NAPA Alternator

[Johnms]

I have been battling my Alternator issues. We often do 30-day RV trips towing with my 2009 YUKON XL and in North Dakota (I live in Florida), my GM Alternator lost a bearing. I managed to get to a NAPA Repair shop near our campground and they ordered a new one from NAPA and replaced it for me. I have now replaced that alternator two more times, (the last time was in the NAPA parking lot in Maine) and the new one is already whining at less than a week in. I have decided to go ahead and order a GM version and swap it out. When I did a review of this alternator on the NAPA website they shot it down. I have attached the email thread for my review.

 

[tom3]

Sure makes one question the validity of their reviews. I use Chinese bearings in my lawnmower blade deck and they last a year or two even in that. I'd sure hate to be a military pilot flying Chinese built aircraft near its limits. I'd probably source a quality bearing and replace it in the NAPA unit and go with it, save a couple hundred dollars.

 

[j91z28d1]

please follow up if the oem one lasts.

edit, 20 plus years ago I went thru 6 alts from a pep boys till I got one for a v6 camaro that lasted a few years. auto parts store quality has always been iffy.

 

[OR VietVet]

I was told by a rep for NAPA once, that a rebuilt alternator/starter are disassembled, internal parts tested, replace only bad component, reassemble with fresh cleaned case and reuse the other internal components. A reman is supposed to have new guts.

 

[Geotrash]

I have been battling my Alternator issues. We often do 30-day RV trips towing with my 2009 YUKON XL and in North Dakota (I live in Florida), my GM Alternator lost a bearing. I managed to get to a NAPA Repair shop near our campground and they ordered a new one from NAPA and replaced it for me. I have now replaced that alternator two more times, (the last time was in the NAPA parking lot in Maine) and the new one is already whining at less than a week in. I have decided to go ahead and order a GM version and swap it out. When I did a review of this alternator on the NAPA website they shot it down. I have attached the email thread for my review.
View attachment 404630

The best way to go, in my opinion, is to buy new. Reman alternators are such a crapshoot these days. Rockauto sells *new* Delco units under the BBB brand name for a reasonable price: https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinf...56ipo7eUCeYIfbabjWFRCX/kYX6OXWAZWuv2dC479fZdg

 

[swathdiver]

I have been battling my Alternator issues. We often do 30-day RV trips towing with my 2009 YUKON XL and in North Dakota (I live in Florida)

What do you tow with the Yukon XL and do you have any pics? We love towing pics!

 

[donjetman]

almost 5 yrs and 60k miles ago I installed a amazon $108 #8301N 160 amp alternator and its still going strong.

 

[Geotrash]

almost 5 yrs and 60k miles ago I installed a amazon $108 #8301N 160 amp alternator and its still going strong.

Yup. I installed the same one on both of my rigs. Working great after many, many miles now. But, I see that's it's currently listed as unavailable: https://a.co/d/2PAP1Gf

 

[adventurenali92]

Yeah….. NAPA brand parts like alternators and starters are crap….. they come with a lifetime warranty because they die. I’m on my third Napa starter in like 6 or 7 years. To go along with what @OR VietVet said, my mechanic buddy that did the first starter replacement told me that the NAPA brand starters come with a lifetime warranty because they’re known to not last long and rather than get a bad rep on starters, they replace them for free. Replaced my dead OEM starter I believe in 2017, year and a half later the NAPA starter died when I was in the middle of our local DIY car wash. Took it literally across the street to the NAPA parts store and they swapped for a “new one”….. yeah that one lasted about another year and a half I think. I know it kicked the bucket in 2020, because I was detailing all day for a client that owns a huge lakeside RV park here in the mountains where I live, call AAA to get it towed the 10 or so miles home so I could get the starter out. And AAA tells me the most ridiculous thing I’d ever heard….” Oh Covid rules say you can’t ride in the tow truck, you’ll need to find your own ride home”…… the rep was like “well just get an Uber…..” I'm like yeah um Uber doesn’t exist in my mountain ski town with less than 20,000 full time residents….. I'm getting in the tow truck and going with my vehicle and there isn’t anything you can do over the phone to stop me…..

Anyways yeah I’m probably due for another starter now that I think about it. That last starter that went in is 3 years old now….

 

[OR VietVet]

Yeah….. NAPA brand parts like alternators and starters are crap….. they come with a lifetime warranty because they die. I’m on my third Napa starter in like 6 or 7 years. To go along with what @OR VietVet said, my mechanic buddy that did the first starter replacement told me that the NAPA brand starters come with a lifetime warranty because they’re known to not last long and rather than get a bad rep on starters, they replace them for free. Replaced my dead OEM starter I believe in 2017, year and a half later the NAPA starter died when I was in the middle of our local DIY car wash. Took it literally across the street to the NAPA parts store and they swapped for a “new one”….. yeah that one lasted about another year and a half I think. I know it kicked the bucket in 2020, because I was detailing all day for a client that owns a huge lakeside RV park here in the mountains where I live, call AAA to get it towed the 10 or so miles home so I could get the starter out. And AAA tells me the most ridiculous thing I’d ever heard….” Oh Covid rules say you can’t ride in the tow truck, you’ll need to find your own ride home”…… the rep was like “well just get an Uber…..” I'm like yeah um Uber doesn’t exist in my mountain ski town with less than 20,000 full time residents….. I'm getting in the tow truck and going with my vehicle and there isn’t anything you can do over the phone to stop me…..

Anyways yeah I’m probably due for another starter now that I think about it. That last starter that went in is 3 years old now….

That is not the first time I have heard about not being allowed to ride in the tow truck. Will not let you ride in the towed vehicle either. Most driver's were just following what their dispatcher said to do. It was bull snot of course, especially if you agreed to wear a mask. You know, THE MASK, that was safe and then unsafe and then safe and then unsafe again.