Just venting....Grrrrrrr!!!!
Alternator -Advance Auto- (lifetime warranty) lasted 18months, Starter-Auto Zone-(lifetime warranty) lasted 24 months, WalMart Battery- replaced twice now under warranty... I'm glad it's free but these parts just suck!!
A few weeks ago the alternator let me stranded.... now the starter and the battery are toast too.
And I've got to wait 4 DAYS to get the replacement starter!! BLAH :-(
I think I'm going to deal with Federated next year. I couldn't even find regular side post terminals like there's been on the market forever. They are cheapened up too, I went to Wal-Mart, Auto Zone before finding good Battery cables at Advance Auto. Need a second terminal to tie in a secondary ground to, and couldn't find them anywhere but Federated. Everyone else has this new style cheap Chinese side terminal. And Federated had them on a good old fashioned cardboard sleeve with a dozen on it , just pull one off and take it to the counter - no pre-packaging - no bar codes!! I wish I had a picture of the new ones to show, but you'll see them soon enough when you go to the store I guess! I was SHOCKED to see NAPA carry the cheap stuff too!!! I just turned around and walked out :-(
I always let the store know why I am walking out. I glad there is a Pull a Part near me.
I have always used auto zones duralast gold! Great battery and my 87 pu had its zone gold last 8.5 yrs ZERO problems.I will say sunny's duralast puked out early spring,and was only 2yrs old.Just no idea what the @#$! happen there.I am thinking my trickle charger might had something to do with it croaking tho.Being the cavy stays inside yr round.I can say autozone starters on my pickup last about five years and die,on the last 2.My alternator a auto zone been on the car for quite a few years still fine.Idk guess you got parts on a bad day or your cables need to be changed out,like your doing.Good luck.
looks nice and shiny - hope it lasts for you.
Got the starter in today, thought I'd share a few photos. Hopefully you can see how much smaller this unit is.
One GOOD thing is it is lighter which helps in installation.The stone cover fit perfectly too.
I also used...(recycled) the old battery cable from the starter housing back to the battery for a better current flow. I used double terminals on both sides of the battery. I used long bolts so I could use all the threads in the battery for the best connection, and tightened up the terminals against the battery with a nut along the bolt threads, so I don't have to worry about stripping the soft battery threads.
In case anyone wants to know, the bolts are 3/8" standard thread 2 1/4" long overall with the threads running 1 1/8" long. Bolt head is 9/16" I know everyone has their own solutions , just thought I'd share this. Also there is enough clearance to remove the bolts without pulling the washer reservoir, but you'll need to remove the battery hold down and tilt the battery back as you go. I just don't think much of those small 8mm bolts that hold down the battery terminals, have stripped a couple of battery threads in my time.
Finally, I took a shot of the alternator. The Diode Trio sits just about 1" above #1 exhaust pipe, thats a lot of heat there, especially in the dead of summer, I think this is just a bad design, and contributes to alternator failure. The OHC engine doesn't have this problem.
In the end everything worked wonderfully!! :-) In another thread, I wrote I couldn't find the plug to the Lockup Clutch Solenoid on my 84 Pontiac. Eventually I did find that, carefully hidden away. I guessed the solenoid probably sticks. The Pontiac seems to run so much more smoothly , that I decided to unplug the solinoid on the wagon and test it out. It ran a lot more smoothly too. That clutch kicked in around 35 mph, which just seemed to be too soon for me. Also it didn't want to kick out when I needed it to as I drove here in the Virginia mountains. I'm sure everyone has their preferences, just found this worked better for me. And, most importantly, disconnecting the solenoid DOESN'T throw a code!!
