Subaru Enthusiasts Car Club of the Sierras - View Single Post

sperry · 2008-07-29, 12:41 PM

I think it's time for a new alternator in the SVX.

Unfortunately, I just replaced it not all that long ago with a remanufactured unit from Napa. In fact the one I got from Napa never really worked all that well as within a year I was back to dealing with dead batteries.

So first off, is my problem just the alternator? I know I had some electrical problems in the car due to a short in my remote start harness... but I'm 99.9% sure all that's totally taken care of. Right now, my voltmeter (built into my radar detector, so I'm nearly always watching it) reads about 11.7V at idle and 13.2V at speed. If I charge the battery overnight, I'll get maybe .5V more out of the system, but not for long. And after a week or so, I start running into issues like not being able to start it (just get a single click from the starter and no attempt to turn over). And eventually, the car even starts to drive a little "off"... seems down on power and makes gearshifts at odd times.

I'm pretty sure my issue is just a bad alternator masked by running a good spiral-cell battery. But perhaps the starter is going too?

Does anyone have a good recommendation for remanufactured starters and alternators? I think I'm going to avoid Napa this time around... since the one I've got now is only like a year old and giving me issues (not to mention the 1st one I got from Napa was totally seized and wouldn't spin and needed to be exchanged right out of the box). Should I just go through Subaru? what about high capacity alternators... any of you audio folks have a recommendation for a >95amp alternators with OEM fitment for an SVX?

2008-07-29, 12:41 PM	#1
sperry The Doink Real Name: Scott Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 20,335 Car: '09 OBXT, '02 WRX, '96 Miata Class: PDX/TT-6 The way out is through	Alternator woes... I think it's time for a new alternator in the SVX. Unfortunately, I just replaced it not all that long ago with a remanufactured unit from Napa. In fact the one I got from Napa never really worked all that well as within a year I was back to dealing with dead batteries. So first off, is my problem just the alternator? I know I had some electrical problems in the car due to a short in my remote start harness... but I'm 99.9% sure all that's totally taken care of. Right now, my voltmeter (built into my radar detector, so I'm nearly always watching it) reads about 11.7V at idle and 13.2V at speed. If I charge the battery overnight, I'll get maybe .5V more out of the system, but not for long. And after a week or so, I start running into issues like not being able to start it (just get a single click from the starter and no attempt to turn over). And eventually, the car even starts to drive a little "off"... seems down on power and makes gearshifts at odd times. I'm pretty sure my issue is just a bad alternator masked by running a good spiral-cell battery. But perhaps the starter is going too? Does anyone have a good recommendation for remanufactured starters and alternators? I think I'm going to avoid Napa this time around... since the one I've got now is only like a year old and giving me issues (not to mention the 1st one I got from Napa was totally seized and wouldn't spin and needed to be exchanged right out of the box). Should I just go through Subaru? what about high capacity alternators... any of you audio folks have a recommendation for a >95amp alternators with OEM fitment for an SVX? __________________ Is you is, or is you ain't, my con-stit-u-ints?