[madeaccounttoseephotos]

Could something be killing my alternators?

Noticed typical bad alt sign a week ago. Battery voltage was going lower and lower. Had autozone test it and it was a bad voltage regulator. Alternator was oil soaked from a small leak in the power steering pump.

New Alt 1) Purchased a Duralast Alternator 15491from autozone along with a new battery. After install, battery was charging, but voltage kept swinging from low to high. Never worked normally. Belts and pulleys were ok.

Brought it in, failed again for voltage regulator.

New Alt 2) Autozone exchanged for another one (same item no.). Installed and car was back to normal for ~170 miles. Then I noticed swinging up and down again. Brought it in, and failed again for voltage regulator.

Bought a spare since I was 130 miles from home, and figured I'd swap it on the road if it died. It died.

New Alt 3) Installed and seems to be behaving normally again (w/ about 20 miles on it so far).

Am I learning the hard way to avoid autozone remanufactured junk, or could there by something else wrong causing the failures?

 

[snunicycler]

I had to change an autozone reman starter twice in the middle of the night about 10 years ago (in an old Dodge Neon, not my X), thank goodness there was a 24 hr AZ nearby. Since then I avoid AutoZone as much as I can, but I imagine remanufactured parts can be problematic regardless of who you buy them from.

 

[Lowcountry idn]

I agree that jobber stuff is normally crap, but it sounds like it might just be our smart charging system. The ECU turns the alternator on and off to save gas (don't complain to me, complain to Nissan).

Best way to check is monitor constantly - Amazon and others sell a voltage gauge that plugs into your cigarette lighter. search for cigarette voltage meter.

When charging it should show about 14.2 volts - like right after you start the car. It has a sort of hold mode around 13.6 volts which is common when your driving with accessories on. It will often turn completely off and drop to battery voltage - around 12.7 volts - which means it has decided you don't need to charge at that instant. This is normal - it will cycle between those three regularly. It should show 14.2 Volts fairly often if your running lights, AC, etc., but even then it can drop off for a bit.

To test the alternator you need to put power to a third pin on the alternator - to "enable" it. Wouldn't surprise me if they don't know how to test it.

 

[madeaccounttoseephotos]

it might just be our smart charging system. The ECU turns the alternator on and off to save gas (don't complain to me, complain to Nissan).

Do you know if this could be killing the alternators?

The alternators are failing at Autozone when tested on car and Oreilly bench testing after I pulled it out (for whatever reason, autozone can't bench test them for me). Then a new one goes in, and it's back to normal for a bit.

Update: 3rd one just started failing after being driven for 25 miles and then sitting overnight.

I'm thinking maybe the first one was a dud and that messed up the battery, and now the battery is messing up the incoming alternators. Does that sound plausible?

 

[madeaccounttoseephotos]

OK, so, so far it looks like the Alt wasn't failing but the battery was/did... Serves me right for buying a cheap battery and cheap alt at Autozone.

I put a new nice one in, and it seems to back up and running with the 3rd alt. (still got 2 defective ones, or someone 1 defective one and killed one w a bad battery).

 

[mojavedesertman]

Duralast more like Durajunk I have had a lot of issues in the past with the Duralast brand from autozone. I went through like 3 fuel pumps in about as many weeks for my old toyota in high school also my parents had a lot of trouble with their lifetime warranty reman alt for another car. I have avoided the Duralast brand for over 20 years now because of the issues.

 

[Brunnie]

OK, so, so far it looks like the Alt wasn't failing but the battery was/did... Serves me right for buying a cheap battery and cheap alt at Autozone.

I put a new nice one in, and it seems to back up and running with the 3rd alt. (still got 2 defective ones, or someone 1 defective one and killed one w a bad battery).

So what brand battery? Personally, I prefer Interstate, but that may not be available in your area.

The more info you post about your vehicle and location the better we can help and offer advice.

 

[Lowcountry idn]

I don't see the battery killing an alternator. Everything is fused / fusible link. I hope your problem is fixed either way.

 

[RamTest]

I wouldn't buy remanufactured parts.
Actually just Friday I bought a new Duralast Gold starter for my Chevy Trailblazer, because I couldn't wait for anything else.
It has "Delco Remy" cast into the housing. Definitely a quality part.

 

[campisi]

I definitely would not buy ANY 'lifetime warranty' parts from AZ or Oreillys. You spend your lifetime replacing them.

 

[Just a Hunter]

Battery info

There are only three battery manufactures which supply the overwhelming majority of todays retail brands regardless of where your shopping.

To be clear, im speaking of Johnson Control, Exide and Eastern Penn/Deka.
Of these three, Johnson Control has the majority of the market share.

At one time, I'm pretty sure if you purchased the standard lead battery from Interstate, Walmart, Autozone, Napa or Advance Auto it was maxe by Johnson Control.

Update: Johnson Control sold out to Clarios.

 

[RamTest]

There are only three battery manufactures which supply the overwhelming majority of todays retail brands regardless of where your shopping.
To be clear, im speaking of Johnson Control, Exide and Eastern Penn/Deka.
Of these three, Johnson Control has the majority of the market share.