Neat stuff there.I see alot of oil residue on your pan gasket area.I can tell you if you do replace the pan gasket,there are some recommends I can make.1 totally strip the pan get it super clean inside and out(bone dry before install).2 I would paint the pan with engine primer(duplicolor) several coats,then same brand on paint(color I used semi flat).3 only use the cork gaskets on the sides,I found on my 2.0 that the short gasket at the crank slides out when compressed!.4 I ONLY use permatex the right stuff gasket sealer(seals it forever).and cures quick.5 I ran a bead two rows on the pan at the crank halfmoon,run a small dab on the rubber gasket at the flywheel(you will be glad if u do)both sides of it.Mine leaks a touch and did not do this(!#@$%%!).6As for the cork run a light bead on the pan apply gasket on sides then a light bead on the other side.Just install the bolts all hand tight to start.7I installed the bolts side to side initially then torqued BY hand in a clockwise direction.These bolts can easily be stripped and a good snug fit will work.Make sure to put conduit on that new starter wire too.I kinda got carried away.Starter looks pretty too.If you want pics of my resto I can locate my post on it somewhere here.I sandblasted my pan and cleaned my oil pump and yes new gaskets for it.
Thanks for all the info Ron!! :-)
All that oil has a story of it's own. I had a horrible oil leak over the past few years. For the first 5 years I had it, it never used any oil, then on day the oil light snapped on, and from then on, it just went down hill. I was going through a quart in about 70 miles or so at the end. Eventually I discovered the source by accident. It was the valve cover leaking on the back side around the intake . I tried using one of those neoprene gaskets, but that was a waste of time. Finally, I got a good ole fashioned cork gasket and "Got Er Done" :-)
I did take a look at some of your earlier threads (you've been a dedicated and busy J-Body owner!!) Saw some of your work on your oil pan - Work to truely be proud of!! I also saw where you had some troubles with the manifold wanting to kiss your starter too, and how you fabbed up a copper extension for the battery cable to bolt to. At least that helped me to appreciate the smaller, shorter design of this starter I put on. LoL, I didn't like that thing until I saw your picts.
So far the oil pan is snug and not leaking, hope it stays that way too, 'cause from what I've read on the threads here both OHC and OHV oil pans are a real PITA !! But I copied everything you wrote on here and saved it so when I do, I'll have the benefit of your experience!!
Thanks again Ron!! :-)
Well cool I always tried to post pics and be pretty elaborate on details of what to expect.I really enjoyed doing my engine resto paint job.And well worth it.Hope things continue to be less annoying for you on your next project.
New life to an old thread?
Little over 4 years ago I replaced the Alternator with one under warranty. You guessed it - idiot light popped on this morning. Lets see how the story develops? I will see if I can get some idea of the mileage I got off this one. Wonder if Advance will still honor warranty, how long to get an alternator? Thank goodness I've grabbed a couple off of the 1st gens that came along at the yard - so I have something to get me by during this!
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My experience with Autozone is pretty good. They have honored 10 year old lifetime warranties. I keep a log in glove compartment that goes back to day one with my 84 Cav for everything that I have ever done to it. I have been keeping copied receipts (the thermal ones fade out quick) for everything for about 15 years in my Cavalier file folder. As long as you are in the computer at Advance you should be OK.
Just to let you know you just have to order starters for 2000+ grand and with 3400s or similar setup if you have a v6 or 4 cyl ohv engine. Not sure about Ohc engines. They are gear reduction, that is why they are so small and so fast. I enjoy been running them for years in my 2nd gens and my fiero.
On the inside my car looks like a fighter jet.
Well time for an update.
I had a bad experience, unfortunately.
Finally got the suspect alternator off today and off I went to Advance Auto with my receipts. Everything went well at first - alternator was tested and failed as expected. Upon presentation of my receipt an instant drama ensued as the clerk started going off about lifetime replacement rules. Well it didn't take long for the manager on duty to confirm the clerks hunch and I was quickly informed that Advance Auto only replaces their parts one time. That replacement part only carries a 90 day replacement warranty on it regardless of the original warranty upon purchase. After this heartbreaker the clerk then calmly goes back to his computer so he can let me know where he can get another alternator for me to pay full price for. What? Let me get this right.....You just dusted me off with your lifetime warranty and now expect me to buy another one again? Really? I quickly snatched up my dead alternator and receipt and politefully but firmly thanked the man and told him to have a nice day.
