Just wanted to give everyone a heads up.

At about 135K mi the battery light on my 4.2 started flickering above 4,000 rpm. There were no other noticable symtoms (ie..dimming headlights, hard starts). I'm ashamed to say I let it go for about a month (which is about 2800 miles for me). Having been a mechanic, i'm usually a stickler about maintenance...

Although I checked it regularly, I had not changed the serpentine belt on schedule and thought that this might be the issue, although I've never known even old ones to slip much (looking for the cheap way out). It didn't help.

Promptly two days after changing the belt the battery light came on and stayed on. Put a meter on it and it was charging at about 10V.

I pulled the brush pack on the alternator and the brushes were eaten down to nothing. One was so far gone that it had no carbon left on it at all and had eaten a groove in the slip ring.

A new alternator was $150. Brush packs are about $20.

Lesson learned....

Hope someone else can catch this before it costs them....

TJ

 

I now feel your pain. Having to buy a new alternator instead of having some tests done.

Garrett

 

TJ,
Thanks for the info. I guess it is good to be reminded from time-to-time: those lights that come on in the dash do sometimes actually mean something is wrong.

Thanks again,
Brian

 

I have the same problem, it's been goig on for about 3-4 months.

Thanks for the info, where didyou order the brushe's from?
I'm gonna need some of those.

 

I ended up buying a new alternator.. but it seems like it goes out every 4 months... no matter if i have a stereo installed or not... ive had alot of alternator's turn up bad before they leave the store.... gotta love a warranty...