4th Generation LS1 Camaro Alternator problems

[TC]

Alright this is the deal, about two months ago my alternator took a crap, so I figured I wouldn't "F" around and got an alternator from the dealer. Well I put the alternator in and bam, nothing, it didn't work. So after trouble shooting it, I figured I just bite the bullet and take the car in. Well long story short the alternator I got was bad right out of the box. So the dealer installed another alternator and I was on my way. Well on my way for about 5 miles, because that is when the new one they put in took a crap. So now over the last two months I have gone through 8 alternators, yes that is not a joke 8 of the POS's. And what's funny is the dealer has done every thing possible to try to blame it on my car, but in the end it is just the alternators that have taken a crap. Everything checks out ok other than the alternators. So anyway I again had to take my car back today, and again I won't be getting it back today since they "want to drive it and see what it causing the alternators to die". But I guess this time, they called someone in from Chevrolet especially for my car, to try and figure out why it keeps eating alternators.

Anyway any of you guys ever hear about LS1 Camaro's and them eating alternators. Also apparently GM doesn't make NEW alternators anymore for that car, so I'm dealing with factory rebuilds. But still you would think they would last more than 100 miles. Hell I had one that lasted about 19 miles.

[min301]

Re: 4th Generation LS1 Camaro Alternator problems

I did a T.S.B. search, and just got off the
phone with the servuce director to a local chevy
dealer.
To answer the first question, no-there is nothing car specific
that would indicate this as a problem associated with
F-bodies specifically.

There is ongoing iisues with that style of alternator,
which is used on a plethora of GM cars and trucks.

[squirrel]

Re: 4th Generation LS1 Camaro Alternator problems

how old is the battery?

[TheSilverBuick]

Re: 4th Generation LS1 Camaro Alternator problems

When I worked at a Pontiac/GMC dealership from '99-'03 the only thing I can remember being a chronic problem with the cars and trucks were the Alternators (I'll be kind and spare the ones from the Ford Dealership afterwards ;D, Sorry Bill, had too). Don't recall any particular focus on the F-bodies, but as Min301 pointed out the alternators went on a bunch of vehicles.

Stupid question, but have you had the battery load tested twice back to back? In my experience a dead/shorted cell can sometimes be hidden behind a surface charge and may be over drawing the system.

[squirrel]

Re: 4th Generation LS1 Camaro Alternator problems

That's why I asked about the battery. We haven't had any trouble with the alt in wife's 99 silverado (175k miles!), but we replaced the battery before it went bad. Preventative maintence, spend $40 on a battery instead of hundreds on alternators.

[TheSilverBuick]

Re: 4th Generation LS1 Camaro Alternator problems

That's why I asked about the battery. We haven't had any trouble with the alt in wife's 99 silverado (175k miles!), but we replaced the battery before it went bad. Preventative maintence, spend $40 on a battery instead of hundreds on alternators.

You beat me to it by a few minutes ;)

[TC]

Re: 4th Generation LS1 Camaro Alternator problems

Thanks for checking that Bill, I know that the stock alternator design for those cars is crap. Basically the alternator puts out when driving down the road, but when idling at a light with the A/C on the volts go down to about 11-12 volts. And believe it or not I read a GM bulletin that said that that was normal operation.

As for the battery it is an Optima Red top battery, and is only about a year and a half to 2 years old. And as for checking the battery, I'm pretty sure they've tested it 10 ways to china by now.

Also out of the 8 alternators, one was bad out of the box(that's what started the whole thing), and one actually had pieces fall out of it, and another had a scraping sound when they took it out.

And as for when it takes a crap, it's usually after I rap out a gear, especially 1st gear. Like the one just before the one that just took a crap, I went to pass someone on the freeway, I hit the gas passed them and then look down and the alternator wasn't working anymore.

And on another note, the alternator that is in there is a CS130D, does anyone know if I can stick a CS144 in there. Reason I ask is the CS144 is a way better alternator that puts out 140 amps, instead of the 105 amps that the CS130D puts out.

[min301]

Re: 4th Generation LS1 Camaro Alternator problems

Talk to your local parts guy, they should be able to get you the engineering details, including demensions, and mount locations, clocking, etc..

[Scott Liggett]

Re: 4th Generation LS1 Camaro Alternator problems

Watch out that the dealer doesn't try to blame your alternator problem on your non-factory Optima battery.

[dieselgeek]

Re: 4th Generation LS1 Camaro Alternator problems

Watch out that the dealer doesn't try to blame your alternator problem on your non-factory Optima battery.

I've seen Optima batteries kill alternators many times They can also kill chargers. That being said, they're a great battery and no Jim, I don't know the scientific reasoning for it. ;) But I can assure TC that those alternators are good, not crap, and by the third one he should have figured out that it's not the alternator causing the problem.




TC, can you get an ampmeter and see what kind of load you're car/battery is placing on the alternator?

-scott

[squirrel]

Re: 4th Generation LS1 Camaro Alternator problems

A higher capacity battery will likely have a different charge current vs. voltage curve...which probably could overload the alternator. Makes sense, I guess. Something about the internal resistance of the battery being different.

Also did you/they make sure to fully charge the battery before starting the car, after replacing the alternators?

[min301]

Re: 4th Generation LS1 Camaro Alternator problems

Watch out that the dealer doesn't try to blame your alternator problem on your non-factory Optima battery.

I've seen Optima batteries kill alternators many times They can also kill chargers. That being said, they're a great battery and no Jim, I don't know the scientific reasoning for it. ;) But I can assure TC that those alternators are good, not crap, and by the third one he should have figured out that it's not the alternator causing the problem.




TC, can you get an ampmeter and see what kind of load you're car/battery is placing on the alternator?

-scott

I have to disagree, they are crap, but he may have something drawing too many amps
causing the alt to overwork and die, prematurely.

[dieselgeek]

Re: 4th Generation LS1 Camaro Alternator problems

So you're saying it's even remotely possible that he got 8 bad alternators in a row? seriously?

Parish's truck ran a stock LS1 alternator for 3 years with triple the coil dwell (that's 8 coils), double fuel pumps, double the e-fan current, a nitrous solenoid; but a stock battery. It never let us down. Crappy alternators indeed :

[min301]

Re: 4th Generation LS1 Camaro Alternator problems

No, not 8.

But they do suck.
I don't know about his specifically, but the death rate is quite high.
Many I've done within factory warranty.

[Mr4Speed]

Re: 4th Generation LS1 Camaro Alternator problems

The initial alternator failure could have killed something else in the system. The starter, battery, and alternator are all symbiotic and a failure or weakness in any one of those three can damage or cause a weakness in either or both of the other two. I would be double checking all the grounds, and all the fusible links too.