So in conclusion. Buyer Beware! Advance Auto does not offer a lifetime warranty. They will replace your part ONCE . Period. If that part breaks in 6 months you have a 6 month replacement warranty. If the part last 15 years you have a 15 year replacement warranty. In my opinion this is false advertisement. I had heard of this A/A scam but really didn't understand the truth of it. I have now experienced the truth for myself and have learned my lesson. If you decide to buy your parts from there please be aware of your future.
Luckily I have accumulated 3 alternators from Pick N Save and have some time to save up for a real lifetime part from AutoZone. I'll probably wait till I need something else that will push the bill over $100 then I can use their 20% online discount they offer along with the free shipping.
Live and Learn (and Share)
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Check the price autozone vs napa. The quality at napa is so much better.
After three bad radiators at autozone, I paid the extra $20 at napa and could SEE the difference.
Autozone and advance are the walmarts of the parts industry.
Thanks for giving us the heads up Orlen. With the cheap chinese parts flooding the market it seems stores don't offer Lifetime warranties as much as they used too anymore. According to their site unless otherwise stated they only offer 90 day limited warranties now.
I will say auto zone does stand true to a lifetime at least on brake components!Last year in short the wife's 04 accord had a rear caliper fail and chewed up a set of brake pads and rotor.They honored the damaged components regardless of why it happened.Problem fixed yes and in my warranty issue's auto zone stood tall for me.Granted I am a frequent guy there and they always helped me out even if I thought the problem was from another component.I do have to say Napa does sell a far superior part in a lot of areas.The short is the low end over seas made parts fail soooo much sooner than later.As I preach on this I will gladly pay more money for a USA made part with a good warranty any day over the foreign made junk.If the auto store's and vendors would get the (real picture) on this they would still sell a lot of parts even for a little more cost to the consumer in my opinion.
The stores don't have a problem not selling parts because the parts being sold are low quality. From the store's point of view, it's about profit margin, not sales price to the consumer.
If they can sell x amount of crap parts and keep the return rate below y percentage, their profit margin is much higher than selling x amount of quality parts with z amount of return percentage. Plus with selling crap parts, said parts will fail sooner and need replacement, meaning even more profits.
I always tell my mechanic to please use NAPA over the other stores, I would rather pay a little more for the parts and have them last longer. He gets me NAPA. It's pretty pathetic when you can SEE the difference in quality on an auto part. I could see the difference in the radiator, and even when I bought battery terminal bolts...yeah, the NAPA ones were MUCH nicer and only cost $1 more.
I agree with Wayne regarding the power of margin in modern society - it is the total picture in capitalism now. There is nothing to be gained by good will and incentives in businesses these days - so more and more are turning to the tricks played by Advance Auto. I could probably write a book about the tricks I've caught business and their products using. Crappy parts are the order of the day now, if you can score a good warranty to replace them with then you have an advantage.
With car parts the store automatically have one up with the fact that a large number of car owners will get tired of the vehicle they have and trade or sell voiding any future warranties the store offered - and of course they know it. There are a few dedicated souls out there that try to drive around in a vehicle filled up with lifetime warranted parts and trying to live with some sense of carefree driving. It is sad , that businesses are so darn greedy they feel the need to shut the doors on those frugal people, but it isn't surprising.
Hell even our local government has gotten in on the gravy train , looking for any way they can to milk the citizens out of their hard earned money. Here in Virginia we are going to have a moderate snow event that isn't a big deal , but I feel compelled to take a couple of vacation days off due to it because if you slide off the road in a ditch now the police issue you a reckless driving ticket before they even call a tow truck. You can't even hope to get yourself dug out and on your own way minding your own business either because within 2 minutes of your demise 50 people have driven by, taken videos and photos on their cell phones and all of them have called 911 tell everyone where you are. Call the Rescue Squad here and it gonna cost you $500. So the risk is getting to be more than the loss of a vacation day or even a reprimand at your job. Years ago I didn't worry about sliding off in a ditch or a small fender bender - now everything is just that much more complicated. Sorry for getting off the subject and the rant folks.
