Replacement Alternator, Which One? (1 Viewer)

[NoTempoLimit]

The alternator on my LC 100 just went out at 165k miles. This could not come at a worse time for me. I'm within days of needing to clear out of my rented workshop space (need to be out by 30th). I have a HUGE amount of tools and I'm having to pack everything myself because there is no odd-job labor in this area. You can get $20/hr to flip burgers here.

My time to deal with new problems is very limited at the moment. Money is pretty tight too.

Also, in keeping with the universal law of automobile part durability, the alternator started failing on Friday night and the failure is confirmed on Saturday night. Nothing ever breaks on Monday morning.

To describe the symptoms: The battery idiot light came on. I noticed that the voltage went down to 12V with the engine running. By using lower gears I was able to get the voltage back up and get home. I thought the battery might need some charge so I charged it for several hours. Went out on a short errand again and the light came on again. I noticed that increasing the engine RPM did not increase voltage.

I cleaned the battery contacts and charged the battery and started it up. Battery MIL was on right away and voltage was at 12V. It seems clear that the alternator is not charging.

I just watched a DIY of this on youtube. I definitely don't have time for a repair like that right now. So if you guys can just let me know what brands of replacement alternator are good, that would be enough. I have to give this job to a mechanic.

There is a dearth of good mechanics in the Southern Maine area. My neighbor, who has an 80, just got his LC back after it was at a mechanic the whole summer. I thought he had sold the 80. He'd bought an old Chevy pick up to daily drive.

IF anyone can recommend anybody near Biddeford Maine that's good PLEASE let me know.

Thanks!

 

[76lcmike]

toyota reman. or applicable denso replacement.
all the big box store auto chain remans are garbage.

 

[Bisho]

I’m not opposed to Autozone or Oreilly’s remans. I just put an Oreilly’s on mine last week because I needed one right now, and they had one in stock. I’ve gotten over 100k miles on other vehicles with those remans, and they have a lifetime warranty. You can pay twice as much for a Denso, maybe get 50% more life out of it, and then buy another one because their warranty is only 12 months.

 

[turdfurguson]

I've run duralast alternators on my current 100, and previous tacos. Dirt cheap compared to toyo, and never had a single problem. Others will disagree as usual, but thats my experience. Pretty easy install from the bottom once a few brackets and hoses are loosened up.

 

[ToyotaMatt]

The alternator on my LC 100 just went out at 165k miles. This could not come at a worse time for me. I'm within days of needing to clear out of my rented workshop space (need to be out by 30th). I have a HUGE amount of tools and I'm having to pack everything myself because there is no odd-job labor in this area. You can get $20/hr to flip burgers here.

My time to deal with new problems is very limited at the moment. Money is pretty tight too.

Also, in keeping with the universal law of automobile part durability, the alternator started failing on Friday night and the failure is confirmed on Saturday night. Nothing ever breaks on Monday morning.

To describe the symptoms: The battery idiot light came on. I noticed that the voltage went down to 12V with the engine running. By using lower gears I was able to get the voltage back up and get home. I thought the battery might need some charge so I charged it for several hours. Went out on a short errand again and the light came on again. I noticed that increasing the engine RPM did not increase voltage.

I cleaned the battery contacts and charged the battery and started it up. Battery MIL was on right away and voltage was at 12V. It seems clear that the alternator is not charging.

I just watched a DIY of this on youtube. I definitely don't have time for a repair like that right now. So if you guys can just let me know what brands of replacement alternator are good, that would be enough. I have to give this job to a mechanic.

There is a dearth of good mechanics in the Southern Maine area. My neighbor, who has an 80, just got his LC back after it was at a mechanic the whole summer. I thought he had sold the 80. He'd bought an old Chevy pick up to daily drive.

IF anyone can recommend anybody near Biddeford Maine that's good PLEASE let me know.

Thanks!

PM me i can help here

GENUINE NipponDenso OEM is all i do


thanks matt

 

[NoTempoLimit]

Pretty easy install from the bottom once a few brackets and hoses are loosened up.

Is there a DIY for removal and installation from below?

UPDATE:
This morning, my neighbor the fine woodworker needed me to move my truck so he could pull his 80 Series Land Cruiser to load up some stuff. I started up my 100 expecting the battery light to come on right away. IT DIDN'T. Voltage was 14V. I left it idling for several minutes in 28º weather while he loaded up. When I got back in mine it was still OK, right at 14V.

