Dead Alternator Advice

[NYCXander]

My alternator went Kaput on the 10 yesterday and I am currently in the market for a new one. I had the vehicle towed to a Pep Boys in Hollywood. They quoted me $180 to order a rebuilt alternator, not including installation labor. Should I hope to find one cheaper from a salvage yard or does anyone have any leads to finding one cheaper? I may be able to install it myself with a friend who has all the necessary tools. I would appreciate any information/advice in regards to my situation. Thanks!!!

Xander

[Toysrme]

Go to a parts store. Alt's are not a big deal.

A 10mm socket, a 12mm socket and a 14mm socket.

If you have a system, consider the Highlander's optional 130amp alt. It's a drop in.

[JIBBBY]

A bigger concern I would have would be why the alterator went kaput to begin with? Did you know that when the powersteering pumps fail and begin to leak they just so happen to always leak directly down onto the alternator. For some reason the alternator and power steering fluid do not play well together.. These alternators don't die out often on their own in these Lexus's and this is a common well known problem with the earlier model lexus SC/LS's. I am not sure about the Es's. Something to think about and consider before putting a new alternator in and having it go bad again in a couple of weeks..

[NYCXander]

Thank you both for sharing your knowledge, you are both right. I located a rebuilt one for $170 at a neighboring Pep Boys & i'm gonna go pick it up today.

As for the power steering pump, it was leaking and it was just replaced before my cross country road trip, so i guess the damage was already done. Thanks again, car should be up & running again in no time. Xander B)

[Toysrme]

Good job! :)

[azmalu]

If highlander alt is just a drop in im goin into more debt and buying that regardless of price difference(i wonder if they will accept my core lol)

[Tsquared]

Azmalu,

You can also pull you alt and carry it to a specialty alt shop to have it rewound to the highlander spec. They will upgrade the voltage regulator in addition to the wiring. In many cases if time is not a factor you can request to have the cases back prior to rewinding so that you can paint or powdercote them to match the color scheme. This will cost about the same as a rebuilt unit but the time you are down will be longer.

T

[azmalu]

Yeah i think im gonna order the highlander unit from a shop....its hard to find a ship in the phoenix area that does that...i remember righ out of high school looking through yellow pages just calling up shop after shop but nobody does it...

[Tsquared]

Yeah i think im gonna order the highlander unit from a shop....its hard to find a ship in the phoenix area that does that...i remember righ out of high school looking through yellow pages just calling up shop after shop but nobody does it...

I guess that is the downside of not living near an area where Nascar Racing is considered the "new" national pastime. There are enough specialty speed shops or custom automotive repair shops in the Atlanta area you can get anything done...

T

[azmalu]

yeah its not quite that hype but still a grip of people out here love when the nascar circuit runs through here the subwya 500 and some other race comes through here....