A few years back I did the G3 Alternator upgrade so I could use an efan. I switched from the oem 70 amp, to a 130 amp out of a Ford Taurus. It fit right into the bracket. I used a j/y alt, with a spare behind the seat. It lasted for 2 years. No prob. I replaced it with the spare j/y one. It lasted 2 days.

I went to the j/y and paid $40 for a replacement off a 2000 mustang with the 3.8. I didn't pay for the warranty. 'Warranty, for a j/y part?' It was bad.

Went to O'Reilley's. They sell a rebuilt, Ultimo, built in Mexico, for $200! Rebuilt! Not new. I was stuck. I pulled it out of the box, and could see on the voltage regulator on the back, that there was oil/grease, around each raised letter in 'motorcraft'. The ... v.regulator, from a 1994 Taurus, was 22 years old! AND THEY WERE CHARGING $200! The core charge was $10. So, they were paying $10 for an alternator, rebuilding with old parts, cleaning it, and charging $200 for the cleaning service!

I had to have the dd running. Bought it, and then ordered a brand new, Bosch alternator, from Rock Auto, for $140, shipped. Got a refund from O'Reilley's.

I'm on my 5th alt in a week. The point is that O'Reilley's is making some very poor decisions. If you deal with them you should carefully examine the merchandise.

 

On the JY alts, I've gotten bad ones and ones that lasted years. However, I grab a couple on half price day and drive a mile to one of the big parts houses to have them tested. If one doesn't check out I drive right back to the yard and swap it out. That way when I go home I know they work.

On O'Reilley's, they're not rebuilding with old regulators. Some one bought it, took the regulator off, put their bad one on and returned it. That's why it was greasy. You probably noticed at the JY that half the alts are missing the regulators. that's because people pay the $2 to get in then fill their pockets with small parts and walk out. Also, you can usually get new alts from O'Reilly's for just a couple bucks more than the rebuilds.

 

i had a similar issue with a G2 alt from pep boys... I bought the "extra heavy duty" 80A.. worked for 2 days, then it would stop charging at highway speed.. was weird..I took it back, and had them test it..they said it tested ok..to which I replied.. bulls--t!..they then said the alternator that I brought in wasn't the one they sold me..and they had no more of the "80A" alternators in stock..I got p'd off, yelled and screamed at them, and walked out with a "premium"(also known as a reman with a gold metallic sticker instead of a plain white sticker) 75A G2 alt..

The alt they sold me actually wasn't the 80A, it was some pieceajunk that someone returned in place of the 80A..

I have had better luck with junkyard alternators than auto parts store reman. the 130A G3 I have in my 88 ranger came from a junk yard taurus and it has been great, I also have a junkyard 130A G3 in my dent, and a junkyard GM alternator in my boat..marine alternators are ridiculously priced..I just stuck the "Marine J1171" sticker from the old alternator onto the junk yard car alternator..no one has ever said a word about it, and my boat's engine has no cover, so i'm not worried about a stray spark blowing it up..

 

Couple years ago, I bought a set of plug wires at AutoZone. Took them home, opened the box, and...they were old used worn-out wires! Somebody had apparently bought a set, replaced the contents, and returned them. I took them back, and they were real good about changing them for "real" new wires.

Apparently, when the old wires were returned, the associate didn't put the sricker on the box, so another associate restocked them

 

That's a good point about checking contents of boxes. Fairly common I bet and some folks like to pull a fast one too. Wheel bearings are another. They buy the wrong bearings and they won't fit, so it's back in the box for a return.

 

Fordworth: Thanks for the good points. Certainly, that may have been the case, that someone bought the alt, took the good v.regulator off, and replaced it with a bad one, and got a refund. Neither of us knows whether O'Reilley's is 'rebuilding' alt's w/o replacing the v.regulator. I should have asked to see another of the same alt, so I could check and compare the regulators.

However, I would guess that if the regulator works, O'Reilley's does not replace it. The pursuit of higher profits, coupled with poor or non existent quality control in Mexico, where O'Reilley's has their plant, means if it works, don't replace. I've seen that on many parts, from distributors to p.steering pumps (replace the seals, and hey, it's 'rebuilt.') It is rather sad when a rebuilt engine means new rings and bearings and gaskets only. A-1 Cardone, one of the largest rebuilders in the US, became known as a Parts Washing Service.

*Added note: I checked the price of the voltage regulators for that alt. They run $39 for a motorcraft, $59 for a BW! If a large corporation could increase their profits by that much, per unit, by not replacing the v.r., and they're selling hundreds or thousands nation wide, I understand why they choose to not replace. Bottom line.

Have a good day.