reman' is gone through. Last I looked at them, O'Reilly touts each unit to have been tested and have a lifetime warranty. Denso is one year. But I leave it to each person to research and decide for themselves.

Yeah, but read up in this thread about Ultima remans...

 

[flintknapper]

Yeah, but read up in this thread about Ultima remans...

No need....really. I started the thread. I am well familiar with all the posts in it.

I've been honest and forthcoming about my own experiences and only post that info here so that others can compare and make up their own minds. That's all I can do.

 

[dealmaker]

For those that think they're getting a better reman alternator from Toyota, "Denso", etc. ... its all luck of the draw and placebo. There are a minimum # of parts that get replaced on the reman unit and/or the minimum that is required; no more; and zero way of knowing what components, beyond bearings & brushes, were replaced. And no idea what bearings were used, how much grease is in the bearing, etc.

Don't want to jinx meself but I've gotten 500% more life out of a lifetime guarantee O'Reilly alternator than I did my Toyota reman and it was 40% less $ to purchase.

Outside of a brand spanking new alternator (ditto for starters) its just a game of Russian Roulette. Better to take the lifetime warranty than a 1 year warranty IMO.

FWIW I just replaced my alternator, went w/Toyota OEM, paid $257 plus tax excluding core deposit. The parts counter guy, whom I've gotten to know pretty well over the past 6 months, tells me that with Toyota remanufactured, everything inside is new...they only reuse the case. For me that's worth the extra $50-75. Not sure if he's up high enough on the ladder to know for sure, but when I read the blah-blah from 3rd party Denso reman. sellers, they seem to talk about how everything is "tested" to be in spec with OEM. In my mind, that tells me they're testing existing parts on the alternator and only replacing what actually fails and needs to be replaced.

 

[flintknapper]

FWIW I just replaced my alternator, went w/Toyota OEM. The parts counter guy, whom I've gotten to know pretty well over the past 6 months, tells me that with Toyota remanufactured, everything inside is new...they only reuse the case. For me that's worth the extra $50-75. Not sure if he's up high enough on the ladder to know for sure, but when I read the blah-blah from 3rd party Denso reman. sellers, they seem to talk about how everything is "tested" to be in spec with OEM. In my mind, that tells me they're testing existing parts on the alternator and only replacing what actually fails and needs to be replaced.

Of course they do NOT replace everything inside. A 'reman' from a reputable company will 'test/inspect' everything and replace AS NECESSARY anything not to spec or anything suspect. The better re-manufacturers will summarily replace certain items (brushes/bearings,seals, etc,needed or not) but no one replaces everything. IF everything needed to be replaced they would simply discard that core.