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alternators should last more than 240,000 miles!

Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2005 6:30 am
by greg donovan
stupid alternator isnt charging the battery. it is the original alternator on my 95 wagon. it has been sounding odd for a while.

first the battery light came on. then the brake light. then the ABS light. then the horn stopped working then the tach and speedo start jumping around and then stop working. then the radio starts beeping. then the car hesitates and doesnt want to accelerate.

the battery is a 2 year old optima red top. thank god for the 104 minute reserve capacity.

will any subaru ej series engine alternator do the job?

because even a alternator w/100k on it will be better than the one in the car now.

Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2005 2:32 pm
by Legacy777
I'd say you got a pretty damn good life out of the alternator.

You'll need to find an alternator with the same style plug. I don't know if the 95's have the 3 style plug with the turn on lead, or if they are RPM turn on sensitive. Either way, the RPM turn ones will work. You'll just have to re-wire things. Also, if it's the older style plug, the newer ones have the plug located further away, so you'll have to stretch, or possibly lengthen the wires.

You can see what I mean in these pics
http://www.main.experiencetherave.com:8 ... nator2.jpg
http://www.main.experiencetherave.com:8 ... nator3.jpg

Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2005 5:34 pm
by evolutionmovement
The usual high end for an alternator seems to be 120-150k. That said, mine made 250k.

Steve

Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2005 1:54 am
by greg donovan
yep this alternator served me well.

turns out that due to the recall on alternators on the alternators from mid 95 on (mine is a early 95 built car and not covered) to whenever the alternators are only 78 dollars from subaru for a genuine subaru remanufactured unit.

i knew the install was easy but wow that was very painless. it was so easy i did it 3 times! i kept dropping the little bracket on the back under the intake manifold. learned the hard way that i should thread the bolt into it a bit first.

crazy thing is this car has always had a bit of what sounded like a ticking lifter. it would come and go.
today after i installed the new alternator the ticking was gone and it is running VERY quiet. time will tell if this is a coincedence or not.

Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2005 5:41 am
by evolutionmovement
It was probably the old alternator making the noise. They do that sometimes before they go. I think it's from the brushes being worn out, but that's just a guess.

Steve