'To rebuild or not to rebuild, That is my question'

When I had my 308 engine out recently, I asked myself the same question about rebuilding the alt while I had it in my hand. I decided not to, and just cleaned it up, checked the brushes, cleaned the connections and put it back in- no problems so far. I figured that it's not really difficult to remove later if it does go south. And, where do you stop with the "while you are there" replacement and rebuilds? I could get ugly fast.

My opinion: just clean it, check the brushes, and put it back in. A rebuild might just make it fail sooner.

Lastely- can you really get that thing rebuilt for $50? What could they possibly do for that amount of money?

 

i agree with pap348, at least have it checked and cleaned

 

It all depends. Years ago I knew a guy who rebuilt starters and alts. He was kind of a friend or a friend, and I was always told if I needed something to just stop in. One day the starter in an old beater Galaxie 500 I was driving gave up the ghost. I took it out and brought it in. Well, its a Ford, and he had a lot of other parts. He sandblasted and painted the armature housing after testing the field windings and washing the inside with solvent. while the paint dried, he knocked out the bushings, ground the amature, put on a good starter drive, and put it all back together with new brushes. I dont think he took more than 15 minutes. Told me happy birthday and to tell my friends to come by. Stupid starter motor was the cleanest shiniest part on the whole car. Felt stupid even putting it back in.

 

Well 5 years ago when I first got my GTS, I knew the alternator needed a rebuild, so I took it to a local automotive electrical shop. A few days later I picked it up, fully refurbished (cleaned, machined, new bearings, new diode pack) and upgraded to a higher amperage output. Cost about $110.

Bill