Hello I have a 1999 honda civic Lx and I need to buy a alternator. Does anyone know a good brand? I'm not going to autozone because all they sell is duralast alternators and the reviews are awful. I tried the honda website and I am not paying 800 dollars for an alternator. I don't know the current brand in my car now or the amperage. I've heard 60-70 amps stock amps. I wanna make sure i buy the correct amperage.

 

Buy a refurbished one with a lifetime warranty...buy from any of the chain auto parts stores because they're all basically the same.

When it dies in 5-10 years, get a free replacement. Maybe the alternator will outlast your car?

 

Thats what I have been doing checking out the chain auto part stores. Ive heard horrible things about the duralast alternators. The alternator in my car doesnt look like its a horrible job to replace. That bottom bolt looks like its gonna be a pain in the *** to get out. Ive seen some videos where that bolt is actually stuck.

 

Just buy the one recommended for your car.

Remove the alternator and its mount on the block.

The job is easy if you know how to rotate the free alternator so that it clears the axle for removal from below.

 

Replace the belt while you're at it. I'm sure it needs replacing as well. You can get Bando or Mitsuboshi belts on eBay for under $15

 

Get a denso, honda does make reman alternators from time to time, same goes for starters too.

 

Fine alternator, though at double the price and without lifetime warranty (Amazon) of chain auto parts store alternators.

 

i've replaced dozens of alternators and starters with reman chain store stuff over the years. autozone has always seemed to be the lowest quality, but i've had issues with doa parts from every company. on my personal cars, i've had the parts fail within months, and some last years. op is right, sometimes that lower bolt completely freezes up, i have had to actually cut out alternators in this situation. i'll find some pics of this and upload them after work.

 

yes you're right, all the auto parts store alternators are junk. No matter how much people try to tell you they're good, they're not. They're all the same no matter what sticker/logo they slap on it. I agree with you about not spending $800 for an alternator! Insane.. But Honda does sell remanufactured alternators, the only thing old is the casing, everything else inside is new. I got a reman steering rack, starter, a/c compressor from Honda. That's how I know how they're remanufacturing stuff. It's basically brand new. and what's nice is the reman comes with labor (if you had dealer do it) and part warranty for 3 years!

I have a TYC alternator currently but that was made in taiwan. Today they've shifted everything to the lower quality chinese production line.. otherwise I'd suggest my TYC..

I did look up your alternator from Honda.. remanufactured.. it's $330-370 depending on what dealer online you get it from.. here's the part number 06311-PEJ-505RM yup Honda is a little more money but you get what you pay for.. The other thing to do is take yours to a local alternator/electrical shop and have them rebuild yours.

 

Its hit or miss I've had to replace an alternator for some chick w/ an altima. She was on her 3rd, but it was lifetime. Sadly that one replacement from me was free but she'll have to pay someone else to handle the task next time it goes out.

The alternator I bought for my sis from acura still running after 18yrs *knock on wood*.

 

Here's Honda parts network (honda dealer in Chicago).. $313! Had to share, they had the lowest price I found.. Reman Honda..
OEM Honda Part 06311-PEJ-505RM | Alternator (Remanufactured) Core ID A005TA0991R, A5TA4591ZC

 

@crazyhorse2011 can help you.

 

i would just go with whatever rockauto.com sells. What is it, like 80 bucks shipped? Cmon OP this isnt the stone age

 

this^^^^ i did mine from beliw by jacking up the front end and undoing the bolts. I do recall one of the bolts being a close fit and the alternator being a pain in the *** to get out. But i did it. And if i could do it working 2 min wage jobs in an apartment complex parking lot with basic tools, so can you.
oh yeah replace the belt too, its 15 bucks

 

The Mitsubishi ones can literally last the life of the car. I'd trust one pulled straight off of a parts car with 150,000 miles more than anything from a parts store.

 

Theyre all remanufactured in mexico or China. Unfortunately the quality control on cars over 20 years old is shotty, sometimes you're getting a part that was remanned 15 years ago before modern standards set better and higher standards.

But like mentioned just get one from an autoparts store with a lifetime warranty.

 

Jesus I tried loosening my alt bolts. Top one easy...That bottom one is stuck I can't move it at all. I even took off the belt to ease the tension nope. I was hammering the crap out of it and it didn't budge. I went with a Denso alternator. I have to get that bottom bolt out.

 

6 point Wrench (NOT 12)
slide it on. Use a hammer to beat tge wrench.

OR.

if you have space, use a ratchet and 6 pt socket. Slide a 2 ft piece of tube/conduit/pipe over it. Break it loose. Did that 100x in my life

 

sometimes they freeze up to the point that nothing will get them out, not air hammers, nothing. in these cases, i cut them out. prepare for a fun filled "glittery" experience.

 

dont scare the OP, he needs to try what i said

 

wellllll if you don't have a grinder, harbor freight sells them for $15. be ready lol

 

 

bingo

 

Well for the hell of it before i started to replace my alternator I went ahead and bought a new battery. I put the new battery in and wanted to see if that fixed it before i replaced the alternator. I hooked the battery up and was putting my tools to the side when i started to see smoke. I ran to my car and the damn alternator was smoking. I quickly disconnected the battery and took a deep breath. I hooked it back up and it started smoking again, WTF is going on. At this point i new my old alternator was toast for sure now. Can someone explain to me why it started smoking in the first place. I checked the obvious things...polarity, hanging wires touching something etc...does this mean my new battery is toast to? I dont know. All i know is NOW I have to replace the alternator. I just wanna know why my old one started smoking after I hooked up a new battery.

 

The alternator has an internal short to ground. Good luck with the new battery.