Hi everyone,
Haven't posted since 2002, but I"m still around (married now, and a daddy!). Still have EagleSmoke, the white '99 Sunfire GT, with 189,000 Miles!!!! (all original drivetrain, too...haven't even changed the clutch
). Still my daily drive to work ,still smoking fart can hondas. On the third set of Eagle RS-A's now...
Around 160,000 miles, my factory alternator went out. I took it to the tire shop here in town, who replaced it. I have since been through another (the first replacement alternator was replaced under warranty, the thing just crapped out).
Under acceleration with the lights on (and if you know me, I'm not afraid to take her up to the redline), my dash lights and headlights are getting really dim...crusing at 65, the lights seem to be dim, too, but everything gets bright again when I let up on the accelerator(!). So far, no battery light...
Is the tire shop just using cheap made in China crap, or what? Badly rebuilt alternator, perhaps? Is there a possibilty that what I'm seeing isn't the alternator, like maybe the ignition system drawing lots more juice than it used to?
"You can argue with your maker, but in the end you just can't win."- Rich Mullins
Unless you've added some mind numbing audio components sucking up massive energy you should not have increased your electrical demands in any significant way. Sure, as connections and wires age they do tend to have minor resistance increases but that is barely measurable.
Find out WHERE they are getting their parts from. If you weren't demanding lowest price they should stay away from Auto Zone type places that specialize in cheap.
Get your product from a local known rebuilder or a nationally know quality chain such as NAPA. Sure, you'll spend a few dollars more but you'll also get another 100,000 miles without continuous time to pull out the cheap crap and install a new one!
Sadly massive waves of cheap into this nation are polluting quality. If people only shop by price they not only get what they pay for but they also drive the quality suppliers out of business and everyone has lost and is now forced to purchase cheap crap.
Dave
