rebuilt alternator dillemma! 2nd Oreilly's unit is faulty!!

[brotherZ]

Hey guys, I need some ideas here. I had an Oreilly China rebuilt Bosch alternator weeks back that had a dim charging light flicker at all rpms. I swapped it for another rebuilt Bosch unit a few days ago. While taking the car out today, everything was fine except the red light blinked for a second every 30 seconds or so...I thought it was a fluke. After taking the car up to 65mph, after a 50 second stretch the light came on and stayed on. Within 20 seconds I found a safe place to pull over and the front section of the alternator was smoking bad, super hot, and smelled like a burnt up angle grinder. There was also small chunks of clear plastic pieces falling out of the alternator.

One odd thing, after the car was sitting for a while without a key in the ignition, the red light was dim but still on?? I had a new German alternator in this same car months ago with no issues. I have not changed wiring or anything. I think the bearings were shot in the rebuilt alternator. What could cause it to do this? Possible that the belt is pinching on a slightly bent pulley? Angle of belt to pulley and crank pulley is true with no odd angle. Crank pulley does not have excessive play either. Its a pretty tight 40 horse.

I plan to pull it tonight and take it back to Oreilly for a refund tomorrow.
*I have ran alternators for years with NO issues. I run new German belts with 1/2" of play in the belt. Nut on fan is torqued to 40 ft. lbs and cooling slot is pointed down. Not sure what else I can do or if its something I'm doing wrong, but that is doubtful. Any words of wisdom are appreciated!

[Zundfolge1432]

Did it look like this one?

[wcfvw69]

[Cusser]

[gt1953]

Sounds like my Autozone starter. Took them three starters but this one has lasted now seventeen years and still going.
Lifetime warranty does come in handy for some items like clutches and such.
_________________
Volkswagen: We tune what we drive.
Numbers Matching VW's are getting harder to find. Source out the most Stock vehicle and keep that way. You will be glad you did.

72 type 1
72 Squareback
({59 Euro bug, 62, 63, 67, 68, 69, 73 type ones 68 & 69 type two, 68 Ghia all sold})

[&Dan]

It's all a crapshoot. I've installed two AutoZone 6V starters and both performed properly. One of them replaced a brand-new Bosch starter that refused to operate. Lately, a Remy brand 12 V generator was rebuilt in such a way as to operate in reverse, eg. motored backwards, and the O'Reilly generator that replaced it operates properly.

Country of origin does not appear to make a difference: a Delco generator I installed in my '64 Ford failed within a year, and the Mexico-origin generator that replaced it, another AutoZone unit, performs normally.

In the end, it's down to who offers the best warranty. Your O'Reilly dealer should exchange the unit without question.

[Cusser]

[Zundfolge1432]

The reason I posted that photo was it too came from oh really’s.
But it appears to be new instead of rebuilt, both Bosch and Motorola are marked and are easily identifiable, but this thing was sold as rebuilt and with my veterans discount was about 70 bucks out the door. In contrast new Bosch is several hundred but I’ve had some great results working with local rebuilders as Bill mentioned.

Cuss mentioned the other fan. It’s garden variety Emerson 1930s vintage and they made millions so they aren’t rare. The first ones late 1800s had no guards, some were DC power, some have exposed brushes and it was assumed the operator knew what they were doing. Quick check eBay hundreds of these things looking for new homes. There exists a collector market for early appliances as well. It’s a slippery slope

[Denny B]

Antique/vintage fans on FleeBay….

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trk...p;_sacat=0

[brotherZ]

[VW_Jimbo]