Johnson Controls has been out of the battery business for 3+ years.
They sold out to Clarios, which is a division of Brookfield Business Partners, which also owns Westinghouse.
They slap each other on the back, so I'd say your AutoZone battery came from Clarios

 

[RamTest]

I definitely would not buy ANY 'lifetime warranty' parts from AZ or Oreillys. You spend your lifetime replacing them.

At least you get a free replacement, on an immediate walk-in basis, and you're back on the road same day.
Try that with RockAuto. Or Nissan.
In many cases, the only difference between original equipment (OE) and premium aftermarket is the box it shipped in.

Too many folks buy the cheapest chit they can, then wonder why it doesn't last. Generally, you get what you pay for. Buy the best quality part you can get from the retailers, use care installing it, and you should be fine. Avoid cheap parts.

 

[Lowcountry idn]

At least you get a free replacement, on an immediate walk-in basis, and you're back on the road same day.
Try that with RockAuto. Or Nissan.
In many cases, the only difference between original equipment (OE) and premium aftermarket is the box it shipped in.

Too many folks buy the cheapest chit they can, then wonder why it doesn't last. Generally, you get what you pay for. Buy the best quality part you can get from the retailers, use care installing it, and you should be fine. Avoid cheap parts.

While that might be the case for your trailblazer, that is certainly not normal for Nissan parts.

NIssan Parts (and Honda and toyota) typically use Japanese tier suppliers - Denso, Hitachi, NTK, etc. Those companies don't make branded / jobber parts for the most part. Due to that your jobber part is more than likely from an aftermarket only supplier - in most cases.

When I owned a Ford i purchased wherever was cheapest. Not anymore.

 

[RamTest]

While that might be the case for your trailblazer, that is certainly not normal for Nissan parts.

NIssan Parts (and Honda and toyota) typically use Japanese tier suppliers - Denso, Hitachi, NTK, etc. Those companies don't make branded / jobber parts for the most part. Due to that your jobber part is more than likely from an aftermarket only supplier - in most cases.

You might want to reconsider your last post. All of those companies produce aftermarket parts.
These were lifted directly from their websites:

"Quality, Reliability and Value. At DENSO we've taken everything we have learned as an OE manufacturer and applied it to our aftermarket product lines."

"As a Tier One OE supplier to the largest automobile manufacturers globally, we delivery global industry leading quality and exceed customer expectations with our products and service. Hitachi is bringing that same knowledge and expertise to the products we deliver in the Aftermarket."

"NGK Spark Plugs (U.S.A), Inc. Announces Nine New Aftermarket Positions".

 

[madeaccounttoseephotos]

So what brand battery? Personally, I prefer Interstate, but that may not be available in your area.

The more info you post about your vehicle and location the better we can help and offer advice.

New battery was an Interstate AGM from costco. The old one was from autozone (again probably junk).

Update: Started getting charging error lights after about 75 miles on the new battery & the 3rd (still duralast) alternator

I'm in Arizona with an '05 S 4x4

Going to try a good, new, non-manufactured alternator one more time, and then move on to the ECU, I guess.

 

[Lowcountry idn]

You might want to reconsider your last post. All of those companies produce aftermarket parts.
These were lifted directly from their websites:

"Quality, Reliability and Value. At DENSO we've taken everything we have learned as an OE manufacturer and applied it to our aftermarket product lines."

"As a Tier One OE supplier to the largest automobile manufacturers globally, we delivery global industry leading quality and exceed customer expectations with our products and service. Hitachi is bringing that same knowledge and expertise to the products we deliver in the Aftermarket."

"NGK Spark Plugs (U.S.A), Inc. Announces Nine New Aftermarket Positions".

Yes, they sell aftermarket parts with there name on them - meaning they sell parts to the public, not just the OEM's.

I said they didn't make jobber parts. Read my post again.

Your unlikely to open a duralast box and find a Denso or NTK part in it. Your insinuation was that since you got a delco part in a Duralast box for your trailblazer, and that jobber parts and branded parts were the same.

In many cases, the only difference between original equipment (OE) and premium aftermarket is the box it shipped in.

 

[Just a Hunter]

Johnson Controls has been out of the battery business for 3+ years.
They sold out to Clarios, which is a division of Brookfield Business Partners, which also owns Westinghouse.
They slap each other on the back, so I'd say your AutoZone battery came from Clarios

Thanks for the update.
At one time I kept up with the auto industry much better than I do now.

 

[RamTest]

Thanks for the update.
At one time I kept up with the auto industry much better than I do now.

Same here. A lot of mergers and acquisitions... not worth the effort to keep up with them.

 

[RamTest]

Your unlikely to open a duralast box and find a Denso or NTK part in it.

If Autozone contracts with Denso or NTK to make parts for them, that's exactly what you will find in the duralast box.
Just like any other manufacturer. Whether the Denso/NTK name is on the part is dictated by the supply contract.