Now I'm really not sure how good Napa warranties are - would like for anyone with experiences to share them. Autozone has been good so far - I've received a starter and a set of pads without hassle , and that tiny replacement starter has been a darn good one! I haven't had any warranty replacement beyond the 1st time though.
I bet a special thread just on warranty experiences would be very handy on here just so people would know what they are getting these days!
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Orlen Brown wrote:
Hell even our local government has gotten in on the gravy train , looking for any way they can to milk the citizens out of their hard earned money. Here in Virginia we are going to have a moderate snow event that isn't a big deal , but I feel compelled to take a couple of vacation days off due to it because if you slide off the road in a ditch now the police issue you a reckless driving ticket before they even call a tow truck. You can't even hope to get yourself dug out and on your own way minding your own business either because within 2 minutes of your demise 50 people have driven by, taken videos and photos on their cell phones and all of them have called 911 tell everyone where you are. Call the Rescue Squad here and it gonna cost you $500. So the risk is getting to be more than the loss of a vacation day or even a reprimand at your job. Years ago I didn't worry about sliding off in a ditch or a small fender bender - now everything is just that much more complicated. Sorry for getting off the subject and the rant folks.
My brother in law recently found out how greedy the small township he lives in is. He got into an accident last year after tailgating too close. Even though he called AAA to come tow him the township cop called their local boys in quickly before AAA could get there and they charged him $300+ just to tow him a few miles up the road to his home. Just when he thought everything was done and paid for he got a a few hundred dollar bill in the mail a few weeks ago for the township's policeman's time.
Spike J wrote:Orlen Brown wrote:
Hell even our local government has gotten in on the gravy train , looking for any way they can to milk the citizens out of their hard earned money. Here in Virginia we are going to have a moderate snow event that isn't a big deal , but I feel compelled to take a couple of vacation days off due to it because if you slide off the road in a ditch now the police issue you a reckless driving ticket before they even call a tow truck. You can't even hope to get yourself dug out and on your own way minding your own business either because within 2 minutes of your demise 50 people have driven by, taken videos and photos on their cell phones and all of them have called 911 tell everyone where you are. Call the Rescue Squad here and it gonna cost you $500. So the risk is getting to be more than the loss of a vacation day or even a reprimand at your job. Years ago I didn't worry about sliding off in a ditch or a small fender bender - now everything is just that much more complicated. Sorry for getting off the subject and the rant folks.
My brother in law recently found out how greedy the small township he lives in is. He got into an accident last year after tailgating too close. Even though he called AAA to come tow him the township cop called their local boys in quickly before AAA could get there and they charged him $300+ just to tow him a few miles up the road to his home. Just when he thought everything was done and paid for he got a a few hundred dollar bill in the mail a few weeks ago for the township's policeman's time.
This is even happening with firefighters. Budgets are stretched really thin, and they are going for any money they can get, no matter how they get it.
When you get a bill for police work or a fire being put out at your home, just forward it to the insurance company and they can tell the township GFY as the taxes we pay are for that very police work they've done. If the insurance company wants to pay it, that's up to them.
All very good points.I do agree parts stores can move more inventory at a LOW cost even if it fails a day later etc.However on other sites we ALL want a better made part that has the warranty side(BUT) a better made part that will not make one do the same job again in a shorter time frame (over,over over) on some items.Last but least a exact example I have literally over the last 15 years had to replace the slave cylinder on my 1987 mazda b2200 cabplus manual 5spd literally every 5 years due to the part leaks brake fluid and the clutch pedal does not engage,or missing gears and or not shifting properly.To end the last failure was in my driveway and I HAD THE NEW part and clutch pedal to the floor and no movement.I the next day replaced and had the trusted wife help on bleeding the unit as this is a two person job with out a GOOD one man bleeder from mityvac with a true vacumm pump or compressed air version.I am going to buy the crazy expensive one on ebay with multiple brake master caps/clutch caps that are a true one man bleeder.Cost low side $200.00-265.00 on the version I want.I like to throw different topics in to make it more entertaining.