What could cause this?

As I mentioned before I did a pretty thorough cleaning of the battery contacts last night. Took the plastic block off and cleaned the lug from the large cable that comes from below. The only one I could not take apart for a thorough cleaning was the one on the left side of the plastic box. The nut was on WAY too tight.

What is the recommended grease for battery contacts? I didn't have anything I knew was suitable so I applied a very thin layer of liquid Boesheild T-9 using a large cotton swab. T-9 is way too thin to prevent metal-to-metal contact so I know it won't affect conductivity but it is a good corrosion preventative, at least for steel and aluminum.

 

[2001LC]

I've replaced alternator, both from below and above. In any case, start by disconnecting battery negative post.
Best Toyota Denso, second best Denso. Worst, any made in China!

I use White Lithium grease on battery post & clamp. It's not how thick or thin a grease, but its composition. Some greases will inhibit current. One for sure to not use (Do not use), is the red battery spray stuff.

"Could" be your new battery, was not fully charged when you installed. Be on alert, for any changing issues. Your alternator may be failing.

Note: Oxidation on battery post & clamp inhibit current. But the oxidation takes time to build up. Freshly cleaned post & clamp will allow full charge without being greased, for months. Test by checking with multimeter on post, then away from post. Voltage will be same if nothing inhibiting charge. If different, means current inhibited.

 

[NoTempoLimit]

Note: Oxidation on battery post & clamp inhibit current. But the oxidation takes time to build up. Freshly cleaned post & clamp will allow full charge without being greased, for months. Test by checking with multimeter on post, then away from post. Voltage will be same if nothing inhibiting charge. If different, means current inhibited.

What do you mean by "on post, then away from post"?

Started it up a 2nd time today and voltage was stuck at 12V and battery light on. So it is perhaps an intermittent failure? Not driving the truck for now. Will probably have to give it to someone to repair as I am up against the wall time wise.

 

[2001LC]

What do you mean by "on post, then away from post"?

Started it up a 2nd time today and voltage was stuck at 12V and battery light on. So it is perhaps an intermittent failure? Not driving the truck for now. Will probably have to give it to someone to repair as I am up against the wall time wise.

Touching multimeter probes directly to battery "post". Away can be probs on clamps, which are connecting to post, but not touch post with probes. If you've oxidation on/between post & clamp. The voltage will read lower on clamps, than voltage directly on post. If voltage same, no matter what points you touch probes to, you've good connection.

Good battery, good connection to battery. Than it's likely failing alternator .

 

[NoTempoLimit]

What's a reasonable price for an independent mechanic to do an alternator swap on a LC 100?

 

[highonpottery]

I’d guess it would be 2-4hrs labor depending which way they want to try and do it.
I did mine the minimal parts removal route, from below - I wanna say I was done in 2 hrs in my gravel driveway. Hardest part was probably the stupid wiring connections while playing contortionist. I used a Denso

 

[suprarx7nut]

I’d guess it would be 2-4hrs labor depending which way they want to try and do it.
I did mine the minimal parts removal route, from below - I wanna say I was done in 2 hrs in my gravel driveway. Hardest part was probably the stupid wiring connections while playing contortionist. I used a Denso

Agreed on wiring being the tough part. Hard to reach in there and you can't really do the connections anywhere but in situ. It's a pain.

@NoTempoLimit Sounds like the alternator is failing, but intermittently. I had this happen to onw of my failed alts in my 99. It failed to charge at all for a day or so, then mostly charged for a couple hundred miles. Once you see that charge light, IMO, time for a new alt ASAP. There are other things that could cause low voltage while running, but 95+% of the time it's simply a bad alternator. If your time and cash are tight, I'd go for any big name reman. Denso is great and OEM is king, but most any of them will get you going right now.

 

[krice118]

Searched but could not find the answer, is there a plug and play upgrade for the 98-99 alternator? I see Stock 98-99 had 80a, then 00-02 had 100A and 03-07 was 130A. Would a 100a or 130a be ok to use if I do not upgrade the wiring or anything?

 

[blatant]

local dealer put on a remain toyota couple weeks ago, otd cost was 360. alternator was 200 balance was labor and misc.